Sepphoris - East Church

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Sepphoris

Church name:

East Church

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Basilical - Basilica with an annexed chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

226.37

739.85

Coordinates, ICS system:

176.37

1,239.85

Location:

Urban

Geographical region:

Lower Galilee

Topographical location:

To the east of the cardo, near it interjunction with the decumanus.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

In the city center. Might ad served as the cathedral.

Distance from nearest settlement:

In the city center.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Sepphoris

Source of knowledge

HideLiterary sources

Text number	Summary
1	Mention of a relic of the Annunciation at Diocaesarea, from an itinerary of ca. AD 570.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Weiss	2000's

Bibliograpy:

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

A tri-apsidal basilca with protruding apses, an atrium, narthex and several two rooms annexed to the south. Built above a demolished Roman temple, some of its stones being reused. Survived to foundation level only. Diemensions: 62X29 m.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Sepphoris, East Church, Weiss 2021, p. 143.

Atrium:

25X27 m. in dimension with a water font in its center. Stone paved. Accessesd from the cardo. Paved by stones with porticos paved by white mosaic. The stylobates of the surrounding porticos on the south, west and north and one column base remained in situ. The porticos were mosaic paved with geometric patterns.

Narthex:

With three doorways. 3.5 m. wide. Floor wasnt preserved.

Façade and entries:

Three doorways led to the nave and aisles.

Nave:

The nave and aisles measure approx 19X18 m. It appears that the floor of the prayer hall was 70 cm higher than the atrium, Paved by mosaics and opus sectile tiles, poorly preserved.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The central apse was 7.15 m. in diameter. A thick plaster floor was found. A rectunglar depresion in the floor, outlined by stone slabs, two of which were found in situ, was located a liitle north of the chord. It served a reliquiary (missing), and marks the location of the altar. The central apse was 2.4m thick (perhapse including the lowest grade of the syntgronon). It appears that the floor of the presbitary was 70 cm higher than the prayer hall.

Lateral spaces:

The foundation of the northen apse were found in situ, in the southern apse a course of ashlar stones was partily preserved.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy	Among the mosaic chunks in the apse , two pieces bearig Greek letters were found.

Comments, discussion and summary:

Finds such as stone and marble architectural elemnts taken from the church, nails and roof tiles were found in a limekiln above one of the adjacent stores. The date of the kiln is unknown, but appears to be from the umayyad period.

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing south-east. Orientation dictated by the streets grid.

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Marble

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Atrium:

Yes

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
6

Capital types:

Trapezoidal

East end:

External apses, round

Church Head/Chevet:

tri-apsidal

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped

Bema type text:

Poorly preserved.

Elevation of Bema above nave:

3 steps up

Altar remains:

no remains

Altar reliquiarium type:

Depression in the floor

Synthronon:

Yes

Synthronon remains:

grades

Synthronon location:

Against the apse

Attached structures

Annex/es on the south:

3 units annex. See below.

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:

Quadrangular chapel

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:

Two quadrangular rooms, each seemingly accessed from the southern aisle, were attached to it.

Sacristy / skeuophylakion:

Quadrangular chapel

Sacristy / skeuophylakion description:

The eastern of the two attached chapels, attached on the south, might had served as a sacristy.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

Dating material:

Considering the archtectural evolution of the city suggests that the church was built in the same time as the western church, under bishop Euthropius.

Probes were opened under sealed floor; the apse and one outside the church that was placed in order to level the area in the east. Finds from the probs are dated to the early 6th century.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

General outline:

In the atrium and the rooms south of the church there is evidence of constructions from the Umayyad Period.

Dating material:

In several pits in the church in areas that were robbed, such as the narthex walls, finds of the Umayyad period were found.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned

Post conquest history comments:

In the atrium annd the rooms south of the church there is evidence of constructions from the Umayyad Period.