Khirbet Abu-Ghunneim - Church

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Church Name, type, function
Site Name: 
Khirbet Abu-Ghunneim
Identification: 
Corbo identified the complex found at Kh. Abu Ghunneim as the monastery of Photeinos, founded by Marinos, near the village of Metopa, in the fifth century, mentioned by Cyril of Scythopolis (V. Euth. 8,16; V. Sab. 29, 114; V. Theodosius 2, 237).
Church name: 
Church
Functional Type: 
Monastic
Church type: 
Chapel
Location
Coordinates, ITM system: 
221.00
625.90
Coordinates, ICS system: 
171.00
1,125.90
Location: 
Rural
Geographical region: 
Judean Desert fringes
Topographical location: 
The site is located on a hill.
Distance from nearest bishop-seat: 
5 km (Jerusalem)
Distance from nearest settlement: 
2.5 km (Bethlehem)
Distance from Roman roads: 
1.5 km (the road connectiong Jerusalem with Bethlehem)
Provincial affiliation: 
Palaestina I
Bishopric: 
Jerusalem
Source of knowledge
Literary sources
Hide Archaeological remains
Excavated site
Excavators: 
NameDate
Corbo
1952
Bibliograpy: 
Corbo, V. C., 1954
Corbo, V. C., 1955
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered: 

The site was excavated in 1952 revealing a monastic complex. The enclosing walls were partially preserved but the interior was in a poor state of preservation. On the northern side there is an apsidal chapel, 5.10x16.7m in dimensions; in the center a vast courtyard with a water cistern in its middle. The dimension of the complex are 24.75x18.40m. 

The chapel, accessed from the south, was later divided by three walls ser on the mosaic floors into four units.

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Illustrative material: 
Façade and entries: 

The chapel was accessed from the south via two openings. 

Bema, chancel screen and apse: 

A semi-circular (2.25 m radius) internal apse with a rectangular exterior. Two steps lead to the apse from the hall, a chancel screen with a central opening is separating the two. Three fragments of an altar base were found.

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Detailed description
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Orientation: 
Facing east
Materials applied (walls): 
Limestone
Materials applied (roofing): 
tiles
East end: 
External apse, quadrangular
Elevation of Bema above nave: 
2 steps up
Altar remains: 
base plate
Hide Attached structures
Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon: 
Simple rectangular room
Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description: 
A large room with traces of mosaic floor was annexed to the chapel on the south. Its southern end is missing.To its west a vast space with two opening led to the chapel. On the south it was open to the courtyard. A third room was annexed to the chapel farther west, next to the western end of the chapel.
Architectural Evolution
General outline: 
The monastery and its church were founded in the fifth century. Corbo identified the complex as the monastery of Photeinos, founded by Marinos, near the village of Metopa, in the fifth century, mentioned by Cyril of Scythopolis (V. Euth. 8,16; V. Sab. 29, 114; V. Theodosius 2, 237).
Dating material: 

The pottery assemblage is dated to 5th-6th centuries (the majority to fifth)

Founded 5th c based on pottery assemblage.

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Century: 
5th c.
Post Arab conquest history: 
Abandoned
Post conquest history comments: 
In the Early Islamic period the church was divided into three spaces and used apparently in a domestic capacity.