Horvat Sher; Khirbet Sher; Umm es-Sur - Monastery (?)

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Monastery name, type, category
Site Name: 
Horvat Sher; Khirbet Sher; Umm es-Sur
Monastery name: 
Monastery (?)
Monastery type: 
Cenobium
Monastery category: 
Village
Location
Coordinates, ITM system: 
19,910.00
64,915.00
Coordinates, ICS system: 
14,910.00
14,915.00
Geographical region: 
Southern and Western Samaria
Provincial affiliation: 
Palaestina I
Bishopric: 
Diospolis
Topographical location: 
The region is one of low undulating hills. The site is on relatively level ground.
Distance from nearest bishop-seat: 
ca. 10 km (Lod-Diospolis)
0
Distance from Roman roads: 
ca. 0.5 km from the road connecting Lod-Diospolis with Jerusalem.
Source of knowledge
Hide Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors: 
NameDate
Gadot
2004
Excavated site
Excavators: 
NameDate
Farhi and Gadot
2004-2005
Bibliograpy: 
Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1984
129-65
Gadot, Y., 2005
Farhi, Y. and Gadot, Y., 2006
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012
234
Dayan, A., 2015
118
Haddad, E., Nadav-Ziv, L., Danziger, O. and Elisha, Y., 2019
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Discussion: 
The excavators suggested that the site was a Christian settlement that "also contained a monastery". It is not clear what they based the possiblility of a monastery on. With the exception of a lintel carved with crosses that possibly belonged to the church mentioned by Ovadiah and de Silva, there are no indications that the site contained a monastery.
State of certainty: 
Uncertain / Questionable
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered: 

The site was surveyed and excavated in 2004-2005. The remains consist of terraces,nine winepresses, six cisterns, white tesserae, numerous vessels and coins, all dated to the Byzantine period. Ovadiah and de Silva reported remains of a church but the excavation failed to find these remains.

Illustrative material: 
Hide General description
Churche/s: 

A church was reported by Ovadiah and de Silva.

Water installations: 

Six cisterns were found in the vicinity.

Agricultural and industrial installations: 

Terraces were found on the hill and several winepresses.

Hide Small finds
Small finds: 
CategoryDescription
Pottery
Local and imported (bowls, kraters, cooking pots) some decorated with crosses.
Glass
Numerous fragments (bowls, wine goblet, bottles, juglets)
Coins
Four coins dated 4th-7th c.
Detailed description
Hide Components
Monastery church: 
Church typeDiakonikonLink to church sectionChurch location
unknown
Agricultural installations: 
wine press\es [=w/p]
Water installations: 
Cisterns
Inscribed crosses
Architectural evolution
Hide Phase date
Century: 
Early Christian / Byzantine