Beit 'Anun; Khirbet Abu Rish - Monastery (?)

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Beit 'Anun; Khirbet Abu Rish

Identification:

Located 0.5 km northeast of Beit 'Anun.

Monastery name:

Monastery (?)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Pilgrims

Former farm

Source of sacredness:

Sacred Objects

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

21,278.00

60,787.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

16,278.00

10,787.00

Geographical region:

Hebron Hills

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Eleutheropolis

Topographical location:

The site is located in the eastern part of the 'Anun Valley.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

Ca. 20 km (Beth Govrin-Eleutheropolis)

Distance from nearest settlement:

0.5 km (Beit 'Anun)

Distance from Roman roads:

Ca. 3 km from the main highway connecting the Hebron hills with Thecoa

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Conder and Kitchener	1871-1877
Kochavi	1967-1968

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Magen and Baruch	1990; 1992

History:

The site was probably a farm in its first phase. It is not known if this farm was worked by monks. It became a pilgrimage site sometime later with extensive changes in the plan of the structure, several rooms and a chapel were added. If this was indeed a monastery it may have been founded at this point with the monks providing services for the pilgrims that were drawn to the sacred tombs. The site was probably abandoned sometime in the early seventh century, perhaps due to the Arab conquest.

Bibliograpy:

Kochavi, M.‎, 1972‎	58
Magen, I. and Baruch, Y., 1997	339-58
Tzaferis, V., 1997	355-58
Ovadiah, A. and De Silva, C. G., 1981	230
Di Segni, L., 2007	381-401
Magen, Y. and Baruch, Y., 2012	185-202
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	187-89

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

The site was defined as a monastery in the Corpus of Christian sites, published by the Archaeology Staff Officer of Judea and Samaria (Magen and Kagan 2012 II: 187, no. 281). However, this identification was not mentioned in a broader publication of the excavation (Magen and Baruch 2012: 185-202). Although the complex structure is suggestive of a monastery, the inscription that mentions a priest and not an abbot casts some doubt over the suggestion that this was a monastery. On the other hand, it is quite clear that the complex became a site of pilgrimage in its second phase, as the inscription mentions them. It is not inconcievable that the site was run by monks in the same manner as other establishments, for example the road station and pilgrimage site established by the Empress Eudocia at Qasr Ali on the Jerusalem-Jericho road (Hirschfeld 1990: 287-294) and the one excavated at Horvat Hanot (Di Segni 2003: 273-276; Shenhav 2003: 269-272).

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

A structure (19 x 9 m), winepresses, tombs, and cisterns were uncovered. Some of the walls remained to a height of 2 m and above. A mosaic inscription was well preserved.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Kh. Abu Rish- construction phases (Magen and Baruch 1997: 342, Fig. 2).

Kh. Abu Rish- entrance to the tomb (Magen and Baruch 1997: 347, Fig 4).

Kh. Abu Rish- the inscription (Tzaferis 1997: 356, Fig 9).

General description

Enclosing walls:

The structure forms an enclosed compound.

Courtyards:

The courtyard, originally external to the building, was encompassed by a massive wall in the third phase, and paved with stone slabs.

Churche/s:

The larger of two rooms belonging to the first phase was enlarged (10 x 4.6 m -external dimensions) and used as a chapel. At its eastern end, a bema was raised one step above the hall floor. The tomb area was covered with a mosaic pavement.

Burials:

Several rock-cut tombs were located west of the building. These were shaft tombs which had been sealed with stone slabs. The burial area was encompassed with a wall in the third phase.

Storage facilities:

Natural caves had been fitted for storage in the first phase. A cistern belonging to the first phase was later converted into a storage area.

Cave/s:

Natural caves were found in the vicinity, some of which were used as storage. A rock-cut cave had two openings, one of which had an arch over it, the other opening was partially destroyed. The cave was not excavated.

Water installations:

A large cistern was located beneath the courtyard. Other cisterns were also noted, some of which had been converted into storage space in the second phase.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

A large, improved, industrial winepress was found east of the building. The winepress was encompassed by walls and had two treading floors paved with white mosaic (1.80 x 1.60; 3.80 x 3.30 m), a stone for a press mechanism, a settling pit, and two collecting vats.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	All dated to 5th-7th centuries.

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

Components

Enclosing wall

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
single nave		Beit 'Anun; Khirbet Abu Rish - Chapel	Ground floor

Storage caves

Tombs type:

Burial chamber

Agricultural installations:

wine press\es [=w/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Abandonment

General outline:

An industrial, agricultural complex consisting of two rooms (15 x 4.80 m) or more, an open courtyard, cisterns, caves, tombs. Some of the caves were fitted for storage.

Dating material:

All phases were Byzantine, based on the pottery. The phase is dated to the late fifth or early sixth century.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

General outline:

Major changes in the structure. Rooms added, the large room of the early phase becomes a chapel and is paved with mosaics. An inscription mentions a priest and pilgrims.

Dating material:

The precise dating of each phase has not been discerned. Most likely the second phase dates to the sixth century when pilgrimage became widespread.

Phase date

Century:

6th-7th c.

General outline:

Minor changes are made in the structure. A new, massive wall bounds the courtyard and the burial area, the workmanship is slovenly and uneven.

General outline:

The site was abandoned after the Arab conquest when pilgrimage ceased.

Dating material:

No finds later than Byzantine were found.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned