Abassan el-Kebir (Sheikh Ibrahim) - Church

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Abassan el-Kebir (Sheikh Ibrahim)

Church name:

Church

Dedication:

unknown

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Unknown

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

137,594.00

581,259.00

Location:

Rural

Geographical region:

Gaza strip

Topographical location:

10 km from the sea shore

Distance from nearest settlement:

20 km to the south of Gaza; 4 km to the west from Khan Junis

Distance from Roman roads:

Ca. equal distant (4-5 km) between the Via Maris and the Gaza - Nessana road.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Raphia

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Damaged two-line mosaic building inscription mentioning Theodore, May/June (606).

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
D. Gatenyo	1986

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Gaza Department of Antiquities (Sadeq)	1995

Bibliograpy:

1923-	46, 2030
Figueras, P., 1996	277f, no. 10
Piccirillo, M. and Alliata, E., 1999	215
Humbert J.-B. and Hassoune, A. , 2005
Feissel, D., 2006	251 no. 798
Piccirillo, M. , 2007	178
Ameling, W., Cotton, H. M., Eck, W., Isaac, B., Kushnir-Stein, A., Misgav, ‎H., Price, J. and Yardeni, A., 2014	571-2

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

In front the Sheikh's tomb a room 9x4 m in dimensions was uncovered, decorated with mosaic floor depicting geometrical and floral motives, birds, cups full of fruits and a Greek inscription in its center. Apparently it was a part of a chapel with flanking rooms and a tomb near its northern wall. The main space of the chapel consisted of two compartments. Both were decorated with geometric and floral compositions. A marble column was found in the center of one of the rooms.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Small finds

Small finds illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Burial loci

Burials loci:

Tomb near the northern wall of the chapel (inside it).

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Byzantine

General outline:

According to the mosaic inscription the decoration of the church was dated to month of Daisios, year 666, which is 606 CE according to the era of Gaza.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Early

Phase name (as published):

Unknown

Phase date

Century:

Unknown