Nessana - SS. Sergius and Bacchus (North church)

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Nessana

Church name:

SS. Sergius and Bacchus (North church)

Dedication:

SS. Sergius and Bacchus

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Basilical - Basilica with an annexed chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

145.66

532.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

95.66

1,032.00

Location:

Village/Town

Geographical region:

Central Negev

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina III

Bishopric:

Elusa

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Two dedicatory (?) invocations of St. Sergius and George on chalk architectural elements, found in the south court of the church.
2	Dated epitaph of Stephen son of Wa'il on limestone slab, found in the ancient entrance hall (Room 10), March/April 584.
3	Limestone lintel with acclamatory formula and invocation of Saint Stephen, reused a sill in the ancient entrance hall (Room 9).
4	Limestone slab with Psalms quotation, found in the ancient entrance hall of the church.
5	Dated epitaph of Thoamos the priest on a chalk voussoir, found in the corner of the martyrium (Room 16), 6 Nov. 464.
6	Dated epitaph of Palladis the deacon on a chalk voussoir, on an arch in the martyrium (Room 14), 1 Dec. 475.
7	Dated invocation of Saint Sergius on behalf of Theodore, on a chalk fragment found in Room 8, 18 July (?) 586.
8	Invocation of the Lord and of Saint Sergius on behalf of Stephen and Mena, on a chalk voussoir in Room 7.
9	Invocations of Saint Sergius painted in red on a column drum found in Room 13 of the northern complex (Kirk–Welles, no. 63), and another of "Lord God of Saint Sergius" incised on a chalk block found in the cistern in the east court (no. 69), as well as other devotional graffiti found on limestone and chalk in the eastern complex (nos. 67-68, 70), not included.
10	Small fragments of marble furniture with inscriptions engraved or traced in black ink (Kirk–Welles, nos. 1-11), not included.
11	Two dated epitaphs of Sergius and his son Patricius, priests and abbots, on a limestone slab, found over a grave in the northern aisle, 10 Feb. 592 and 24 Jul. 628.
12	Dated epitaph of Stephen son of Obathus on a limestone slab, found in the floor over a grave in the northern aisle, 22 Oct. 605.
13	Dated epitaph of Maria daughter of Sergius on a limestone slab, found in the floor over a grave in the southern aisle, 7 Oct. 630.
14	Dated dedicatory building (?) inscription on a fragment of limestone abacus, found in the baptistry of the church, 601/602.
15	Undecipherable fragment of a mosaic floor within a medallion, in the baptistery of the church.

Archaeological remains

Bibliograpy:

Colt, H. D. and et alii, 1962
Figueras, P., 1995	425-429
Di Segni, L., 1997
Patrich, J., 2006

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Well preserved church, mostly of the second phase. In the first phase the church measured 20 X 10.7 m. In the second phase the church was enlarged and measured 23.75 X 10.7 m. The area of the bema damaged by fortification works from the period of First World War, thus, there are no remains of the altar.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Atrium:

The atrium existed during the first phase. It measured 10.7 X 4.8 - 5 m. In the second phase a baptistery was built instead of it.

Narthex:

The narthex, like the atrium, existed only during the first phase. It measured 10.7 X 3 m. In the second phase the narthex was transformed into baptistery.

Façade and entries:

In the second phase the basilica had one entrance in the western wall, in the northern aisle, leading from the baptistery. Two other entrances were in the southern wall of the basilica, leading from the courtyard south of the church.

Lateral walls:

The walls were 0.7 - 1 m thick.

Nave:

The nave of the second phase was 5.8 m wide, separated from the aisles by two rows of six columns, bearing arcades. In the northeastern corner of the nave was located an ambo. The nave (like other parts of the church) is paved with marble slabs.

Aisles:

The northern aisle is 2.6 m wide. It has an entrance in its western wall, leading from the baptistery. Another two entrances are in the northern wall, one leads to the chapel, and the other to a rectangular room east of the chapel. The southern aisle is 2.3 m wide. It has two entrances in its southern wall, leading from the southern courtyard. Both aisles ended at the east with entrances to the pastophoria rooms.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The U-shaped bema raised one step above the nave. The apse is internal, rounded, 2.75 m deep and 5 m wide. The apse is flanked by two irregular-shaped pastophoria.

Lateral spaces:

The basilica is flanked from the north by three rooms. The central and the largest one is the side chapel (see under "attached structures"). West of it is located a rectangular room, entered from the doorway in the western wall of the chapel. East of the chapel is located another rectangular room, entered from the eastern part of the northern aisle.

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Atrium:

Yes

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

Colonnades / Arcades:

Arcade of columns

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
6

Capital types:

Corinthian

East end:

Internal apse

Church Head/Chevet:

monoapsidal with open lateral rooms or spaces (mon-aps I)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped without lateral openings

Elevation of Bema above nave:

1 step up

Altar remains:

no remains

Ambo:

Yes

Ambo remains:

base plate

Ambo description:

The ambo was indicated by a hexagonal base plate at the northeast corner of the nave, in front of the bema. At the northwest corner of the bema a small platform projected into the nave, on a level with the bema, and formed the base of the steps to the ambo.

Ambo location:

Ambo placement:

On an hexagonal slab

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Synthronon:

Yes

Synthronon remains:

other

Synthronon location:

Against the apse

Synthronon description:

The synthronon itself has not survived. It is indicated by a rectangular stone base for the bishop's throne that projects from the wall of the apse to a length of 1.95 m.

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

N & S

Description and function of northern:

The pastophorium is of an irregular shape, measuring approx. 4.3 X 3.5 m, continued behind the apse.

Description and function of southern:

Similar to the northern pastophorium.

Cult of relics

Cult of relics loci:

elsewhere

Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:

A reliquiary was found in a room to the NW of the basilica.

Baptism

Loci:

The font is attached to the eastern wall of the baptistery.

Font structure:

Masonry built

External shape:

square

Internal shape:

semicircle

Ben-Pechat type:

Attached structures

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:

Simple rectangular room

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:

The chapel attached to the church from north. It is a rectangular room with transverse bema, raised one step above the hall. The walls were plastered. The measurements of the chapel are 12.6 X 5.5 m.

Baptistery:

Other

Baptistery description:

The atrium and narthex of the first phase were transformed into a baptistery in the second phase. The entrance to the baptistery is from the southern courtyard of the complex, through an anteroom, separated from the baptistery room by a triple arch. The font is attached to the eastern wall of the room. North of the baptismal font is a doorway, leading into the northern aisle of the basilica. The measurements of the baptistery are 10.7 X 4.8 - 5 m.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Abandonment

General outline:

Basilical church with a single apse and narthex.

Dating material:

An epitaph on a stone voussoir from Room 16, dated 464, and a second one on a similar stone from Room 14, dated to 475, establish a T.A.Q. for the construction of the church (Kendall in Colt 1962, p. 33-43; Di Segni 1997, p. 770-774, inscr.295).

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Late

General outline:

The church was enlarged by the removal of the narthex. Two courtyards and galleries were added to the church complex on the east and on the north.

Dating material:

Coins of Justinian under the floors (Kendall in Colt 1962, p. 37, 41) establish a T.P.Q. for these additions, and a T.A.Q. For the N wing, including the chapel.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

Mid

General outline:

A baptistry was added on the west.

Dating material:

A date of 601 CE on an abacus of one of the capitals of the baptistery (ibid., p. 141, inscr. 17; Di Segni 1997, p. 782-783, inscr, 302) seemingly marks the date of its addition.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Early

Dating material:

The latest dated tombstone in the complex is from 630 CE, and the latest dated papyri found therein are from 687-689 CE.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Late

Post Arab conquest history:

Unmodified