11971 - Beth Govrin (Eleutheropolis) - Mahatt el-Urdi church

Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Beth Govrin (Eleutheropolis)

Identification:

Also known as Beth Guvrin and Beit Jibrin. Colonia Lucia Septima Severa from 199/200 CE. District center and episcopal see.

Church name:

Mahatt el-Urdi church

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Basilical - Basilica with an annexed chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

190.30

612.77

Coordinates, ICS system:

140.30

1,112.77

Geographical region:

Shephelah

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

Eleutheropolis is an episcopal see from the fourth century or earlier.

Distance from nearest settlement:

Near deserted Marisa.

Distance from Roman roads:

On a junction of the roads between Ascalon and Jerusalem and between Hebron Hills and northern Shephelah (Lod Valley).

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy:

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Mosaic scene of Biblical Jonah within an octagonal frame, in the northern aisle.
2	Broken invocation to the Lord in the diaconicon (CIIP IV/1 no. 3470), and painted crosses with ΙΣ ΧΣ ΙΣ or ΧΣ ΑΩ in graves (nos. 3472-3473), not included.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Baramki	1942-43

Bibliograpy:

Ovadiah, A., 1970
Baramki, D. C., 1972
Avi-Yonah, M., 1975
Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1982
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	118
Patrich, J., 2006

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Basilical church with two locable pastophoria and a 5 unit annex on the south. The eastern wall was not exposed.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Façade and entries:

The entrance from the narthex to the nave was not found because the wall was destroyed to below the foundation. In the southern aisle there was an entrance from the narthex, whose threshold is in situ.

Nave:

Two rows of columns separated the nave from the aisles. Columns and bases of columns are scattered over the area, thus it is unknown how many columns stood in a row, but on the basis of the remains, there were no fewer than four bays in each row. The nave is paved with gray, pink, and black marble and stone slabs.

Aisles:

The aisles ended at their east parts with lockable pastophoria. The inner division of the basilica is not identical and the width of the two aisles is different. In the northern aisle is a coloured mosaic with patterns of octagons and hexagons and within them are various animals. In the southern aisle is a coloured mosaic consisting of four panels surrounded by squares with animals.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The bema is U-shaped, raised two steps above the nave's floor. The apse is more than a semi -circle. There is a room behind the apse, entered from the southern pastophorium.

Lateral spaces:

The apse was flanked by two lockable pastophoria. An opening connected the southern one with the room behind the apse.

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Atrium:

No

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

2

East end:

Internal apse

Church Head/Chevet:

monoapsidal with lockable pastophoria (mon-aps II)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped without lateral openings

Elevation of Bema above nave:

2 steps up

Ambo:

No

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Apse shape:

Horse-shoe shape

Synthronon:

No

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

N & S

Description and function of northern:

Two steps lead to the the northern pastophorium which was on a higher level than the northern aisle. The floor is paved with a mosaic with geometric patterns.

Description and function of southern:

In the southern aisle (diaconicon?) there were many inscriptions which were destroyed. The floor is paved with a mosaic with geometric patterns.

Attached structures

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:

Apsidal chapel

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:

An apsidal chapel with a narrow ante-chamber is attached to the church on the south. Only the foundations were preserved, so no interconnecting passage between it and the southern aisle could be determined.

Architectural Evolution

Dating material	Iconoclastic evidence	Phase no.	Century
No date is given. The mosaic floors, including one depicting Jonas lying under the plant, two fishermen in a boat and another boat with two rowers, can be dated to the 6th c.	No	Phase 1	6th c.
No dates are given. Since there are no signs of iconoclasm, it seems reasonable to assume that the church went out of use before the first quarter of the 8th century.	No	Abandonment	7th c?

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned