11972 - Ḥorvat Beer Shem'a; Birsama - St. Stephanos

Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Ḥorvat Beer Shem'a; Birsama

Identification:

It is suggested to identify the site with Birsama.

Church name:

St. Stephanos

Functional Type:

Parochial

Dedication:

Basilica dedicated to St. Stephanos; the baptismal chapel - to the Trinity.

Church type:

Basilical - Annex\es on N & S

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

156.83

574.05

Coordinates, ICS system:

106.82

1,074.00

Geographical region:

Beer Sheba Valley

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Saltus Gerariticus

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy:

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	One-line mosaic building inscription, at the top border of the mosaic carpet of the nave, just in front of the chancel.
2	Large six-line mosaic commemoratie inscription within a rectangular frame, in front of the altar at the centre of the chancel.
3	Damaged six-line mosaic inscription with invocation of Saint Stephen the protomartyr, in the central entrance of the nave.
4	Seven-line commemorative mosaic inscription within a round medallion, in the floor of the baptistry chapel.
5	Ten-line commemorative mosaic inscription within a rectangular frame, in the floor of the baptistry chapel.
6	Monumental three-line mosaic building inscription written in faulty hexameters, within a tabula ansata in the floor of the baptistry chapel.
7	Partial four-line mosaic inscription within a tabula ansata, on the threshold of one of the side rooms.
8	Damaged four-line anonymous dedicatory mosaic inscription, in the western part of the chancel.
9	Laudatory inscription for bishop Makaidonios over two six-line mosaic panels in the eastern part of the nave.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Gazit and Lender	1989-90

Bibliograpy:

Lender, Y. and Gazit, D., 1991
Gazit, D. and Lender, Y., 1992
Gazit, D. and Lender, Y., 1993
Tzaferis, V., 1996
Patrich, J., 2006
Dolinka, B., 2007	113-115

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Basilical church, measures 12.5 X 21 m, with inner apse flanked by pastophoria. The narthex was partially excavated.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

H. Beer Shema, baptistry, Linder and Gazit 1992

Figures

H. Beer Shema, Plan, Lender and Gazit, Qadmoniot 1992

Narthex:

Only parts of the eastern and southern walls of the narthex were uncovered. The narthex was paved with stone slabs.

Façade and entries:

The church was entered from the narthex by three doorways, leading to the nave and the aisles.

Lateral walls:

The walls were built of dressed stones. The inner faces of the walls were coated with plaster. Remains of painted decoration were discernible on the whitewashed surface.

Nave:

The nave was separated from the aisles by two rows of five columns. The floor of the nave was paved with a mosaic floor with geometric, floral and figurative patterns.

Aisles:

The aisles were paved by stone slabs. Probes dug in the aisles revealed a mosaic floor from an earlier phase. In the debris in the aisles were found numerous mosaic fragments and balustrade posts, indicating the existence of galleries above the aisles.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The apse was internal, semicircular, flanked by pastophoria. The U-shaped bema measured 5 X 5 m. It was mosaic paved. In the center of the bema were found the remains of a 0.8 X 0.8 m altar, constructed of dressed stone faced with marble slabs. From the northwest corner of the bema an ambo protruded to the prayers hall.

Lateral spaces:

The apse was flanked by two pastophoria, each 3.5x3.5m in dimensions. An hexagonal instalation revated by 0.5wide marble plates was standing in the center of each room. Seemingly they served as containers for holy relics.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Glass	Fragments of glass lamps.
Stone vessels	Piece of a stone reliquary.
Coins	Three coins.
Metal objects	Many iron nails indicating wooden roofing.

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Atrium:

No

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

2

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
5

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

Altar remains:

plate

legs

Altar type:

Stone, table-like

Altar reliquiarium type:

Depression in the floor

Altar location:

In the middle of the bema

Ambo:

Yes

Ambo remains:

base plate

Ambo location:

N

Ambo description:

In the northeast of the hall an hexagonal base of the ambo was discovered, made from dressed stones, 1m in diameter with a leg which retained it.

Ambo materials:

Lime stone

Ambo placement:

On an hexagonal slab

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Synthronon:

No

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

N & S

Description and function of northern:

The dimensions of both pastophoria were 3.5 X 3.5 m. At the center of the chamber remains of a marble faced hexagonal installation (each side 0.5 long) were exposed, apparently for the placement of a sacred object or relics. It was not a lockable room.

Description and function of southern:

The southern pastophorium was identical to the northern one and also contained the same remains of an hexagonal reliquary. It was not a lockable room.

Cult of relics

Cult of relics loci:

elsewhere

Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:

In both rooms flanking the apse, as described above. In addition, a fragment of a reliquary box was found. Its original location - if in one of the rooms flanking the apse (in the hexagonal containers), or under the altar - in a depression - cannot be determined.

Baptism

Loci:

A baptismal chapel, dedicated to the Trinity, is attached to the basilica on the southwest. The chapel was probably entered from the narthex. In its eastern part there is a semicircular baptismal font. The font originally had a marble facing both inside and outside, which has not been preserved.

Font structure:

Masonry built

External shape:

semicircle

Internal shape:

semicircle

Ben-Pechat type:

3a

Upper galleries

Upper galleries:

above both aisles

Galleries description:

Balustrade columns and fragments of mosaics uncovered in the aisles over their floors suggest their existence.

Attached structures

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:

Quadrangular chapel

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:

A two unit wing entered from the southern aisle through an opening near the western end of the western unit, 8x4m in dimensions. The eastern unit, 4 X 4 m. in dimensions, looks like square room with an opening, but the remains on its western side might have been just the foundations of a screen. If such was the case, the two units wing constituted a quadrangular chapel. But the fact that the western unit was not mosaic paved raises a dificalty. The chapel was accessed via a doorway in the center of the southern wall of the church aisle.

Baptistery:

Quadrangular chapel

Baptistery description:

Rectangular room attached to the church from southwest and entered from the narthex. 4m wide. The floor was paved with a mosaic with geometric and floral patterns. The room is divided in two by a small wall with passages on both ends. The baptismal font, hemispherical, is set in a hemispherical masonry envelop, 0.5m distant from the eastern wall. It was reveted in marble on the inside and outside. Four stairs led in from the west. Inscriptions were set in its northern, southern and western sides. The one in the western side mentions that the house was dedicated to the Trinity. The reference may refer to the baptistery, rather than to the entire church, which was dedicated to St. Stephan.

Architectural Evolution

General outline	Dating material	Iconoclastic evidence	Phase no.	Century	Within century
Basilical church with internal apse flanked by open rooms with a baptismal chapel and perhaps also a prothesis chapel attached on the south.	An early 6th c. date can be assigned to the mosaic floor. Remains of an earlier mosaic floor were found in the aisles, suggesting an earlier date, perhaps - mid 5th c.	No	Phase 1	5th c.	Mid
Renovation of the mosaic floors.	Mosaics style.		Phase 2	6th c.	Early
	The church was abandoned and collapsed in the mid-seventh century, possibly following the Arab conquest.		Abandonment	7th c.	Mid

Post Arab conquest history:

Ceased to function