Er-Ram - Church
Church Name, type, function
Site Name:
Er-Ram
Identification:
The site is identified with the biblical city of Ramah mentioned in Eusebius' Onomasticon. Ramah is the birthplace of Samuel and the city of Joseph of Arimathea, an important stop on his judicial and priestly Circuit. In Vitae Prophetarum (Pseudo-Ephiphanius, in Prophetarum vitae fabulosae, ed. Th. Scherman, Leipzig 1907, 105) and to Theodosius (De situ Terrae Sanctae, ch. 6, CCSL 175, 117), Samuel the prophet was born and buried at Rama. His burial locus was visited by the pilgrims.
Church name:
Church
Functional Type:
Unknown
Church type:
Basilical
Location
Coordinates, ITM system:
222.11
640.10
Coordinates, ICS system:
172.11
1,140.10
Geographical region:
Judean Hills
Topographical location:
On a tell.
Distance from nearest bishop-seat:
ca. 10 km north of Jerusalem.
Distance from nearest settlement:
The site is located in a village of er-Ram.
Distance from Roman roads:
Near the road between Jerusalem and Neapolis (Shechem).
Provincial affiliation:
Palaestina I
Bishopric:
Jerusalem
Source of knowledge
Literary sources:
Literary sources
Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Robinson | 1938 |
Guerin | 1860s |
Conder and Kitchener | 1860s |
Vincent | 1907 |
Pringle, Leach | 1981 |
Bibliograpy:
199 | |
13, 155, 196 | |
105 | |
179-180 | |
22 | |
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:
Church remains in the courtyard of the Sheikh Husein mosque. Nineteenth-century surveyors suggested that the mosque was built over a basilica church. Traces of a northern aisle, separated from the nave by four columns, were apparent. Architectural remains, including a chancel screen with cross decorations, column bases and ornamented lintel, discovered at the site. Additional architectural elements in secondary use in the village houses.
Description
Small finds
Small finds:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
Oil lamps | Oil lamps with handles in a shape of the cross or with the Greek inscription Fos Christou (Light of Christ) were revealed in the tombs, which, probably, were related to the church. |
Small finds illustrative material:
Detailed description
Structure
Orientation:
Facing east
Materials applied (walls):
Limestone
Water cistern:
Yes
Burial loci
Burials loci:
Early surveyors had mentioned a certain tomb of the saint inside or near the mosque. The details are not clear from the description, but probably it was connected to Christian tradition. Also in 1905 (?) and 1907 (Vincent) at least two Christian tombs were revealed with clear Christian context, as it was defined by oil lamps with handles in a shape of the cross or with the Greek inscription Fos Christou (Light of Christ). Probably, these tombs were related to the church or to one of the early traditions, according to which Prophet Samuel was buried in Er-Rama (not in Nabi Samuel).
Baptism
Loci:
Pringle (1983: 24) had reported an outstanding hexagonal stone, which was reused as mouth of the cistern to the east from the mosque. A rounded hole was carved in its center (outer diameter ca. 1 m. length of the sides 0·60 m; height 0.44 m; diameter of the circular hole 0.60 m. He considered that it could be initially a baptismal font (sounds logic).
Font structure:
Monolithic
External shape:
hexagonal
Internal shape:
circular
Ben-Pechat type:
9c
Architectural Evolution
| Phase name (as published) | Dating material | Phase no. | Century |
|---|---|---|---|
Byzantine | Bagatti and Pringle outlined the fifth-sxith century style of the Byzantine spolia, found at the site. | Phase 1 | 5th-6th c. |
Abandonment | Unknown |