Deir Daqla; Deir Daqle - Church
Church Name, type, function
Site Name:
Deir Daqla; Deir Daqle
Church name:
Church
Functional Type:
Monastic
Church type:
Unknown
Location
Coordinates, ITM system:
202.10
662.10
Coordinates, ICS system:
152.10
1,162.10
Geographical region:
Samaria Hills
Topographical location:
The site is located on a high hilltop, south of Nahal Shiloh and southwest of deir Qal'a.
Distance from nearest bishop-seat:
15 km (Lod-Diospolis)
Distance from Roman roads:
ca. 2.5 km north of the junction of the roads between Aphek (Antipatris) and Jericho and Lod (Diospolis) and Shechem (Neapolis).
Provincial affiliation:
Palaestina I
Bishopric:
Diospolis
Source of knowledge
Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Guérin | 1868-1869 |
Conder and Kitchener | 1871-1877 |
Kochavi | 1967-1968 |
Finkelstein, Lederman and Bunimovitz | 1981-1985 |
Excavated site
Excavators:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Magen and Har-Even | (not published) |
History:
The complex was constructed originally as a fourth century Roman fortress. In the Byzantine period a monastery was established within the fortress. In the Early Islamic period an oil press was established in a cave beneath the structure.
Bibliograpy:
186-187 | |
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:
Church within a monastery was apparently located in the southeastern part of the compound, where numerous tesserae and three fragments of a marble chancel screen panel (or panels) were found. Traces of a Greek inscription were found on one of the fragments. Other architectural elements that may have belonged to the church (ashlar engraved with a cross, two columns, base and capital) were found in secondary use in the modern terraces in the vicinity.
Description
Small finds
Small finds illustrative material:
Detailed description
Structure
Materials applied (walls):
Limestone
Water cistern:
Yes
Architectural Evolution
| General outline | Dating material | Phase no. | Century |
|---|---|---|---|
A monastery was established in the precinct of a fourth century Roman fortress. | Based on the finds and the architecture. | Phase 1 | Early Christian / Byzantine |
No dates are given. | Abandonment | 7th-8th c. |