Castra Samaritanorum; Ḥorvat Qastra; Khirbet Kafr Samir - Northeastern church
Church Name, type, function
Site Name:
Castra Samaritanorum; Ḥorvat Qastra; Khirbet Kafr Samir
Identification:
Due to the fact that two churches were exposed at the site, indicating that this was a Christian settlement, the excavators suggested that the most likely identification is Porphyreon, a bishop’s see. An argument against this identification is the fact that Procopius of Caesarea mentioned Porphyreon as a city on the seashore, while Khirbet Kafr Samir is located on a hill, at some distance from the sea. Unlike the excavators, Di Segni [2009] maintains that the site is to be identified with Castra Samaritanorum (Castra of the Samaritans), located on the foothills of Mount Carmel (according to the Piacenza Pilgrim). In the Rabbinic literature Castra is mentioned as neighboring and hostile town to Jewish Haifa.
Church name:
Northeastern church
Functional Type:
Parochial
Church type:
Basilical - Annex\es on the south
Location
Coordinates, ITM system:
197.49
744.30
Coordinates, ICS system:
147.49
1,244.30
Geographical region:
Mt. Carmel
Topographical location:
The church is situated at the base of the Carmel's western spurs, about 1.3 km east of the seashore.
Distance from nearest bishop-seat:
Ca. 10km (Porphyreon); 33 km (Caesarea).
Distance from nearest settlement:
Inside the settlement.
Provincial affiliation:
Phoenice I
Bishopric:
Porphyreon
Source of knowledge
Epigraphy:
Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Olami Y. | 1965 |
Excavated site
Excavators:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Siegelmann A. | 1988 |
Yeivin Z., Finkielsztejn G. | 1993-1997 |
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:
All parts of the building were excavated but only the foundations were preserved. It was a basilical church with two aisles and two lateral spaces on the both sides of the apse with a narthex, an atrium on the western side and a few chapels. The measurements of the initial core are 16 x 16 m.
Description
Illustrative material:
Atrium:
On the west of the church there was a large (16 x 16 m) stone paved atrium that was built probably in the second phase (the mid fifth century) over earlier Byzantine structures. A monumental staircase lead to the atrium from the west. Five of probably seven original steps were uncovered 15 m west of the church.
Narthex:
A narthex was constructed in the first phase of the building. In this phase it was paved with mosaics with crosses and geometric designs. In the phase 4 (7th century) a chapel was built over the southern part of the narthex.
Façade and entries:
There was apparently an entry from the western side of the church through the atrium (due to the monumental staircase's remains). In the second phase a wide entranceway was also made in the northern wall.
Nave:
In the first phase the nave was paved with mosaics with crosses and polychrome rainbow.
Aisles:
There were two aisles separated from the nave by two rows of columns. In the southern aisle next to the narthex the partially preserved Greek inscription was exposed.
Bema, chancel screen and apse:
There was no clear evidence of existence of an apse in the first phase of the building. A semicircular internal apse was probably built in the second phase (the mid fifth century) with a semicircular graded synthronon, with a throne or cathedra in its center. A bema was also probably built in the second phase. There were four columns in its corners, three bases of which found in situ. These features sugest a ciborium standing on the bema.
Lateral spaces:
In the second stage of the building two pastophoria were built. The function of the northern room is unknown, the southern room was extended to the south and a cruciform baptistery was installed there.
Small finds
Detailed description
Structure
Orientation:
Facing east
Atrium:
Yes
Narthex:
Yes
Aisles:
2
East end:
Internal apse
Church Head/Chevet:
monoapsidal with lockable pastophoria (mon-aps II)
Central Apse Category:
apsidal
Bema type text:
The type of bema is unknown.
Altar remains:
no remains
Ciborium:
On the bema four columns that formed a square were exposed, three of their bases were found in situ.
Synthronon:
Yes
Synthronon remains:
grades
Synthronon location:
Against the apse
Synthronon description:
Semicircular steps of the synthronon with a throne or cathedra in its center were exposed against the apse. It was built probably in the second phase at the same time with the apse.
Pastophoria
Pastophoria loci:
N & S
Description and function of northern:
The function of the northern pastophoria is unknown. It was rectangular room that was built in the second phase at the same time with the apse.
Description and function of southern:
The southern pastophoria was built in the second phase and was extended to the south with the construction of the baptistery.
Baptism
Baptism photos and plans:
Loci:
The baptistery was built in the second phase in the form of a Greek cross and was located in the room that was developed from the southern pastophoria. The capacity of the baptistery was reduced later by filling three branches of the cross by ashlars. In the third phase it was overlaid by a large chapel paved by mosaic floor.
Font structure:
Masonry built
External shape:
cruciform
Internal shape:
cruciform
Ben-Pechat type:
4a
Attached structures
Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:
Simple rectangular room
Baptistery:
Simple rectangular room
Martyrs chapel:
Trapezoidal room
Martyrs chapel description:
The martyrs chapel with a reliquarium below a low marble table was constructed in the third phase to the south of the baptistery. A reliquary was dug into the floor and was lined with marble slabs. At the reliquary corners three of the four marble feet of the altar were found in situ
Discussion and Comments:
There were two chapels with unknown function on the northern side of the church that were built in the first phase with the core of the church. In the third phase two chapels were added on the southern part of the church. The eastern chapel was built above the baptistery of the second stage. It was paved by mosaic floor with the bilingual dedicatory inscription on Greek and Syriac. The western chapel adjoined to it and contained reliquary with an altar above it. In the fourth phase two additional chapels were attached to the church in the southwest. The northern chapel was built partially above the narthex. The southern chapel was paved by mosaic with two medallions, one with the cross and the second with three pairs of sandals.
Architectural Evolution
| Phase name (as published) | General outline | Phase no. | Century | Within century |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A white church | The earliest phase may be dated to the end of the fourth or beginning of the fifth century. In this phase the core of the church complex was built. It was a modest basilical structure (16 x 16 m) with a narthex. No traces of the apse were found due to later constructions. On the north there was at least one chapel on the NW. The church's floor was paved with white mosaics with simple geometric patterns, hence it was labelled "l'eglise blanche". The nave was paved with mosaics with crosses and a centered polychrome rainbow pattern. | Phase 1 | 5th c. | Early |
A baptistery church | The church was extended to the east and the west, being 16x23m in dimensions. On the east an apse flanked by two pastophoria rooms was added. On the west a stone-paved atrium was built. A wide entranceway was installed in the northern wall. On the southeastern, contiguous with the southern pastophorium, a baptistery (7x5 m) with a cruciform font was built. Hence the church was labelled "l'eglise au baptistere". The total dimensions of the complex reached 20x27m. This phase came to an end by a fire evident by its burnt mosaic floors. | Phase 2 | 5th c. | Second half |
After a fire the entire church was repaved. The baptistery went out of use, being overlaid by mosaic with a bilingual Greek-Aramaic dedicatory inscription. On the south of the church and west of the earlier baptistery, a chapel with an underfloor reliquary was built. The dimensions of the complex: 26x24m. A ciborium was built in the bema (three of its bases were uncovered in situ). | Phase 3 | 6th c. | Late | |
Two additional chapels, attached to one another, were added to the church in the southwest. In the western one three pairs of sandals and a small cross in a medallion was set in the mosaic floor near the entrance. Another medallion, in the center, encircled a cross with the letters A and W. It is separated by a corridor from the southern aisle. It might had served as an ante-chamber of the martyrial chapel. The northern chapel was built over the narthex. It is a still later addition (perhaps as late as the 8th c.). It had a white mosaic floor. | Phase 4 | 7th c. | Early | |
Abandonment | 7th-8th c. |
Post Arab conquest history:
Unmodified