Beer Sheba - Triapsidal Church
Church Name, type, function
Site Name:
Beer Sheba
Church name:
Triapsidal Church
Functional Type:
Unknown
Church type:
Basilical - Free standing basilica
Location
Coordinates, ITM system:
180.29
571.19
Coordinates, ICS system:
130.29
1,071.18
Geographical region:
Beer Sheba Valley
Provincial affiliation:
Palaestina III
Bishopric:
Elusa
Source of knowledge
Archaeological remains
Excavated site
Excavators:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Israeli, Y. | 1967 |
History:
First discovered in 1948.
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:
A tri-apsidal basilica, 15X24 m., paved by large stone and marble slabs, with a row of rooms to the south. Pieces of fresco were scattered in the church; wall mosaics. A later opus sectile floor was found in the apse 0.6m above the original floor of marble slabs. Several tombs were uncovered in the interval between the two floors. One of them held a skeleton of a child.
Description
Illustrative material:
Bema, chancel screen and apse:
In 1948 the three apses were visible. By 1967 only a few courses remained.
Small finds
Small finds:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
Pottery | Found in the one of the southern rooms. |
Glass | Found in the one of the southern rooms. |
Coins | Umayyad coins with inscriptions, found in the one of the southern rooms. |
Detailed description
Structure
Church Head/Chevet:
tri-apsidal
Central Apse Category:
apsidal
Cult of relics
Cult of relics loci:
under altar
Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:
A cavity built of marble slabs under the altar.
Burial loci
Burials loci:
A series of tombs were uncovered between the two floors of the apse. All but one tomb, which contained the burial of a child, contained several burials. No small finds.
Attached structures
Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:
Other
Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:
A row of rooms was found south of the church. One of the rooms has walls that were decorated by a glass mosaic of green, blue, red and yellow. Pottery, glass and coins were found in this room.
Architectural Evolution
| General outline | Dating material | Phase no. | Century |
|---|---|---|---|
See General description | Phase 1 | Early Christian / Byzantine | |
A second floor was uncovered in the central apse, 0.6 m. higher than the original floor. The floor slabs were white, black, green and red. A large slab imprint can be seen in the bema, possibly marking the altar location. In the center there is a cavity built of marble slabs- a reliquary. Several tombs were uncovered in the interval between the two floors. They should be attributed to the second phase. | Phase 2 | Unknown | |
It appears the church was still in use in the Umayyad period. Its later history is unknown. | Abandonment | Unknown |
Post Arab conquest history:
Still in use
Post conquest history comments:
It appears the church was still in use in the Umayyad period.