13553 - HANOTHA; Hanita - Church

Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

HANOTHA; Hanita

Church name:

Church

Functional Type:

Unknown

Church type:

Basilical - Free standing basilica

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

216.58

776.71

Coordinates, ICS system:

116.58

1,276.71

Geographical region:

Western Galilee

Provincial affiliation:

Phoenice I

Bishopric:

Tyre

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy:

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Fragmentary building inscription within a tabula ansata with figural decorations, in the mosaic pavement of the narthex.
2	Fragmentary building inscription within a tabula ansata, in the mosaic pavement of the narthex.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Avi-Yonah, M.	1940
Prausnitz, M.	1954

Bibliograpy:

Avi-Yonah, M., Cohen, R. and Ovadiah, A., 1993

Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994

Aviam, M., 1994

Schick, R., 1995

Bagatti, B., 2001

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

A basilica with a narthex. Dimensions: 17X12.4 m.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Narthex:

One entrance in the west wall. Two inscriptions within a tabula-ansata. Dimensions: 12.4X3.2 M.

Façade and entries:

A wide staircase was leading up. Three entrances.

Lateral walls:

0.8 m. eide.

Nave:

5.6 m. wide.

Aisles:

Separated from the nave by rows of four columns, distend 2.65 m. apart. 3.1 -3.7 m. wide.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

Remains of a chancel found in the nave. The apse is 3.9 m. deep and the chord 7.25 m.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy	Two Greek inscription in the narthex. One is a building inscription; the other is an inscription of dedication, the name of the saint did not survive.
Other	A relief depicting Christ blessing.

Small finds illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

2

Colonnades / Arcades:

Colonnade

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
4

East end:

External apse, round

Church Head/Chevet:

dead end aisles (mon-aps III)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

Phoenician type

Architectural Evolution

General outline	Dating material	Iconoclastic evidence	Iconoclastic evidence comments	Phase no.	Century	Within century
	According to Avi-Yonah: sixth century. According to Prausnitz: first half of the fifth century.			Phase 1	5th-6th c.
According to Prausnitz there was evidence in the mosaic to the addition of the chancel columns in a later period.	He dates the change to the rule of Justin II, 565-578 C.E.			Phase 2	6th c.	Second half
	Schick believs that the church went out of use before the iconoclastic period, due to the survival of animal mosaics. On the other hand Prausnitz mentions a destruction of the church including iconoclastic damage. The church structure was still in use, not as a church, untill the end of the 8th-beginning of the 9th century.	Yes	According to Prausnitz there is damage to the images in the mosaic.	Abandonment	8th c.	First half