13614 - MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil

Identification:

The traditional meeting place of Abraham with the three angles (Gen. 18:1-33). One of the four churches built by Constantine in the Holy Land (Eus. VC III, 51-53; Soz. HE II, 4).

Church name:

Church

Functional Type:

Memorial

Dedication:

The Toly Trinity

Church type:

Basilical - Annex\es on N & S

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

210.57

607.20

Coordinates, ICS system:

160.57

1,107.20

Geographical region:

Judean Hills

Distance from nearest settlement:

Approx 3 km. from Hebron

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Source of knowledge

Literary sources:

HideLiterary sources

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Jos. Bell.

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

IV, 533

Translation:

At a distance of six furlongs from the town (of Hebron) there is also shown a huge terebinth-tree, which is said to have stood there ever since the creation.

(transl. Thackeray, LCL)

Summary:

Mention of the ancient terebinth tree among the antiquities of the Hebron area, AD 75-79.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Eus., Vita Const.

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

III, 51-53

Translation:

51. (1) These were the most important of the Emperor's dedications. But when he learnt that the self-same Saviour who had recently appeared to mankind had also in ancient times divinely manifested himself to Godloving men in Palestine near the oak called Mamre, there also he ordered a place of worship to be built in honour of the God who was seen there. (2) To the governors of provinces an imperial mandate was circulated through letters sent to each of them, commanding them to fulfil his instructions completely. - - -

52. Victor Constantinus Maximus Augustus to Macarius and the other bishops of Palestine. The greatest single service to us of my most saintly mother-in-law <i.e. Eutropia> has been to inform us through her letters to us of the mad folly of evil men, which has so far escaped attention among you, so that the neglected fault may receive appropriate corrective and restorative action from us, late perhaps but yet necessary. - - -

53. (1) The place by the oak which is known as Mamre, where we understand Abraham made his home, has been completely spoiled, she says, by superstitious persons. Idols fit only for absolute destruction have been set up beside it, she explains, and an altar stands nearby, and foul sacrifices are constantly conducted there. (2) <Constantine informs the bishops that he has directed the comes Acacius to consign the pagan site to the flames, the altar completely demolished, and to build on the spot a splendid basilica. He also imposes severe punishments on any sacrilege committed in the place.> (3) You are surely aware that there first God the Lord of the universe both appeared to Abraham and spoke with him. It was there therefore that the religion of the holy Law first had its beginning, there that the Saviour himself with the two angels first vouchsafed the manifestation of himself to Abraham, there that God began to reveal himself to mankind, there that he spoke to Abraham about his future seed and instantly fulfilled his promise, and there that he predicted that he would be the father of very many nations.

(transl. Cameron and Hall)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography
Cameron, A. and Hall, S. G., 1999

Summary:

Constantine orders the remove of the pagan worship site by the oak at Mamre and the building of a basilica, ca. AD 325.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

It. Burd.

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

599, 1-6

Translation:

Hence to Bethasora <Bethsur> it is 14 miles; here is the spring where Philip baptized the eunuch <Acts 8:36–38>. Hence it is 9 miles to the Terebinth where Abraham lived and dug a well beneath the terebinth tree, and spoke and partook of food with the angels <Gen. 18:1–8>; a basilica of wondrous beauty has been built there by command of Constantine.

(transl. Di Segni)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography	Pages
Di Segni, L. and Tsafrir, Y., 2015	no. 13

Summary:

Mention of the basilica build by command of Constantine around Abraham's terebinth tree, from an itinerary of ca. AD 333.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Petr. Diac., LS

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

N, 1

Translation:

Twenty-four miles from Jerusalem, near Hebron, is the spring in which Philip, the apostle and evangelist, baptized the eunuch of Queen Candace. And at the place called Terebinthus, where the three angels appeared to Abraham, is the Well of Abraham, and the two very splendid caves in which he lived. An altar has been erected there with a church in front of it. Not far off is the mountain to which Abraham escorted the angels on their way to Sodom.

(transl. Wilkinson)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography
Wilkinson, J., 1981

Summary:

Mention of the church at Terebinthus, presumably from a passage lost in the MS of It. Eg., as recorded in a guidebook compiled AD 1137.

Commentary:

According to Wilkinson, p. 188n4, the "two very splendid caves" of Abraham may be a confused rendering of the Double Cave of the Patriarchs at Hebron, perhaps due to "a violent abridgement of what Egeria wrote".

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Hier., Ep. 108

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

11

Translation:

From Bethsur she came to Eshcol. <...> At no great distance she entered Sarah’s cells and saw the cradle of Isaac and the remains of the Oak of Abraham, under which he saw the day of Christ, and was glad <cf. Gen. 18>.

(transl. Di Segni)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography	Pages
Di Segni, L. and Tsafrir, Y., 2015	no. 22

Summary:

Mention of the Oak of Abraham, from an itinerary of AD 385-386, composed 404.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Thds., TS

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

5

Translation:

From Jerusalem it is sixteen miles to the place where my Lord Philip baptized the eunuch. From here to the Terebinth which is called the Oak of Mamre, it is two miles. From the Terebinth it is four miles to the Double Cave, the patriarchs' resting-place.

(transl. Wilkinson)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography
Wilkinson, J., 2002

Summary:

Mention of the Oak of Mamre on the route from Jerusalem to Hebron, from an itinerary of ca. AD 518-530.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

AP

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

30

Translation:

From Bethlehem it is twenty-four miles to the Oak of Mamre, the resting-place of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah and also of Joseph's bones. <Description of the basilica of the Cave of the Patriarchs.>

(transl. Wilkinson)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography
Wilkinson, J., 2002

Summary:

Mention of the Oak of Abraham, from an itinerary of ca. AD 570.

Commentary:

The text mistakenly locates the Cave of the Patriarches and the tomb of Joseph at Mambre, for which he means Hebron.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Adamn., LS

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

II, 11

Translation:

THE HILL AND OAK OF MAMRE

(1) Now about the Hill of Mamre. It lies a mile to the north of the tombs (of the Patriarchs) we have just described, and is covered in grass and flowers. It looks south to Hebron. (2) This small hill called Mamre is flat on top, and on the northern part of it has been built a large stone church. On the right hand side, between the two walls of this church, is an unexpected sight. There stands the Oak of Mamre, rooted in the earth. which is also called Abraham's Oak because under it he once received angels as his guests. (3) Saint Jerome has a passage where he says it existed from the creation of the world up to the reign of King Constantine, but he may have avoided saying that it had completely vanished, because at that time, though it was not as large or complete as it had formerly been, still some part of it remained in place (4) Arculf saw it with his own eyes, and said that a lopped tree remained there with its roots in the ground. It was protected by the roof of the church, and was about twice the height of a man. (5) This trunk is scarred and hacked about with axes, because small splinters of it are taken to many parts of the world as venerable mementoes of this Oak, under which Abraham was permitted to have that renowned and famous meeting with the angels. (6) Around this church, which was built in honour of the place, one sees a few dwellings for nuns. But enough of this subject! Let us move on to something else.

(transl. Wilkinson)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography
Wilkinson, J., 2002

Summary:

Description of the Oak of Mamre, the large stone church built around it, and nearby dwellings for nuns, from an itinerary of ca. AD 681-684, composed ca. 698.

MAMRE; Mambre; Ramat al-Khalil - Church

Source:

Beda, LS

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Paragraph:

VIII, 2

Translation:

The Hill of Mamre is a mile north of these tombs (of the Patriarchs, at Hebron), a place with much grass and flowers, a country place and a plateau on the summit. To the north of it is the Oak of Abraham, whose trunk is the height of two men, surrounded by a church.

(transl. Wilkinson)

Bibliografical ref.:

Bibliography
Wilkinson, J., 2002

Summary:

Concise paraphrase of Adamnan's description, from a geographical work compiled AD 702-703.

Epigraphy:

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Invocation of the Lord by Paregorius, on two ashlar stones of the eastern wall.
2	Invocation of the Lord inscribed on two ashlar stones in “Hadrianic” eastern wall.
3	"One God" acclamation inscribed on an ashlar stone in “Hadrianic” eastern wall.
4	Fragments of a marble inscription found inside the foundations of the church (CIIP IV.2 no. 3771), and various other grafitti, some undecipherbale, on ashlar stones found in the debris (nos. 3773-74) and on the walls of the complex (nos. 3776, 3778-88), not included. Most likely inscribed by pilgrims, some of which may be Jewish.

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Conder and Kitchener	1874

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Mader, E.	1926-1928
Magen, I.	1984-1986.

Bibliograpy:

Mader, A. E., 1957
Ovadiah, A., 1970
Bagatti, B., 1971
Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1982
Bagatti, B., 2002	73-75
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994
Magen, I., 1993
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	178-180

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

A basilica with a narthex and tworooms annexed to its south and north, was built in the center of the eastern part of an earlier enclosure of a pagan and Jewish cult, dated partly to Herod's and partly to Hadrian's. Dieamension: the enclosure is 62X45 m., the prayer hall is 16X20 m. The well, the altar of Abraham and the oak tree were also included in its confines.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Figures

Narthex:

The narthex is an elogant portico sepertaing the church from the rest of the enclosure. It contiunes to the south and north with a double row of columns. 3.8 m. wide

Façade and entries:

Three entrences in the ewst wall.

Lateral walls:

1.4 . wide.

Nave:

seoerated from the aisles by three colonades of three columns, placed 3 m. apart.

Aisles:

The aisles contiues untill the eastern wall of the enclosure and are 17.7 m. long. Each aisle as a door in the north east and south east walls, leading to an anexed room. The width of the northen aisle is 5 m. and the southern is 4 m.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The apse is built west of the enclosinng wall of the enclosuren causng it to be an internal apse by the kengthening of the aisles. The apse is 3.5 m. deep with a chord of 6.3 m. The apse shows two phases, Mader thinks the second phase is after 614, but schick and magen is a believe that the first phase belongs to the Hadrianic temple.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy	Garffiiti in Greek can be seen in the church.
Oil lamps	Dated 5th to 9th century. Some had Christian emblems.

Comments, discussion and summary:

According to sourches- In front of the narthex, at the center axis point of the inclosure, is supposed to be the location of Abraham's altar. Yet excavation conducted in the area did not find it. A wall located in the southeast corner of the enclosure is dated to constanine ties. A tree Dated to Abraham's time was located ear the wall, according to Arculf descriptionn in 670, a section not covered by pavement may indicate were the original oak stood. In the beginning of the middle ages, a differenet oak is venerate, that oak is still preseved today.

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Atrium:

Yes

Water cistern:

Yes

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

2

Colonnades / Arcades:

Colonnade

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
3

East end:

Internal apse

Church Head/Chevet:

dead end aisles (mon-aps III)

Architectural Evolution

Dating material	Phase no.	Century	Within century
A Constantinian building project. According to the pilgrim of Bordeaux the curch was complete by 333 C.E.	Phase 1	4th c.	First half
The date of destruction is uknown but the pottery is dated untill the middle of the 9th century and in the 10th century the area became a quarry.	Abandonment	9th c.	Mid

Post Arab conquest history:

Still in use

Post conquest history comments:

There is no evidence of a destruction in the church untill it was used as a quarry in the 10th century. In addition it is mentioned by Arculf in 670 C.E.