Qaṣr er-Rawabi - Monastery of Gabriel
Church Name, type, function
Site Name:
Qaṣr er-Rawabi
Identification:
Variant names: ; Qasr er-Rawabe; Qaṣr er-Rawābi; Wādi er-Rawābe; Wadi er-Rawabe; Wādi er-Rawābī.
Identified with the monastery of Gabriel (Corbo 1951 and others).
Gabriel was a disciple of Euthymius. In 460 CE he became hegumenos of the Church of St. Stephen in Jerusalem (Vita Euthymii 30, 49), and later established a monastery in the valley east of the Mount of Olives (Vita Euthymii 37, 56). See further description in Di Segni 2005: 110, 116.
The the remains in Kh. Qasr er-Rawabi were
Church name:
Monastery of Gabriel
Functional Type:
Monastic
Dedication:
Monastery of Gabriel
Church type:
Chapel
Location
Coordinates, ITM system:
22,760.00
63,545.00
Coordinates, ICS system:
177.62
113,540.00
Geographical region:
Judean Desert fringes
Topographical location:
Along the wadi
Distance from nearest bishop-seat:
About 7 km north-east of Jerusalem
Distance from nearest settlement:
About 7 km north-east of Jerusalem
Distance from Roman roads:
The site was built along the wadi on the ancient road between Jerusalem and Jericho, 0.5 km from it
Provincial affiliation:
Palaestina I
Bishopric:
Jerusalem
Source of knowledge
Literary sources:
Literary sources
Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Van Kasteren | ca. 1890 |
Schneider | 1933 |
Corbo | ca. 1940-50s |
Kochavi | 1967-8 |
Patrich | ca. 1980 |
Magen and Finkelstein | ca. 1993 |
Bibliograpy:
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:
The site has been never excavated, so only the ruins are visible. According to Y. Hirschfeld, a church was built on the second story of the monastery complex. It was a small one-aisled chapel, with a narthex, apse and rectangular elongated room adjoining the north wall of the chapel. No entrances are traceable. Exterior measurements of the whole complex: 23.70x13.30 m. Interior measurements: 16.20x7.10 m. Colorful mosaic segments were found on the site. Probably, there are also remains of a crypt. Some traces of lime kiln are also observed. The caves which are found to the south from the monastery. probably, were settled by monks in the 4th century, so, predating the monastery. Partially preserved masonry of big ashlars might have belonged to Roman fortifications.
Description
Illustrative material:
Atrium:
no
Narthex:
The narthex is attached to the west wall of the church. A small square room is attached to the western wall of the northern gallery of the chapel. General measurements of the narthex: 7.10x4.10 m.
Façade and entries:
n/a
Lateral walls:
Thickness of walls: 0.95 m
Bema, chancel screen and apse:
Depth of the semicircular apse: 2.35 m; the chord: 5.80 m. Thickness of apse wall: 1.35 m
Lateral spaces:
northern gallery
Crypt: See in the Detailed Description, crypt
Small finds
Small finds illustrative material:
Detailed description
Structure
Orientation:
Facing east
Materials applied (walls):
Limestone
East end:
External apse, round
Crypt
Accessibility and description:
Some remains suggest the existence of a crypt.
Function:
Unknown
Architectural Evolution
| Phase name (as published) | General outline | Phase no. | Century |
|---|---|---|---|
Byzantine | Fifth to sixth centuries. | Phase 1 | 5th-6th c. |
Abandonment | Unknown |
Conclusions:
Magen has suggested that the monastery was built inside the Roman fortress tower, dated to the 1 century CE. In the southern vicinity from the chapel caves, inhabited by the monks in the forth century CE, were revealed.