Chaspin; Khisfin - Central Church
Church Name, type, function
Site Name:
Chaspin; Khisfin
Identification:
Ḥaspin. A Syrian village built on the remains of a Byzantine one. Identified with Casphor/Casphon, known from the time of Judas Maccabaeus (1 Macc. 5:2, 26, 36; II Macc. 12, 13 (Χασφω)) or as Hisfiya, a Jewish village in the administrative region of Hippos-Susita, which is mentioned in Baraita de-Teḥumin, Tosefta, Shevi'it 4:10). It is also mentioned in Rehov synagogue inscription (the Halakhic inscr. of Rehov, 1.10) and in Talmud (TJ Demai 22d). The absence of the Hellenistic pottery speak against the identification with Casphor/Casphon (in contrast with Tell edh-Dhahab, located about 1.5 km to the south-east of the site). Historical Haspin might have moved to a new location during the Roman period. This was the village of origin of Maximus the Confessor (late 6th c.).
Church name:
Central Church
Functional Type:
Parochial
Church type:
Unknown
Location
Coordinates, ITM system:
277.00
751.00
Coordinates, ICS system:
227.00
1,251.00
Geographical region:
Golan Heights
Distance from Roman roads:
on the road leading from Beth-Shean to Fiq and Damascus
Provincial affiliation:
Palaestina II
Source of knowledge
Literary sources:
Literary sources
Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Schumacher | 1884 |
Syrian Antiquities Authority (?) | 1943-1967 |
Gutman, Urman, Barlev, Ben-Ari | 1967- |
History:
In the Syriac vita of Maximus the Confessor it was mentioned that he was born to a family of a Samaritan father and a Persian slave of a Jew of Tiberias. The two moved to Haspin at the beginning of the end of the 6th c. CE (Vita Max. Conf. (syr.) 1, 2, 3, 5 (AB 91 [1973], p. 314). Arab sources also mentioned Haspin as a settlement in the vicinity of Damascus (el-Ya'aqubi, 9th century CE) or on the road to Damascus (Yaqut, 13th century CE).
Bibliograpy:
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:
During the surveys the remains of one more church in the center of the town were revealed. It hadn't been excavaed, so the exact plan is unknown. The remains of the chancel screen were found.
Description
Small finds
Detailed description
Structure
Materials applied (walls):
Basalt
Architectural Evolution
| Phase name (as published) | Dating material | Iconoclastic evidence | Iconoclastic evidence comments | Phase no. | Century | Within century |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Byzantine | Phase 1 | Early Christian / Byzantine | ||||
Early Islamic | pottery | Abandonment | 7th c. | Late |
Post Arab conquest history:
Abandoned