4099 - Ascalon Barnea - North Church (Kh. es-Sawarif)

Ascalon Barnea - North Church (Kh. es-Sawarif)

Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Ascalon Barnea

Church name:

North Church (Kh. es-Sawarif)

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Basilical - Annex\es on N & S

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

159.12

621.80

Coordinates, ICS system:

109.11

1,121.80

Geographical region:

Southern Coastal Plain

Topographical location:

Ca 200m distant from the Barnea church with the "diakonikon" inscription.

Distance from nearest settlement:

About 2.5 km north of Tel Ascalon

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Y. Ori (IAA)	1954

Bibliograpy:

Ovadiah, A., 1970	22 (no. 10)
Bagatti, B., 1974
Avi-Yonah, M. and Eph'al, Y., 1975‎
Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1982	123

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Only the eastern part of the church was excavated, the western part is reconstructed. The approx. length of the church was 25 m, the width is 16 m.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

IAA Survey web site, Map. 87, Site 15, general view.

Figures

Façade and entries:

According to the reconstructed plan, the church probably had three entrances.

Nave:

The nave was 8 m wide separated from the aisles by two rows of monolithic marble Corinthian columns. The columns were of two sizes: some have a diameter of 53 cm and probably stood on a stylobate. The others have a diameter of 38 cm. It is not clear where they were erected. Ovadiah suggested that they may have belonged to the "pergola" (ciborium?). There is also a possibility that they belong to upper galleries. The church floor was paved with marble slabs.

Aisles:

The aisle were 4 m wide and ended in the eastern parts with lockable pastophoria.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The apse was internal with remains of three steps that may have part of the synthronon. The bema did not survive.

Lateral spaces:

The apse was flanked by two pastophoria. The northern is 4.15x3.70m in dimensions; the southern - 4.40x4.45.

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Kurkar

Aisles:

Capital types:

Corinthian

East end:

Internal apse

Church Head/Chevet:

monoapsidal with lockable pastophoria (mon-aps II)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Synthronon:

Yes

Synthronon remains:

grades

Synthronon location:

Against the apse

Synthronon description:

Three stone steps against the apse.

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

N & S

Description and function of northern:

Measurements: approx. 4.3 X 4 m.

Description and function of southern:

Measurements: approx. 4.3 X 4.5 m.

Attached structures

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:

Apsidal chapel

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:

The state of preservation is poor. A wing or a chapel (10 m long and 7.5 m wide) with an apsidal room (4x3.5m in dimensions) in its east is attached on the south. The apse had an aedicule of three grades. A narrow space, 2m wide was uncovered between the apsidal room and the southern pastophorium. The apsidal room was interpreted as a baptistery, though no font was uncovered in it. The narrow room was associated with it. An opening in the NW corner of the room leads west. It may be suggested that the entire wing rather served as a Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon , or a Martyr's Chapel.

Baptistery:

Apsidal chapel

Baptistery description:

As indicated above, a room (or chapel, 10 m long and 7.5 m wide) with internal apse, was attached to the southern wall of the basilica. It was suggested to have served as a baptistery in spite of the fact that no baptismal font was uncovered. Another possible interpretation is that it rather served as a Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon, or a Martyr's Chapel.

Martyrs chapel:

Apsidal chapel

Martyrs chapel description:

See above, under Prothesis chapel / diakonikon, and Baptistery.

Architectural Evolution

General outline	Dating material	Phase no.	Century
Basilical church with internal apse and pastophoria with attached annex on the south.	Dating of the church to the fourth century based according to Bagatti (1974, 247), on the form of the leaves of the Corinthian capitals and the shape of the crosses on the capital and base.	Phase 1	4th-5th c.
No information is available about the abandonment date of the church.		Abandonment	Unknown