Dynamiques d'occupation de la périphérie septentrionale de Jérusalem du IVe au VIIe siècle

Abstract

From the reign of Constantine the Great, Jerusalem became a Christian holy city. This evolution but also the climatic, economic and political contexts had an impact on the areas around the city. Archaeological evidences point toward an ongoing urban expansion in and around Jerusalem between the 4th and the 7th century. Urban construction expanded far beyond the city walls, especially to the North and East. This article define the evolutionary patterns in the northern periphery of Jerusalem from the beginning of the 4th century to the beginning of the 7th century. Two specific spaces have been highlighted thanks to our cartographic study. The first one, suburban, occupies the very near outskirts of Jerusalem and has mainly religious and funerary buildings. The second one, which is rural, extends 6.5 km North of the Holy City and is the agricultural hinterland of Jerusalem. Theses spaces evolved during the Byzantine period. Our research issues focus on the evolution of these areas during the Byzantine period and on the consequences, from the 5th to the 7th century, of climatic and political changes on the settlements.