The Byzantine Church of Khirbet et-Tireh

Abstract

ABSTRACT Khirbet et-Tireh was inhabited from the Hellenistic to Early Islamic periods and was later used for agriculture through the Ottoman period to modern times. It suffered severe damage due to urban development and looting over the past two centuries, resulting in the irretrievable loss of at least three-quarters of its archaeological remains. The surviving ruins include a Byzantine-era church, villa, and monastery, fortifications, a rock-cut reservoir, burial caves, a rock-cut olive press, a wine press, and several dry-stone terrace walls. The following article describes the site's current state, the efforts to uncover and preserve what remains, and an assessment of the recent destruction, particularly on the church, which is the focus here.