The monastery of Eusebius in Khirbet er-Ras (Kefar Truman)

Ayelet Dayan,Ádám Bollók

doi:10.1556/072.2021.00009

Abstract

AbstractThe present paper publishes the archaeological remains of a monastery church excavated in 1958 at Khirbet er-Ras (Kefar Truman), Israel. The description of the architectural remains, including the three-aisled basilica and the structures surrounding it, is based on the archival documentation. This is followed by the detailed description and analysis of the church's mosaic pavements, preserved in the nave and in both side-aisles, with special emphasis on the mosaic decoration of the nave's central panel, set as a carpet design made up of florets enclosed by outlined scales, whose Levantine parallels are reviewed. In contrast to the sixth-century CE date proposed in previous reports, the setting of the floor is here placed into the third quarter of the fifth century CE based on Leah Di Segni's palaeographic date of the mosaic's inscription located in front of the sanctuary area. Using this revised date as a springboard for further discussion, a less linear stylistic development of mosaic floors covered by floral semis ornaments embedded in plain and outlined scales is suggested.

Highlights

Khirbet er-Ras is located in the northern Judean shephelah, south of the road to Niblat, on the alluvial land of Kefar Truman
In contrast to the sixth-century CE date proposed in previous reports, the setting of the floor is here placed into the third quarter of the fifth century CE based on Leah Di Segni’s palaeographic date of the mosaic’s inscription located in front of the sanctuary area
The appearance of outlined scales filled with florets in a fresco discovered on the narthex wall of an early Christian basilica at Eleutherna (Crete)141 can be read in at least two different ways, either as “mere ornament” applied with the aim of beautification, or as a visual allusion to a natural landscape symbolized by the florets, which the beholder can admire through an openwork parapet wall denoted by the scale imbrication pattern

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Khirbet er-Ras is located in the northern Judean shephelah, south of the road to Niblat, on the alluvial land of Kefar Truman (map ref. 1930/6540; 67 m asl). The ancient site of Khirbet er-Ras (Fig. 1) was identified following the discovery of the remains of a church (including mosaic pavements), foundations of fieldstones, and pottery from the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods.. Further wall and floor remains of the Byzantine period were documented in the course of a later excavation conducted on the same site, but at some distance from the location of Sussman’s original dig.. Walls built of fieldstones and floor sections composed of flat stones were dated to the later (upper) phase. Another fieldstone wall represented the earlier (lower) phase alongside another wall covered with stone on the outside and filled up with soil.

The excavated structure

The mosaic floors

The inscription

The finds

Coins by Gabriela Bijovsky

CONCLUSIONS