1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910765441503321

Autore

Avner Rina

Titolo

The Kathisma Church and Monastery of Mary Theotokos on the Jerusalem - Bethlehem Road : Final Report of the 1992, 1997, 1999 and 2000 Excavation Seasons

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Jerusalem : , : Israel Antiquities Authority, , 2022

©2022

ISBN

965-406-754-4

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (334 pages)

Altri autori (Persone)

AU

Disciplina

933.4

Soggetti

Antiquities

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di contenuto

Front Matter -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- Preface -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: The Octagonal Church-Architecture and Stratigraphy -- Chapter 3: The Entrance Atria and the Monastery-Architeture and Stratigraphy -- Chapter 4: The Mosaic Floors -- Chapter 5: The Inscriptions -- Chapter 6: Architectural Elements and Liturgical Furniture -- Chapter 7: The Coins -- Chapter 8: The Pottery -- Chapter 9: The Glass Finds -- Chapter 10: The Kathisma Church in Its Historical Context in the Early Islamic Period -- Chapter 11: Summary and Discussion -- References -- Appendix 1: A Rhodian Stamped Amphora Handle from Kathisma -- Appendix 2: List of Selected Loci and Walls -- List of IAA Reports.

Sommario/riassunto

This volume documents the excavations of the Kathisma church and monastery located on the ancient road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Kathisma is mentioned in Byzantine sources and pilgrimage itineraries, and identified as the holy place where Mary sat down to rest in her final stage of pregnancy before giving birth to Jesus. It played a role in the initial stages of Mary's worship and its influence is still felt today.The octagonal church, built in the fifth century CE, is one of the most important discoveries of Early Christian architecture in the Holy Land in recent decades. The size of the church and its architectural plan, based on three concentric octagons, attest to it being designed as a pilgrimage church that could accommodate large audiences. In the



Umayyad period, the church served both Muslim and Christian worshippers, as indicated by a miḥrab installed in the southern part, and the cancelation of the main apse by an Umayyad building. The splendid mosaics from this period in the southern rooms testify to artistic and iconographic influences of the wall mosaics in the Dome of the Rock. The evidence for the existence of a mosque in the Kathisma church constitutes the only archaeological evidence known to date for the 'Covenants of 'Umar', which obliged Christians to relinquish areas in churches to Muslims.