Unless the copyright status of the text of this page or section is clarified and determined to be compatible with Wikipedia's content license, the problematic text and revisions or the entire page may be deleted one week after the time of its listing (i.e. after 08:17, 17 July 2024 (UTC)). Until then, this page will be hidden from search engine results until the copyright issue is resolved.
What can I do to resolve the issue?
If you hold the copyright to this text, you can license it in a manner that allows its use on Wikipedia.
To confirm your permission, you can either display a notice to this effect at the site of original publication or send an e-mail from an address associated with the original publication to permissions-enwikimedia.org or a postal letter to the Wikimedia Foundation. These messages must explicitly permit use under CC BY-SA and the GFDL. See Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials.
Note that articles on Wikipedia must be written from a neutral point of view and must be verifiable in published third-party sources; consider whether, copyright issues aside, your text is appropriate for inclusion in Wikipedia.
Otherwise, you may rewrite this page without copyright-infringing material. Your rewrite should be placed on this page, where it will be available for an administrator or clerk to review it at the end of the listing period. Follow this link to create the temporary subpage. Please mention the rewrite upon completion on this article's discussion page.
Simply modifying copyrighted text is not sufficient to avoid copyright infringement—if the original copyright violation cannot be cleanly removed or the article reverted to a prior version, it is best to write the article from scratch. (See Wikipedia:Close paraphrasing.)
For license compliance, any content used from the original article must be properly attributed; if you use content from the original, please leave a note at the top of your rewrite saying as much. You may duplicate non-infringing text that you had contributed yourself.
It is always a good idea, if rewriting, to identify the point where the copyrighted content was imported to Wikipedia and to check to make sure that the contributor did not add content imported from other sources. When closing investigations, clerks and administrators may find other copyright problems than the one identified. If this material is in the proposed rewrite and cannot be easily removed, the rewrite may not be usable.
Place {{copyvio/bottom}} at the end of the portion you want to blank. If nominating the entire page, please place this template at the top of the page, set the "fullpage" parameter to "yes", and place {{copyvio/bottom}} at the very end or the article.
Khirbet Beit Sila is an archeological site of a Jewish outpost then settlement that was turned into a Christian church during the Byzantine period. The site that is located 2 km from Ramallah, 3 km from Giv'at Ze'ev and northwest of Jerusalem, consists of two central areas, one of the ancient buildings and church of Theodore of Sykeon, the second of the necropolis and early structures.[1]
The first suggestion of identification was that of A.T. Richardson, that due to the phonetic similarity proposed Beit Sila is Shiloh. Based on his excavations W.F. Albright identified Shiloh at Khirbet Sailun.[1]
During the 1990's the site of Beit Sila was part of a survey conducted by Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. It was followed by two seasons of excavations that took place between 1997-1998 by the Staff Officer for Archaeology in Judea and Samaria. The excavation revealed a settlement with three main time periods: Hellenistic, Early Roman, and Byzantine.
Based on the ceramic, coinage and foundations of several building at the site, its establishment dates back to the Seleucid period. Other buildings are dated probably to the Hasmonean period, to the days of Alexander Jannaeus, when an outpost was established there overlooking the secondary road to Jerusalem. Other findings include winepress, columbarium, rock-cut tomb with two benches and collecting pits.[1]
Significant discoveries were made at the site dating to the Early Roman period, revealing an active settlement with distinct features. Excavations unearthed the remains of a substantial building that had a public use, measuring 40 by 15 meters, dating from the first century BCE to the first century CE. Next to the building a mikveh was found. Several buildings continued in use with floors raised during this period, likely modified during the First Jewish-Roman war. Artifacts discovered included finely crafted stone vessels, a notable large container (kalal), and a silver half-shekel coin bearing the inscription "half-shekel—Jerusalem is holy," dated to 66 CE. At the settlement's necropolis nine of the 24 rock-cut tombs revealed ossuaries decorated with rosettes, cooking pots and glass bottles, all confirming the Jewish identity of the site's inhabitants during this period.[1]
Following the outcome of the First Jewish-Roman war the site was abandoned for 400 years. Then it was reinhabited, buildings were reoccupied with minor modifications, as were two Byzantine-era burial caves. Significant changes occurred in the center of the site, notably the construction of a church. This church was built atop the remains of the Early Roman period's main structure, likely around 500 CE, and remained in use until the Muslim conquest in the early seventh century. Subsequently abandoned and looted, the church was later repurposed by nomads.[1]
Except for the apse, all the mosaics within the church feature intricate geometric patterns. In the bema and apse, however, the mosaics showcase diverse designs, incorporating geometric, floral, and animal motifs in a palette spanning white, brown, yellow, gray, blue, black, and red hues. The apse mosaic is particularly notable, featuring two rows of medallions. The outer row consists of 13 medallions, with the central one positioned precisely at the apse's midpoint. Notably, the central medallion of this inner row portrays the head of a fish, symbolizing Jesus.[1][2]
Excavated marble fragments from the church reveal a diverse array of artifacts. These include a finely carved marble chancel screen and an altar table bearing a burial inscription. Beneath the altar, within a cavity thetre was a there was a reliquary enclosed by a marble slab adorned with a cross holding a strand of hair measuring 19cm. in addition, within a niche a limestone reliquary was discovered. Other discoveries include remains of an offering table near the chancel screen in the bema, and in its north west part a well-preserved ambo made of bituminous limestone. The ambo, standing on its four legs within the mosaic floor, featured a hexagonal platform with an inscription and five panels adorned with stylized crosses and geometric designs. Ornamentation and comparisons with similar churches suggest the church dates to the late sixth century CE, with the ambo standing out due to its exceptional preservation.[1]
Within the church building five inscriptions were discvered. Two inscriptions were found on the mosaic pavement, while the other three were carvued om a liturgical furniture. The translation of the inscription was done by L. Di Segni. Inside the tabula ansata of the mosaic carpetthe inscription sais:
“For the salvation and succor of Peter the priest; from what Saint Theodore granted him, he made the main body of the church and the apse; and the deposition [of relics] is done in the month of November, on the tenth [day].”
Other inscriptions were engraved on the liturgical furniture; one of them that was found at the base of the altar sais:
“For the memory and rest of our Christ-loving brothers Peter, John, Mary, Anastasia, Mary, and Andrew.” Another inscription was found on the platform of the ambo: “O Lord, accept the offering of Thy servant Peter the priest,” and another on the altar table: “For the vow [prayer] of Chry[sippus]."[1][2]
According to the archeological excavations the archoelogist conclude that this site is a very good example to the transformation that the settlement in the Bejamin region went through from the Hasmonean period up to the Byzantine period and Muslim conquest when they were abandoned. There was a Jewish population in the area during the Hellenistic period up to the destruction of the Second Temple period. After 400 years in the Fitth centuery CE, the area and most settlements were reinhabited by Christians, onle to be abandoned, like Beit Sila after the Muslim conquest.[1]
^ abcBatz, Shahar; Levin, Edward; Ebert, Carl; Gugenheim, Michael (2012), Carmin, Noga (ed.), "A Byzantine Church at Khirbet Beit Sila", Christians and Christianity, Vol III, Churches and monasteries in Samaria and northern Judea, vol. 15 (1 ed.), Israel Antiquities Authority / רשות העתיקות, pp. 373–408, ISBN978-965-406-254-1, retrieved 2024-07-07
