Church Complete
ID: 2
Building type: three-aisled basilica
Context:
rural; monastic
Inscriptions:
Description:
Located in open terrain about 300 meters east of the village, the site consists of a sixth-century church that went through three distinct phases of use before being deserted following the earthquake of 749. The building is a three‑naved basilica incorporating an apse, an atrium, a pair of pastophoria, a narthex, and several adjoining rooms. It was frequented by villagers as well as monks. Epigraphic record: - A bilingual Greek–CPA mosaic naming Father Ulpianus and the priests Haninah and Girgun (CIIP IV 3864; EPI 0013). - A Greek mosaic construction inscription that lists several church officials (CIIP IV 3862). - Three Greek mosaicists’ signatures set before the altar (CIIP IV 3863). - A Greek mosaic building text in the atrium (CIIP IV 3865). - A Greek mosaic inscription in the narthex quoting Ps 117,20 (CIIP IV 3866). - Greek letters on a small marble column (CIIP IV 3867). Further reading: Magen, Y., Peleg, Y., and Sharukh, I. 2012. “A Byzantine Church at ‘Anab el-Kabir,” in Christians and Christianity IV: Churches and Monasteries in Judea, ed. N. Carmin, Jerusalem, 331–384 (plan on p. 335, reused). https://dig.corps-cmhl.huji.ac.il/churches/%CA%BBanab-el-kabir-khirbet-%CA%BBanab-church