Euthymius

Transliterated Name	Language	Name
Monastery of Euthymius	English
Laura of Euthymius	English
Lavra of Euthymius	English
Khan el-Ahmar	Arabic

Identification

from Yizhar Hirschfeld in Stern et. al. (1993 v. 2)

Euthymius' Monastery (Khan el-Ahmar) is located in the industrial zone of Mishor Adummim, about 10 km (6 mi.) east of Jerusalem (map reference 1819.1333). Cyril of Scythopolis (Beth-Shean), the biographer of Euthymius, provides an exact topographical description of the monastery. It was located, according to him, on a small hill surrounded on the east and west by two especially beautiful valleys that meet and converge on the south side.

History

from Yizhar Hirschfeld in Stern et. al. (1993 v. 2)

The Monastery of Saint Euthymius was founded in 428 as a laura (q.v. Monasteries). This laura was unique in its status and central location, and the number of its monks quickly rose to fifty. According to Cyril's description, a garden containing a reservoir was planted next to the laura's church and the bakery. In accordance with Saint Euthymius' will, the monastery was reestablished as a cenobium , containing a church and a refectory, as well as a tower, and surrounded by a wall. The cenobium was dedicated in 482 CE.

Twenty years after the Arab conquest of Palestine, in the summer of 659, the monastery was severely damaged by an earthquake that also destroyed Jericho and the monastery of Saint John the Baptist overlooking the Jordan River [JW: this refers to the Jordan Valley Quake(s)]. Most of the remains visible at the site today belong to the repairs of the earthquake damages carried out by the monks in the late seventh or early eighth century CE. In the early ninth century, the monastery was attacked by desert nomads, the Saracens, but continued to exist. The tombs of Euthymius and of other holy fathers are mentioned in the work of a Russian pilgrim, Abbot Daniel, in 1107 (PPTS IV, 3, 35-36). In the twelfth century, extensive restoration and construction works were carried out in the monastery, including the repaving of the church, the building of a chapel over the tomb of Euthymius, and he construction of additional rooms and halls. The restored monastery is described in the work of Johannes Phocas, a pilgrim who visited the monastery in 1185 (PPTS V, 3, 25). The site was abandoned in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century and presumably became a caravanserai serving Muslim pilgrims going up to Jerusalem from the traditional tomb of Moses, Nebi Musa, in the Hyrcania Valley east of the monastery.

Historical Summary

from Hirschfeld (1993:357)

Summarizing the history of the monastery of Euthymius, four main dates of construction are clear:

428: dedication of the laura church. Solitary cells, a bakery, a water cistern with a double opening, and a garden were founded alongside the church. From this date on, the laura expanded and the number of its monks reached fifty. In the year of Euthymius' death (473) the original seclusion cave was transformed into a vaulted underground tomb.

482: reconstruction of the monastery as a walled coenobium. The grave of Euthymius remained at the center of the monastery. The Old Laura church was demolished and in its stead a refectory was built with a new church over it. A large water reservoir was excavated alongside the monastery, surrounded by walled farming plots. A tower and gatehouse indicated the boundaries of the monastery's estates. Two hostels, one in Jerusalem and the other in Jericho, were owned by the monastery.

659: severe damage was caused by an earthquake. In the wake of the damage, most of the monastery's components were rebuilt, except for the underground tomb which survived from the Byzantine period.

About 1150: large-scale restoration and construction of the monastery. The central church was paved, a chapel was built over the grave of Euthymius, as well as a new refectory and rooms; the wall was restored.

Exploration

from Yizhar Hirschfeld in Stern et. al. (1993 v. 2)

TThe Monastery of Saint Euthymius was the first monastery in the Judean Desert in which archaeological excavations were conducted. It was excavated from 1927 to 1930 by D. Chitty, on behalf of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem. Chitty concentrated on uncovering the church and the structure of the adjoining crypt. In the 1970s, Y. Meimaris excavated here, extending the previously excavated areas. In 1987, excavations were resumed by Y. Hirschfeld and R. Birger-Calderon, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The monastery's successive stages were uncovered and the tower structure in its north wing was partially excavated.

Maps, Aerial Views, and Plans

Maps

Fig. 3 - Location Map from

Fig. 3

Satellite monasteries around the monastery of Euthymius

Hirschfeld (1993)

Hirschfeld (1993)
Fig. 4 - Location Map from

Fig. 4

The monastery and it's surroundings

Hirschfeld (1993)

Hirschfeld (1993)

Aerial Views

Annotated Satellite Image of

Annotated Satellite Image (google) of the area around Euthymius Monastery

Used with permission from BibleWalks.com

the area around Euthymius Monastery from BibleWalks.com
Annotated Aerial View of

Annotated Aerial View of Euthymius Monastery

Used with permission from BibleWalks.com

Euthymius Monastery from BibleWalks.com
Monastery of Euthymius in Google Earth

Monastery of Euthymius

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Monastery of Euthymius on govmap.gov.il

Monastery of Euthymius

click on image to explore this site on a new tab in govmap.gov.il

Plans

Normal Size

Fig. 5 - General plan of the site

Fig. 5

The monastery of Euthymius, general plan of the site.

Hirschfeld (1993)

from Hirschfeld (1993)
Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Used with permission from BibleWalks.com

from BibleWalks.com
Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Stern et al (1993)

from Stern et al (1993)
Fig. 6 - Sketch plan of the monastery

Fig. 6

The monastery of Euthymius, sketch plan.

Hirschfeld (1993)

from Hirschfeld (1993)
Fig. 7 - Detailed plan of the church

Fig. 7

The church of the monastery, detailed plan

Hirschfeld (1993)

of the monastery from Hirschfeld (1993)

Magnified

Fig. 5 - General plan of the site

Fig. 5

The monastery of Euthymius, general plan of the site.

Hirschfeld (1993)

from Hirschfeld (1993)
Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Used with permission from BibleWalks.com

from BibleWalks.com
Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Plan of Euthymius Monastery

Stern et al (1993)

from Stern et al (1993)
Fig. 6 - Sketch plan of the monastery

Fig. 6

The monastery of Euthymius, sketch plan.

Hirschfeld (1993)

from Hirschfeld (1993)
Fig. 7 - Detailed plan of the church

Fig. 7

The church of the monastery, detailed plan

Hirschfeld (1993)

of the monastery from Hirschfeld (1993)

Jordan Valley Earthquake Textual - 659/660 CE

Discussion

References

Notes by JW on Chronology

The Maronite Chronicle lists three earthquakes

The first earthquake occurred in the second hour (~8 am) on a Friday in June 659 CE and was described as a violent earthquake in Palestine where many places collapsed.
A second earthquake is described as occurring in the 8th hour (~2 pm) on Sunday 9 June 659 CE. No details about location or seismic effects were given.
The third earthquake suffers from some chronological inconsistencies and, unlike the first two earthquakes, does not specify details such as hour, day of the week, and date. It appears to have taken place in 660 CE but may be a false event which copied in seismic effects from one or both of the the first two earthquakes. It was described as an earthquake and a violent tremor where the greater part of Jericho fell, including all its churches, the House of Lord John at the site of our Saviour’s baptism in the Jordan was overthrown, and the monastery of Abba Euthymius as well as many convents of monks and solitaries and many other places also collapsed.

Jordan Valley Earthquake Archaeoseismic - 659/660 CE

Discussion

References

Notes by JW

Hirschfeld (1993:354) reported on the results of excavations at the Monastery of Euthymius. He dated seismic destruction based on reconstruction evidence and the report of its destruction in the Maronite Chronicle (see Textual Evidence section).

The severity of the destruction in the monastery of Euthymius may be deduced from the results of the excavations. During our excavation at the site, it became clear that most of the monastery – except for the crypt, whose vaults remained intact, and another vault which survived at the north end of the church – was rebuilt after the earthquake of 659. At this stage, the basilical church was reconstructed over the vaults; the latter are not Byzantine, as Chitty suggests, but early Muslim.³⁹ The floor of the church was decorated with fine mosaic patterns. These have also been dated, on the basis of their style, to the early Muslim period, i.e., following the earthquake of 659. Reconstruction of the monastery probably took place not long after the earthquake, in the second half of the 7th century.

Footnotes

39. Chitty seems to have dated the church to 482, even before beginning the excavation, see: Chitty and Jones, “The Church” (above, note 1), pp. 175-176. This was done despite the fact that the mosaics of the church were dated by the Dominican archaeologist Père Savignac to the 7th-8th centuries (ibid.). The early dating of the church was reiterated by Chitty later, see: Chitty, “The Monastery” (above note 1), p. 194

Jordan Valley Earthquake - 659/660 CE

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Collapsed Walls	Monastery of Abba Euthymius Plan of Euthymius Monastery Used with permission from BibleWalks.com		In A.G. 971, Constans’s 18th year, many Arabs gathered at Jerusalem and made Mu'awiya king141 and he went up and sat down on Golgotha; he prayed there, and went to Gethsemane and went down to the tomb of the blessed Mary to pray in it. In those days, when the Arabs were assembled there with Mu'awiya, there was an earthquake and a violent tremor and the greater part of Jericho fell, including all its churches, and of the House of Lord John at the site of our Saviour’s baptism in the Jordan every stone above the ground was overthrown, together with the entire monastery. The monastery of Abba Euthymius as well as many convents of monks and solitaries and many other places also collapsed in this (earthquake). - Maronite Chronicle

Jordan Valley Earthquake - 659/660 CE

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Collapsed Structures	Most of the monastery Plan of Euthymius Monastery Used with permission from BibleWalks.com		The severity of the destruction in the monastery of Euthymius may be deduced from the results of the excavations. During our excavation at the site, it became clear that most of the monastery – except for the crypt, whose vaults remained intact, and another vault which survived at the north end of the church – was rebuilt after the earthquake of 659. - Hirschfeld (1993:354)

Jordan Valley Earthquake - 659/660 CE

Earthquake Archeological Effects chart

Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)

Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Collapsed Walls	Monastery of Abba Euthymius Plan of Euthymius Monastery Used with permission from BibleWalks.com		In A.G. 971, Constans’s 18th year, many Arabs gathered at Jerusalem and made Mu'awiya king141 and he went up and sat down on Golgotha; he prayed there, and went to Gethsemane and went down to the tomb of the blessed Mary to pray in it. In those days, when the Arabs were assembled there with Mu'awiya, there was an earthquake and a violent tremor and the greater part of Jericho fell, including all its churches, and of the House of Lord John at the site of our Saviour’s baptism in the Jordan every stone above the ground was overthrown, together with the entire monastery. The monastery of Abba Euthymius as well as many convents of monks and solitaries and many other places also collapsed in this (earthquake). - Maronite Chronicle	VIII+

This evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

Jordan Valley Earthquake - 659/660 CE

Earthquake Archeological Effects chart

Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)

Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Collapsed Structures including walls	Most of the monastery Plan of Euthymius Monastery Used with permission from BibleWalks.com		The severity of the destruction in the monastery of Euthymius may be deduced from the results of the excavations. During our excavation at the site, it became clear that most of the monastery – except for the crypt, whose vaults remained intact, and another vault which survived at the north end of the church – was rebuilt after the earthquake of 659. - Hirschfeld (1993:354)	VIII +

Although the archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224), Intensity was probably higher (e.g. IX) since the contemporary report of collapse in the Maronite chronicle and evidence for a near total rebuild suggest extensive destruction.

References

Articles and Books

Hirschfeld (1993:354) EUTHYMIUS AND HIS MONASTERY IN THE JUDEAN DESERT Liber Annus 43 339-371 - open access at archive.org - also available at the wayback machine

Meimaris,Y. E. (1989) The Monastery of Saint Euthymios the Great at Khan el-Ahmar, in the Wilderness of Judaea: Rescue Excavations and Basic Protection Measures, 1976-1979, Preliminary Report, Athens 1989.

Websites

Euthymius Monastery at biblewalks.com

Bibliography from Stern et al (1993)

Main publication

Y. E. Meimaris, The Monastery of Saint Euthymios the Great at Khan el-Ahmar, in the Wilderness of Judaea: Rescue Excavations and Basic Protection Measures, 1976-1979, Preliminary Report, Athens 1989.

Other Studies

D. J. Chitty and A. H. M. Jones, PEQ 61 (1929), 98-102, 175-178; 62 (1930), 43-47, 150- 153; 64 (1932), 188-203

Y. Hirschfeld, ESI 3 (1984), 80; id., The Judean Desert Monasteries in the Byzantine Period, New Haven (in prep.)

R. Birger and Y. Hirschfeld, ESI7-8 (1988-1989), 110

Y. E. Meimaris (Review), LA 40 (1990), 524-526.

Bibliography from Stern et al (2008)

Y. Hirschfeld, The Judean Desert Monasteries in the Byzantine Period, New Haven CT 1992; id., LA 43 (1993), 339–371

V. Eshed, Paleoanthropological Research on Four Byzantine Populations (M.A. thesis), Tel Aviv 1993

I. Hershkovitz (et al.), LA 43 (1993), 373–385; id. (& R. Yakar), International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 5 (1995), 61–77

J. Patrich, Abas, Leader of Palestinian Monasticism: A Comparative Study in Eastern Monasticism, 4th to 7th Centuries (Dumbarton Oaks Studies 32), Washington, D.C. 1995, 162–163

H. Goldfus, Tombs and Burials in Churches and Monasteries of Byzantine Palestine (324–628 A.D.), 1–2 (Ph.D. diss.), Ann Arbor, MI 1998, 176–205

S. Santelli et al., Les Dossiers d’Archéologie 240 (1999), 86–87

F. Mébarki, MdB 131 (2000), 60

L. Di Segni, The Sabaite Heritage in the Orthodox Church from the 5th Century to the Present (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 98; ed. J. Patrich), Leuven 2001, 31–36

P. Donceel-Voûte, La mosaïque gréco-romaine 9: Actes du 9. Colloque International pour l’Étude de la Mosaïque Antique et Médiévale, Roma, 5–10.11.2001, Paris 2002, 151–170.

Wikipedia pages

Monastery of Euthymius

from wikipedia

Euthymius

from wikipedia