THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON

SURVEY AND EXCAVATIONS

Y. Hirschfeld

The monastery of Chariton was one of the largest and most important in
the Judean Desert. It was founded as a laura in the mid-fourth century CE.1
It is related that Chariton wandered southwards from the monastery of
Douka (Deir el-Quruntul west of Jericho) to a place located 14 stadia
(some 2.6 km) from the village of Tekoa.2 After a group of monks had gath-
ered around him, Chariton founded the laura, which was known as Souka
after the name of the place in Syriac.3 The monastery was later given the
name of the “Old Laura”, probably to distinguish it from the Great Laura
of Sabas in Nahal Kidron and the New Laura south of Tekoa. A third name,
the monastery of Chariton, was given to the monastery even later, appar-
ently after the transfer of Chariton’s remains from the monastery of Pharan
after the Muslim conquest.4
The monastery, known in Arabic as Khirbet Khureitun, is located on
the edge of a sheer cliff on the western side of Nahal Tekoa (Wadi
Khureitun) (Photo 1). Two routes lead to it: the first descends from the

1. Vailhé suggested that the monastery was founded in 345 CE; S. Vailhé, “Répertoire
alphabétique des monastères de Palestine”, ROC 4 (1899–1900), pp. 524–525.
2. Life of Chariton 23, ed. G. Garitte, “La vie prémonastique de S. Chariton”, Bulletin de
l’Institut Historique Belge de Rome 21 (1941), p. 33. For a translation into English, see L.
Di Segni, “The Life of Chariton”, in V. L. Wimbush (ed.), Ascetic Behavior in Greco-Ro-
man Antiquity: A Sourcebook, Minneapolis 1990, pp. 396–420.
3. In the view of Chitty, the name Souka derives from suq (Arabic: market), which is trans-
lated as laura in Greek; D. J. Chitty, The Desert A City, Oxford 1966, p. 15. In the opinion
of Abel, the name derives from tsuq (Hebrew: cliff), because of the steep cliffs of Nahal
Tekoa in which the monastery is situated; F. M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, I, Paris
1933, p. 471. For the identification of Souka with the monastery of Chariton, see Y. Tsafrir,
L. Di Segni and J. Green, Tabula Imperii Romani Iudaea Palaestina, Jerusalem 1994, p.
236.
4. The first source that mentions the monastery of Chariton by this name is Epiphanius
Monachus in the early eighth century; Epiphanius Monachus 15, ed. Donner, p. 71; H.
Donner, “Die Palästinabeschreibung des Epiphanius Monachus Hagiopolita”, ZDPV 87
(1971), pp. 66–82. On the claim that the name was given to the monastery after the removal
of the body of Chariton from the monastery of Pharan after the Arab conquest, see S.
Schiwietz, Des morgenlandische Mönchtum, II: Das Mönchtum auf Sinai und in Palästina
im vierten Jahrhunder, Mainz 1913, p. 142.

LA 50 (2000) 315-362; Pls. 1-26

316 Y. HIRSCHFELD

direction of Bethlehem, crosses

Nahal Tekoa and continues south
towards the monastery, and the sec-
ond descends from Tekoa via a
small ravine (Fig. 1). The core of
the laura and most of its cells are
scattered over the slope to the north
of the ravine. Some 400 m south of
it is one of the largest karstic caves
in the region. This cave, known in
Arabic as el-Ma‘aza, was errone-
ously identified for many years as
the Cave of Chariton, i.e. the cave
in which, according to tradition,
Chariton secluded himself in the
last years of his life (Photo 2).5 To
the south is a small spring whose
Arabic name is ‘Ein en-Natuf (“the
dripping spring”). This is an appro-
priate name for the spring, whose
water drips slowly through a crack
in the cliff and collects in a small
pool that has been hollowed out by
the water at the foot of the cliff. A Fig. 1 Location map of the monastery
path from the monastery passes the of Chariton.
spring and continues southeast to
an additional cave. This cave, which has two levels and an alcove above
them, is identified as the “Hanging Cave” of Chariton.6
During 1981–1982 I conducted a comprehensive survey at the monas-
tery of Chariton, during which most of the remains visible on the surface
were documented and the “Hanging Cave” of Chariton was discovered and
identified. In 1989 the cave was excavated and all its elements were cleared
and documented.7 This paper presents the results of the survey of the mon-
astery and the excavation of the cave.

5. For a description of the cave and the history of its research, see A. Strobel, “Die
Charitonhöhle in der Wüste Juda”, ZDPV 83 (1967), pp. 46–63.
6. Y. Hirschfeld, Archaeological Survey of Israel: Map of Herodium (108/2), Jerusalem
1985, pp. 53–55, site No. 26 (Hebrew); Y. Hirschfeld, “La grotte de saint Chariton”, RB 95
(1988), pp. 270–272.
7. The results of the survey of the monastery of Chariton were published in Hirschfeld, Map
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 317

Historical Background

The monastery of Chariton was active for a relatively long period, from its
foundation in the mid-fourth century to at least the end of the twelfth cen-
tury, some 850 years in all.8
The Life of Chariton, whose anonymous author was apparently a monk
in the monastery that bore his name, gives only a few details of the laura.9
It tells how Chariton settled at the place called Souka and founded the laura
after a number of monks had gathered around him. Some time later
Chariton decided to leave the laura and live in a cave in a cliff, not far from
the monastery. The cave’s location high in the cliff gave it the name “the
Hanging [Cave] of Chariton”. In the words of the author of the biography,
the cave was so high that “it is impossible to climb up there except with a
ladder”. These two details, the cave’s location near the laura and the need
for a ladder to reach it, helped us to identify it. While he lived in the cave,
Chariton performed a miracle. His advanced age made it difficult to fetch
water. Since he did not want to impose on the members of the community,
he prayed to God and “immediately, from a corner of the cave, a limpid,
cool stream was made to flow forth, and it flows to this very day”. 10 This
supposed miracle has left tangible traces: on the rock wall of the cave are
remains of travertine, evidence of a constant flow of spring water. The
water was drained by a system of channels into a series of cisterns, which
were discovered during the excavation (see below). Recent studies have
shown that the fourth century marked the beginning of a more humid pe-
riod, characterized by a significant increase in rainfall.11 Thus the miracle

of Herodium (above, n. 6), pp. 36–48 (site No. 17), 56–58 (site No. 27). For an additional
publication, see Y. Hirschfeld, “Chariton”, in: E. Stern (ed.), New Encyclopedia of Archaeo-
logical Excavations in the Holy Land, Jerusalem 1993, pp. 297–298. The excavation of the
“Hanging Cave” was conducted with the assistance of Rivka Calderon. Students of the
University of St. John in Minnesota took part in the excavation. The excavation team in-
cluded Erez Cohen (surveyor) and Zev Radovan (photographer).
8. For a comprehensive historical survey of the monastery of Chariton, from its foundation
in the fourth century to its abandonment in the Crusader period, see S. Vailhé and S.
Pétridès, “Saint Jean le Paléolaurite précédé d’une notice sur la vieille laure”, ROC 9 (1904),
pp. 333–356.
9. On the author of the Life of Chariton, see Di Segni, “Life of Chariton” (above, n. 2), p.
393.
10. Life of Chariton 24, ed. Garitte, pp. 33–34.
11. A. S. Issar and D. Yakir, “The Roman Period’s Colder Climate”, BA 60 (1997), pp. 101–
106. See also the general book, A. S. Issar, Water Shall Flow from the Rock: Hydrology
and Climate in the Lands of the Bible, Heidelberg 1990, p. 179. There are additional sites
318 Y. HIRSCHFELD

of the flowing of the spring from the cave wall may be explained by the
climatic conditions of the period.
After the death of Chariton, the “Hanging Cave” remained a sacred
site and continued to attract pilgrims. This is evident from the biography
of another monk, Cyriac, who lived for many years at the monastery of
Chariton. According to its author, Cyril of Scythopolis, Cyriac arrived at
the monastery in 485.12 From the list of Cyriac’s assignments, we learn of
a number of the Old Laura’s elements. His first tasks were domestic: bak-
ing bread, nursing the sick, hosting guests and acting as steward. He held
each of these posts for one year. He was subsequently made treasurer of
the church and prayer leader, and eventually ordained as a priest.13 From
this list we learn that the Old Laura contained, in addition to the church,
a bakery, an infirmary, a guesthouse and a service complex that would
have included storerooms for equipment and supplies. The biography of
Cyriac is rich in stories illustrating life in the Old Laura. Thus, for ex-
ample, while Cyriac was a prayer leader, one of his duties was to beat on
the wooden board whose sound announced that the monks of the laura
should wake and pray in their cells.14 One can easily imagine how the
sound would have reverberated between the cliffs of the ravine in the
silence of the desert night.
After 31 years in the monastery of Chariton, i.e. in 516, Cyriac de-
cided to live as a solitary hermit in the nearby deserts of Natoupha and
Rouba. While he was in the desert, he gained a reputation as a healer and
a holy man, and many sought his company.15 Despite his life of solitude,

in the Judean Desert in which signs of the flowing of water are evident, for instance Bir el-
Qatar (“the dripping cistern”), where a monastery was founded in the sixth century; Y.
Patrich, Sabas, Leader of Palestinian Monasticism, Washington 1995, p. 149. On signs of
travertine at Bir el-Qatar, see M. Marcus, The Northern Judean Desert, Jerusalem 1986, p.
130 (Hebrew).
12. Life of Cyriac 7, ed. E. Schwartz, Leipzig 1939, p. 226. According to Cyril, Cyriac
moved to the monastery of Chariton immediately after the split between the monasteries of
Euthymius and Theoctistus, which began in 485. On the chronology of the life of Cyriac,
see A. J. Festugière, Les moines d’Orient, III/1: Les moines de Palestine, Cyrille de
Scythopolis, vie de saint Euthyme, Paris 1962, pp. 68–69, n. 29. On the career of Cyriac as
a monk and hermit, see Chitty, The Desert (above, n. 3), pp. 126–127.
13. Life of Cyriac 7, ed. Schwartz, pp. 226–227. On the various posts held by monks in a
Judean Desert laura, see Y. Hirschfeld, The Judean Desert Monasteries in the Byzantine
Period, New Haven and London 1992, pp. 72–79.
14. Life of Cyriac 8, ed. Schwartz, p. 227.
15. Cyriac Ibid. 10, ed. Schwartz, p. 228. On the deserts of Natoupha and Rouba, see
Tsafrir, Di Segni and Green, Tabula (above, n. 3), pp. 193 and 216 respectively.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 319

Cyriac maintained his connection with the monastery of Chariton.16 Dur-

ing the great outbreak of plague in 542, the elders of the monastery
begged Cyriac to return to the monastery to protect its inmates from the
plague. As a revered holy man, Cyriac was accommodated in the “cave
of Chariton” (το σπh/λαιον του Χαρi/τωνος), where he lived for five
years.17 We learn from this that the cave continued to be considered a holy
place and pilgrimage site. Cyril of Scythopolis himself often visited the
“holy cave of Chariton” to receive encouragement from his spiritual men-
tor Cyriac.18
A few further details on events in the Old Laura are provided by an-
other source, the Life of Xenophon of the sixth century. According to this
source, one of the monks, known as the Elder, lived in his cell for fifty
consecutive years.19 One of the sons of Xenophon, Arcadius, met the Elder
and learned from him of the way of life in the monastery.20
Another source, the Life of Maximus, which is preserved in the Syriac
version, tells of the dangers faced by the monks.21 According to the author,
the brother of the laura’s abbot died from the bite of a camel which be-
longed to a man “of eastern origin” who happened to be at the monastery.22
The camel’s owner was probably a Saracen who was visiting the Old Laura,
perhaps staying at the guesthouse (as noted above, the guesthouse was one
of Cyriac’s responsibilities).
The Old Laura was among the important monasteries that continued to
function after the Muslim conquest.23 It is mentioned under the name “Mar
Chariton” in the work of Epiphanius Monachus of the early eighth century

16. According to Cyril (Life of Cyriac 15, ed. Schwartz, p. 232), while Cyriac was in the
desert a monk of the monastery of Chariton named John served as his disciple. This monk
acted as a guide for Cyril when he wished to visit Cyriac in the desert.
17. Life of Cyriac 10, ed. Schwartz, p. 229.
18. Ibid. Cyril explicitly states that many people visited the saint while he was in the sacred
cave of Chariton (ibid. 15, ed. Schwartz, p. 231).
19. Life of Xenophon, ed. A. Galante, “De vita SS. Xenophontis et sociorum”, AB 12 (1903),
pp. 388–389.
20. On Xenophon and his two sons, see Chitty, The Desert (above, n. 3), p. 143. A late
tradition mistakenly connects Xenophon and his sons with the Great Laura of Sabas (Mar
Saba); see Patrich, Sabas (above, n. 11), pp. 106–107, n. 18.
21. The Syriac version of the Life of Maximus was translated into English by S. Brock, “An
Early Syriac Life of Maximus the Confessor”, AB 91 (1973), pp. 229–346.
22. Life of Maximus 4, ed. Brock, p. 315.
23. On the continued existence of the monastery after the conquest, see R. Schick, The
Christian Communities of Palestine from Byzantine to Islamic Rule, Princeton 1995, p. 373.
320 Y. HIRSCHFELD

and in the Life of Stephen Sabaites of the end of that century.24 In the eighth
century scholarly monks of the monastery, such as Stephen of Ramla, trans-
lated Greek literary works into Arabic.25 One of the patriarchs of Jerusa-
lem, the monk and physician Thomas (807–821), was abbot of the
monastery of Chariton before his appointment.26 In the list of churches and
monasteries in the Holy Land known as the Commemoratorium of 808 CE,
the tomb of St. Chariton is mentioned, as well as a small monastery which,
according to the author of this source, was built by Chariton a mile away
from the tomb.27 During this period the monks suffered greatly from rob-
bery and massacres; thus, for instance, in the story of the Twenty Martyrs
of the Great laura (Mar Saba) we also learn of hermits in the Old Laura
who were captured and tortured by Saracens.28 From this we may conclude
that the core of the laura was still unwalled at that time.
It was probably because of these massacres in the Judean Desert and the
Jerusalem region that the monks of the Old Laura abandoned their cells,
built walls around the structures of the core and took refuge within them.
Despite the lack of security, monks continued to live at the Old Laura until
the Crusader period. Important evidence on the tomb of Chariton is pro-
vided by a letter of Theodore of Stoudios, abbot of the monastery of
Stoudion in Constantinople, to the monks of the monastery of Chariton.
The letter, sent in about 810, mentions the tomb of the saint in the court-
yard of the monastery.29 In sources of the Crusader period the monastery is

24. On Epiphanius Monachus, who visited the Holy Land in about 715, see above, n. 4. For
a translation of the text into English see J. Wilkinson, Jerusalem Pilgrims before the Cru-
sades, Jerusalem 1977, pp. 118–119. The Life of Stephen Sabaites mentions the monks of
the Old Laura (Souka); see Vita Stephani Sabaites, AASS Julii III, p. 589. On this vita see
G. Garitte, “Le début de la Vie de S. Étienne le Sabaite retrouvé en arabe au Sinai”, AB 77
(1959), pp. 332–369.
25. On the intense literary activity in Mar Saba and Mar Chariton in the eighth–ninth cen-
turies, see S. H. Griffith, “Greek into Arabic: Life and Letters in the Monasteries of Pales-
tine in the Ninth Century”, Byzantion 56 (1986), pp. 117–138.
26. A. Linder, “The Christian Communities in Jerusalem”, in: J. Prawer (ed.), The History
of Jerusalem in the Early Islamic Period (638–1099), Jerusalem 1987, p. 103 (Hebrew).
27. Commemoratorium de casis dei 34, eds. T. Tobler and A. Molinier, St. Galen and Paris
1879, p. 303; English translation Wilkinson, Jerusalem Pilgrims (above, n. 24), p. 303. The
existence and location of the small monastery are uncertain.
28. Passio XX martyrum Sabaitarum, AASS Mart. III, p. 170. The massacre of twenty
monks of the Great Laura (Mar Saba) took place in 797; see Patrich, Sabas (above, n. 11),
p. 330; Linder, Christian Communities (above, n. 26), p. 113. A few years later, in about
809, the monastery was attacked again, as attested by Theophanis, Chronographia (ed. C.
de Boor, Leipzig 1883), p. 499.
29. Theodorus Studite, ed. J. P. Migne, PG 99, cols. 1168–1169.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 321

described as walled. The Russian pilgrim Abbot Daniel, who visited the
Holy Land in 1106, describes the walls of the monastery and mentions the
tomb of Chariton, located in the larger of the two churches.30 In addition,
Daniel notes the graves of Cyriac, Xenophon and his two sons, Arcadius
and Joannes, located outside the walls of the monastery. The composition
of Joanes Phocas of 1185 is one of the latest sources that describe the mon-
astery of Chariton as being active.31 The monastery was apparently aban-
doned after this period and was used for shelter by the inhabitants of the
region. The monks’ cells were destroyed and the cisterns under them were
breached and used as dwellings. Walls were built across the mouths of the
caves that surround the monastery, and they too became dwellings. This oc-
cupation was dated by the finds of the excavation to the Mamluk period
(thirteenth to fourteenth centuries),32 indicating that by then the monastery
had ceased its activity.

History of Research

The first scholar to describe the monastery of Chariton was the Swiss T.
Tobler, who visited the site in the mid-nineteenth century. He described a
tower-like structure in the monastery and described a fragment of a marble
column that he found there.33 The second visitor to the site was the French
scholar V. Guérin. He noted the tower, which the inhabitants of the region
called Bab el-Wad Khureitun (“the Gate of the Ravine of Chariton”).34
According to Guérin, near the tower was a large reservoir, known in Ara-
bic as Bir el-‘Uneiziya, from which the local shepherds watered their
flocks.
The researchers of the Palestine Exploration Fund, C. R. Conder and H.
H. Kitchener, dated most of the remains of the monastery, including the

30. For Abbot Daniel’s description of the monastery, see B. de Khitrowo, Itinéraires russes
en Orient, vie et pèlerinage de Daniel, Genève 1889, p. 48. For a translation into English,
see C. W. Wilson, The Pilgrimage of the Russian Abbot Daniel (PPTS 4), London 1895,
pp. 48–49.
31. PG 133, ed. J. P. Migne, col. 960. For an English translation of the Greek text, see A.
Stewart, Pilgrimage of Joanes Phocas (PPTS 5), London 1896, pp. 33–34.
32. Hirschfeld, Map of Herodium (above, n. 6), p. 38.
33. T. Tobler, Topographie von Jerusalem und seinen Umgebungen, II, Berlin 1854, pp.
509–510, 528.
34. V. Guérin, Description géographique, historique et archéologique de la Palestine, III,
Judée, Paris 1869, pp. 133–139.
322 Y. HIRSCHFELD

tower, vaults and cisterns, to the Crusader period, i.e. the twelfth century.35
However, they believed that the reservoir of Bir el-‘Uneiziya was earlier,
dating from the Byzantine period.
A comprehensive summary of the history of the monastery was pub-
lished in 1904 by S. Vailhé and S. Pétridès. They note the existence of the
“Hanging Cave” and even describe some of the details that we discovered
in our excavation.36 A. Strobel published a history, description and field
study of the traditional site of the Cave of Chariton (el-Ma‘aza).37 An ar-
ticle by B. Bagatti provides a further survey of the history of the monas-
tery and a general description of its remains.38 During the 1970s a detailed
survey of the Cave of Chariton (el-Ma‘aza) was carried out by G. Man.39
This survey conclusively showed that this is merely a karstic cave and that
its identification with Chariton is mistaken.
During our survey of the monastery of Chariton and its surrounding,
carried out in the 1980s, three main building periods were discerned: 1) the
original construction of the Byzantine period, 2) later constructional addi-
tions and 3) additions and alterations carried out after the monastery had
ceased to function. 40
The construction of the original phase is characterized by its high qual-
ity: the walls are straight, the building stones are large and the cisterns are
plastered with the reddish hydraulic plaster typical of the Byzantine pe-
riod.41 To this period we may attribute the large reservoir (Bir el-‘Uneiziya),
most of the cells and some of the structures of the core. The complex of
the “Hanging Cave” was also attributed to the Byzantine period on the ba-
sis of the finds of the excavation (see below).
Building additions of the second phase were discerned mainly in the
core of the laura. The construction of the Early Arab period is similar to
that of the Byzantine period, though a decline in quality is evident. This
phase is characterized by secondary use of earlier building stones.

35. C. R. Conder and H. H. Kitchener, The Survey of Western Palestine, II, Judaea, Lon-
don 1883, p. 357.
36. Above, n. 8.
37. Above, n. 5.
38. B. Bagatti, “La laura di Suka sul Wadi Kareitun”, LTS 47 (1971), pp. 336–345.
39. G. Man, “Mapping the Cave of Chariton”, Teva Vaaretz 18 (1976), pp. 210–214 (Hebrew).
40. Hirschfeld, Map of Herodium (above, n. 6), pp. 36–48 (site No. 17).
41. Y. Porath, “Hydraulic Plaster of Aqueducts as a Chronological Indicator”, in: D. Amit,
Y. Hirschfeld and Y. Patrich (eds.), The Aqueducts of Ancient Palestine, Jerusalem 1989, p.
75 (Hebrew).
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 323

The changes that took place at the site after the abandonment of the
monastery at some time after the Crusader period are easily recognized.
This latest phase has the character of a squatters’ occupation and consists
mainly of the conversion of caves and rock shelters into dwellings by
blocking their mouths with walls built of building stones in secondary use.
Most of the cisterns under the cells of the Byzantine period were broken
into and converted into dwellings.
The distinction between the different building phases at the site was
supported by the ceramic finds. Potsherds collected from the surface
within the monastery belong to all three periods.42 Most of them dated
from the Byzantine period (fifth to seventh centuries), including red-
slipped ware and fragments of the decorated lamps that were typical of
the area in this period (Fig. 2). The pottery of the Early Arab period is
characterized by colored glazes and by geometric patterns on lamps
(Fig. 3).The Medieval sherds are characterized by geometric patterns in
red and brown on a white background. Vessels of this kind were com-
mon from the Mamluk period (thirteenth to fourteenth centuries) and into
modern times.
The ceramic finds and the survey of the architectural remains indicate
that the main building stage was in the Byzantine period.43 The activity of
the Early Arab and Crusader periods appears to have been limited in ex-
tent, though future excavations at the site may show that this activity was
more extensive than appears at present. After the Crusader period all activ-
ity ceased at the monastery, and the site was used as dwellings by local
shepherds and Bedouin.

Description of the Remains

In the monastery of Chariton, as in all monasteries of the laura type, there is a

clear distinction between the structures of the core, located in the northern
part of the site, and the cells scattered over the southern slopes (Fig. 4).44 An

42. I was assisted in the identification of the ceramic finds of the monastery of Chariton by
Rivka Calderon (Birger) and Anna de Vincenz; I am most grateful to them.
43. This contrasts with the view of Conder and Kitchener (above, n. 35), who believed that
most of the monastery’s remains should be dated to the Crusader period. A comprehensive
and systematic excavation is needed to establish the date of the later remains at the site.
44. On the characteristics of the lauras of the Judean Desert, see Hirschfeld, Judean Desert
Monasteries (above, n. 13), pp. 18–33.
324 Y. HIRSCHFELD

extensive network of paths connects the various elements: some utilize the
natural rock terraces and others, where access is difficult, are supported by
retaining walls. The network of paths transformed the laura into a coherent
monastery.

Fig. 2 Pottery from the monastery of Chariton, Byzantine period.

 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 325

Fig. 3 Pottery from the monastery of Chariton, Early Arab and Medieval periods.
326 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Fig. 4 The monastery of Chariton: the core of the laura, the cells and the “Hang-
ing Cave”.

The core of the laura

The core is built on a steep slope in the northern part of the site (Photo 3).
At the top are the remains of a tower (the northern tower), from which two
walls descend. One wall runs southwards to a second tower (the southern
tower), and another runs eastwards to the foundations of a third tower (the
eastern tower) (Fig. 5). The steep slope on which the buildings were con-
structed ends in a vertical cliff, more than 20 m high.
The total area enclosed by the walls is some 2000 sq. m. The monaste-
ry’s entrance gate was apparently in the center of the northern wall, which
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 327

Fig. 5 Plan of the remains of the core of the laura.

runs between the northern and the eastern towers. The entrance is not pre-
served, but its location can be surmised by the two towers protruding 2 m
from the line of the wall. The towers are both 4 m long and are 2.8 m apart.
The path leading to the monastery terminates in the space between the tow-
ers, where we postulate the existence of a gate. The western wall, which
runs between the northern and the southern towers, is preserved to a height
of 1.5 m (Photo 4). The wall, 1.1 m thick, is built of relatively large stones
(up to 0.8 m long) on the outside, and of smaller stones laid in cement on
the inside. There are seams between the wall and the towers, indicating that
the wall was built at a later stage (apparently during the ninth century).
The core of the laura contained at least one church (Abbot Daniel men-
tions two in the Crusader period).45 The existence of a church is indicated
by two architectural elements found at the site: a fragment of a chancel
screen post and a grooved stone base for the insertion of a chancel screen
panel (Fig. 6). The post is made of smoothed local limestone; it measures
20 × 20 cm in section and is 45 cm high (Photo 5). The base, also made of
local limestone, measures 45 × 20 cm and is 28 cm high (Photo 6).

45. Above, n. 30.

328 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Fig. 6 A fragment of a chancel screen post (A) and a grooved stone base (B) found
in the laura’s core.

The northern tower stands in a strategic location at the top of the slope,
at an elevation of 590 m above sea level, enabling control of the approaches
to the monastery. This is a rectangular structure measuring 11.4 × 15.4 m;
its walls are preserved to a height of 4 m (Photo 7). The walls are built of
large stones on the outside and small stones on the inside. The core of the
wall contains large quantities of cement, a technique that is also typical of
the other parts of the monastery. Both the ground and the second floors
were roofed with barrel vaults (Fig. 7). Within the foundations of the north
wall is a rock-hewn cistern, measuring 2.6 × 4.0 m and 3 m deep. The cis-
tern is fed by rainwater that was drained from the roof of the tower by an
internal drainpipe. The outer wall of the tower was better built in the upper
story than in the ground floor. In the north wall one can discern the jamb
of a door that led to the rooms on this side of the tower. According to the
suggested reconstruction in Fig. 8, the tower had two stories on the south-
western side and at least three on the northeast.
The southern tower is preserved to its full original height of some 6 m
(Photo 8). It measures 6.4 × 9.5 m. It comprises two wings: a northern
wing, which probably had only one story, and a southern wing with two
stories (Fig. 9, Photo 9). Two windows, one in each story, are preserved in
the southern wall. The original ceiling was made of a mixture of small
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 329

Fig. 7 Longitudinal section of the northern tower, looking at the north wall.

Fig. 8 Proposed reconstruction of the northern tower (drawing: Leen Ritmeyer).

330 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Fig. 9 The southern tower, looking south.

stones and white plaster. Around the roof of the tower is a parapet 0.25 m
high consisting of two courses of stones.
In the northeastern corner of the core complex, the defensive wall is
preserved to a height of more than 4 m. Adjacent to the wall are the foun-
dations of the eastern tower (Photo 10). Within its foundations is an oval
cistern, measuring 2.5 × 2.8 m and roofed with a stone vault. Beyond the
cistern is a large cave (5.5 × 8.0 m), extended by hewing in the rock. In the
floor of the cave is preserved a small well-plastered pool (approx. 2 × 2
m); next to this pool was found the chancel screen post mentioned above.
The remains inside the monastery were built on two levels: an upper
level around elevation 580 m, and a lower level around elevation 570 m
which contained most of the structures. On the upper level only a few walls
have survived, though a fragment of white mosaic was found in situ. In the
cliff that separates the two levels there are a number of caves and rock shel-
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 331

ters. In the mouth of one of the caves a

cross surrounded by a circle 15 cm in
diameter was incised in the rock (Fig.
10). The structures of the lower level
form two blocks, a northeastern block
and a central block to its southwest. The
buildings are supported by massive re-
taining walls, forming a framework to
contain the huge quantities of earth that
comprised the platform on which the
structures were built. The northeastern
block protrudes by 5–6 m above the
level of the slope. Its total length is 9 m
and its walls are preserved to a maxi-
Fig. 10 A cross in a medallion in-
cised in the rock in the core of the mum height of 2.5 m. The central block
laura. is larger and more complex. It is some
20 m long and its retaining walls are
preserved to a height of 4–5 m. Within the mass of structures one may dis-
cern a cistern (2 × 4.6 m) installed in the foundations. The superstructures
of the buildings have not survived, but they were probably large and im-
pressive. The modern-day monastery of Mar Saba, with its walls, towers
and retaining walls (Photo 11), may give us an idea of the appearance of
the monastery of Chariton towards the end of its existence.

The water supply system and gardens

In the slope that descends to the southwest from the core of the laura, re-
mains of agricultural terraces of various sizes and of an irrigation system
consisting of reservoirs, cisterns and pools are discernible (Fig. 11). The
water installations are well preserved and some are still functioning today.
The system was planned as an integral whole to drain runoff water and uti-
lize it for domestic use and irrigation of the monastery’s gardens.46
At the top of the ravine that runs through the area of the monastery is
the huge reservoir known in Arabic as Bir el-‘Uneiziya (“well of the
goats”) (Photos 12-13). This is the most impressive remnant of the monas-

46. I have described the water supply system of the monastery of Chariton in a separate
article: Y. Hirschfeld, “The Water Supply System of the Monastery of Chariton”, in Amit,
Hirschfeld and Patrich, Aqueducts (above, n. 41), pp. 205–312 (Hebrew).
332 Y. HIRSCHFELD

tery. The reservoir was filled by winter flash floods that were diverted into
it by channels 150 m long. The walls of the reservoir are built of hard lime-
stone. Its southern end, facing the ravine, is preserved to a height of 3.8 m.
The walls were stepped to increase their strength, with each course being
recessed by 12 cm from the one below it (Photo 14). The reservoir is rect-
angular, measuring 14.0 × 19.4 m. Its interior consists of one main hall and
two adjacent subsidiary rooms on the west.
The top of the ceiling of the main hall is 5 m above the current floor level.
It consists of two adjacent barrel vaults, supported by two massive pilasters
(1.5 × 2.6 m in section) and three arches in the center of the hall and by the
reservoir’s outer walls (Photo 15). The hall is fully plastered, including the
ceiling, with thick layers of reddish hydraulic plaster. It could store at least
600 cu. m of water. At the top of the vaults were four openings for drawing
water. In recent times three of the openings have been blocked with concrete
by the local Bedouin, leaving open only the southeastern opening.

Fig. 11 Plan of the remains of the core of the laura, the water supply system, the
gardens and the nearby cells.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 333

Fig. 12 Lateral section of the reservoir, showing the crosses in the eastern wall.

The function of the two subsidiary rooms on the west is unclear. One of
them, in the northwestern corner, perhaps served as a settling pool. This is
a small room (interior dimensions 2.5 × 3.1 m). The second room, measur-
ing 2.5 × 6 m, apparently served as an inspection room. It has an opening
to the exterior facing south. Its ceiling, made of ashlars, is completely pre-
served (Photo 16).
On the inside of the eastern wall of the reservoir, 1.6 m from the top of
the vault, two large crosses in medallions are molded in the plaster (Figs.
12, 13a-b; Photo 17). The external diameter of the medallions is 1.3 m and
the internal diameter 0.9 m. The motifs used for the borders of the medal-
lions (basket, leaf and fleur-de-lys) are well known in Byzantine art. The
outlines are painted in red. The crosses, which decorated the closed and
dark interior of the reservoir, were not visible from the outside and had a
purely symbolic value. They should be regarded as equivalent to founda-
tion inscriptions, like the cross and the inscription found in the reservoirs
of the Nea Church in Jerusalem.47 The Nea inscription mentions the Em-
peror Justinian, who provided financial support for the project, and Abbot
Constantine, who supervised the construction of the reservoir. On the basis
of this parallel and the quality of the construction, we may surmise that the
reservoir of the monastery of Chariton was also constructed with the sup-
port of one of the Byzantine emperors.

47. N. Avigad, “A Building Inscription of the Emperor Justinian and the Nea in Jerusalem”,
IEJ 27 (1977), pp. 145–151.
334 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Figs. 13a-b The two crosses that decorate the wall of the reservoir (drawing: Erez
Cohen).

Two large agricultural terraces were identified in the area of the monas-
tery. The larger one is located to the north of the ravine that crosses the
area of the monastery. The terrace, about 180 m long and 5–25 m wide, is
supported by massive retaining walls along its entire length (Photo 18).
These retaining walls protected the terrace from the erosive force of the
winter floods. The smaller terrace is on the southern bank of the ravine; it
is about 35 m long and 5–15 m wide.
In these gardens, with a total area of about 3000 sq. m, the fruits and
vegetables that supplemented the diet of the monks were grown.48 Though
individual plots were found next to most of the cells, the large plots were
probably worked communally. The common gardens, together with the
monks’ private gardens, made the monastery into a man-made oasis in the
desert (Fig. 14).

The cells

In the survey of the Old Laura remains of 39 cells were identified. They
are scattered over a large area, measuring 700 m north-south and some 150

48. On the diet of the monks of the Judean desert, see Hirschfeld, Judean Desert Monaster-
ies (above, n. 13), pp. 82–91.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 335

Fig. 14 Proposed reconstruction of the monastery of Chariton (drawing: Leen

Ritmeyer).

m east-west, a total of 10.5 hectares. For the most part the cells are simple
one-room structures. Cisterns were installed in the foundations of many of
them; their function was not only to store water but also to level the sur-
face for the construction of the cell.49 The agricultural terraces found near
most of the cells sometimes contained additional cisterns. The cells are
connected by a network of paths.
The distribution pattern of the cells is characterized by an increase in
the distance between cells as one proceeds from the core of the laura. Most
of the cells are concentrated on the slope to the southwest of the laura’s
core, where the average distance between them is 20 m. On the other hand,
further to the south the distance between the cells increases and reaches 60
m and more.
The preservation of the cells is fairly good, many of them standing to a
height of 1–2 m or more. This is because of the cisterns below them, which
continued to be used after the abandonment of the monastery; many of

49. In previous publications I treated the cells with cisterns integrated in their foundations
as cisterns alone. This error stemmed from the fact that in most cases the walls of the cells
above the cisterns are not preserved.
336 Y. HIRSCHFELD

them became improvised dwellings. In the following the cells are described
from north to south.
Cell 1 is built against the southern tower of the core of the laura. It is
square, measuring 5.5 × 5.5 m (external dimensions). Below it is a cistern
whose vaulted roof is completely preserved. The cistern is oval, with a di-
ameter of 2.5 m and a depth of 2.3 m, and its capacity is estimated at about
14.3 cu. m. At the base of the vaulted roof of the cistern the opening of a
ceramic pipe, 12 cm in diameter, is preserved (Photo 19). It was probably
part of a drainpipe installed within the wall that drained rainwater from the
roof of the cell into the cistern. In the center of the vaulted roof of the cis-
tern is a square opening (0.5 × 0.5 m) for drawing water. This is a standard
size of opening that appears in most of the cisterns, and presumably
matched the size of the vessels that the monks used for drawing water. In
the medieval period, after the monastery had ceased to function, the south-
ern wall of the cistern was breached and it became a dwelling.
Cell 2 is 45 m west of No. 1. It measures 4.2 m square and has rela-
tively thick walls (0.8 m). Beside the cell is a rounded cistern (diameter
1.5 m), and adjacent to it is a terrace 14 m long.
Cell 3 is located some 40 m to the northwest. It is oval in shape, with
external dimensions of 4 × 5.5 m, and has a cistern below it. Some 10 m
south of the cell, a terrace wall 28 m long is preserved. At the western
end of the terrace a flight of 12 rock-hewn steps was discerned. The steps
ascend in a straight line perpendicular to the nearby ravine; their function
is not clear.
Cells 4 and 5 are adjacent to one another. They are particularly large
and are preserved to a height of 3–4 m above surface level (Photo 20).
Cell 4 is rectangular, measuring 3.2 × 10 m. Its walls, about one meter
thick, are perpendicular to the face of the natural rock terrace behind it.
Under the cell is a cistern roofed by a barrel vault, part of which is pre-
served (Photo 21). A breach in the southern wall of the cistern points to
its use as a dwelling after the abandonment of the monastery. Cell 5 is
round, with an external diameter of 7.5 m. Its walls are stepped; the
thickness of 1.9 m at the base decreases to 1.4 m at the top (Fig. 15).
Below the cell was a large cistern whose roof is completely preserved
(Photo 22). The roof consists of two large arches, each 1.1 m wide, sup-
porting four massive stone beams. Near the roof are the round openings
of two ceramic pipes 12 cm in diameter. The pipe on the western side
brought water into the cistern, while the opposite pipe drained excess
water. Above the roof a section of the white mosaic floor of the cell is
preserved.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 337

Fig. 15 Lateral section of the cistern in the foundations of Cell 5, looking west.
Note the openings for the entry and exit of water.

Cell 6 is close to Cell 5. This is a relatively small cell (2.5 × 3.5 m),
with a small cistern below it.
Cell 7 is larger, with external dimensions of 4.5 × 5 m, and its walls are
preserved to a height of 2.4 m. The base of the cistern below it was cleared
by excavation (Photo 23). The cistern is sealed by the reddish hydraulic
plaster typical of the Byzantine period.
Cell 8 is round, with an external diameter of 3.5 m and has a cistern
beneath it. Six meters to its south is Cell 9, whose walls are preserved to a
height of 2.8 m. This cell is rectangular (4.2 × 6 m) and has a vaulted cis-
tern below it.
Cell 10 is 25 m to the west. It is rectangular (2.5 × 4 m) and preserved
to a height of 1.2 m. Beside it is a large terrace which was shared by Cell
14 (below). Ten meters to the west is Cell 11, one of the best-preserved
cells in the monastery. Below it is a cistern roofed by a dome built of field-
stones. From the cell a terrace wall extends for some 25 m to the west. On
this terrace are the relatively small Cells 12 and 13.
338 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Fig. 16 Plan of Cell 14.

Cell 14, whose walls stand to a height of 2.2 m, is located on a natural

rock terrace (Fig. 16, Photo 24). It is rectangular, with external dimensions
of 3.2 × 4.5 m and walls 0.7 m thick. Below it is a cistern, and beside it is
a terrace with an area of 140 sq. m.
Cell 15 is some 15 m to the east. It is rectangular (3.3 × 4 m) and has a
cistern 2.8 m deep below it. The eastern wall of the cistern is a later open-
ing, made when the cistern had gone out of use.
Cell 16, 30 m from Cell 15, is irregular in shape. It is relatively small,
measuring 1.8 × 2.1 m. Close to it the retaining wall of one of the paths
connecting the cells is preserved.
Cell 17 is located 15 m to the south. It is rectangular, measuring 5.2 ×
6.6 m. Below it is a cistern 3.7 m deep. At the base of the roof of the cis-
tern is the opening of a ceramic pipe 12 cm in diameter, and at the top of
the roof is an square opening (0.5 × 0.5 m) for drawing water. This cell
belongs to a group of cells (Nos. 17–22) located along the northern garden
terrace of the monastery. Three of them (Nos. 18–20) are located at the
southern end of the terrace. Cell 18 is oval (4.1 × 8.5 m), Cell 19 is round
(diameter 4 m), and the northernmost, Cell 20, is almost square (4 × 4.3
m). All three had cisterns below them.
Cell 21 was nicknamed by us the “Hanging Cell”, because of its loca-
tion on the edge of a cliff 16 m high (Photo 25). The cell is rectangular,
measuring 3 × 4.5 m in external dimensions (Fig. 17). Its walls, 0.7 m thick
and preserved to a height of 2.8 m, are built of dressed stones on the exte-
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 339

Figs. 17a-b Plan and section looking west of the “Hanging Cell”.
340 Y. HIRSCHFELD

rior and medium-sized and

small fieldstones on the in-
terior. Below the cell is
preserved a vaulted cistern,
sealed with the reddish hy-
draulic plaster typical of
the Byzantine period. Just
below the roof is the round
opening (diameter 11 cm)
of the ceramic pipe that
brought water into the cis-
tern (Photo 26). In the op-
posite corner, at a lower
level, is the opening of the
pipe that drained excess
water. Above the vault of
the cistern a fragment of
the mosaic floor of the
cell, 30 cm thick, was pre-
served. The floor consists
of small tesserae and a
bedding layer of lime plas-
ter 1 cm thick, and a foun-
dation consisting of small Fig. 18 Proposed reconstruction of the “Hanging
stones and mortar. Adja- Cell” (drawing: Erez Cohen).
cent to the cell were two
terraces. The lower terrace is 7 m long, and above it is the long terrace wall
that comprises part of the large agricultural plot of the monastery. Fig. 18
presents a proposed reconstruction of the appearance of the “hanging cell”
in the Byzantine period.
Cell 22, which is poorly preserved, is built against the terrace wall that
supports the large agricultural plot on the southwest.
In the area to the south of the ravine that descends from Bir el-
‘Uneiziya, five additional cells were surveyed (Nos. 23–27). Two of them
are in the large agricultural plot. Cell 23, which is oval (3.3 × 3.5 m), is at
the eastern end of the plot. Cell 24, which measures 3 × 3.2 m, is located
25 m away to the northwest. Each cell has a cistern beneath it. Three addi-
tional cells are at the top of the ravine. Cell 25 is almost square (3 × 3.5 m)
and abuts a large boulder that protects it from winter floods. Cell 26, 12 m
to the west, measures 3.2 × 3.5 m and also abuts a boulder 6 m wide. Both
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 341

the above cells have cisterns below them. Cell 27 is round and measures
only 1.5 m in diameter. In view of its small size, it was possibly not a cell
but a cistern. Near it was found another square cistern (1.1 × 1.1 m) with
remains of a quarry beside it (Photo 27). At the base of the quarry lies a
large building stone that for some reason was not removed. This fact indi-
cates that the building stones of the monastery were quarried from the rock
that underlies it.
Remains of twelve additional cells were surveyed along the slope be-
tween the monastery and the “Hanging Cave” (above, Fig. 4). The cells are
scattered over the slope at random, utilizing the natural rock terraces. Two
springs issue from the slope. One of them, ‘Ein en-Natuf, will be described
below. The second, which is near Cell 35 and lacks a name, springs from a
vault built in a natural crack (Photo 28). The remains of the vault attest to
the exploitation of this spring by the monks, though its date is uncertain.
Cell 28 is located some 200 m to the southwest of the large reservoir,
Bir el-‘Uneiziya. It is rectangular (external dimensions 4.9 × 5.9 m) and its
walls are preserved to a height of 1.4 m. Between the foundations of the
walls, 1.2 m wide, is a cistern. To the south of the cell is an agricultural
plot some 25 m long.
Cell 29 is 80 m from Cell
28. It is rectangular, measur-
ing 4.5 × 6.5 m in external
dimensions. Below it is a
cistern whose vaulted roof
is completely preserved.
Cell 30 is poorly pre-
served; near it the remains
of a round cistern were dis-
cerned.
Cell 31 is well preserved
(Photo 29). Its external walls
contain stones that reach a
length of one meter or more.
On its eastern side is a later
opening that enabled use of
the cistern as a dwelling. The
cell is rectangular, measur-
ing 5.5 × 6.7 m (Fig. 19). In
its foundations, which are
Fig. 19 Plan of Cells 31–32. about one meter thick, a
342 Y. HIRSCHFELD

vaulted cistern is almost completely preserved (Photo 30). The cistern is

constructed from stones up to 0.4 m high at its base and decreasing in size
towards the top. The top of the vault is 4.8 m above the floor, and the
capacity of the cistern may be estimated as at least 65 cu. m. In the roof is
a square opening (0.5 × 0.5) for the drawing of water.
Cell 32 is south of Cell 31. It is oval in shape, measuring 4.5 × 5 m.
Below it is a completely preserved cistern, and to its south is an agricul-
tural plot about ten meters long. A smaller plot is located to the west and
north of Cells 31–32.
Cell 33 lies 40 m to the southeast. It is trapezoid in shape, measuring 5
× 5.5 m in external measurements (Fig. 20). Below it is a round cistern, 2
m in diameter and 1.7 m deep. An agricultural plot extends some twenty
meters to the west of the cell. On its western edge is a cistern, located in a
crack in the rock that borders the terrace.
Cell 34 is 60 m to the south. It is rectangular, measuring 3.7 × 6.2 m on
the exterior. Its walls are 0.9 m thick and below it is a cistern 3.5 m deep.
To its south extends an agricultural plot, some 70 m long. At the end of the
plot is the rectangular Cell 35 (3.6 × 6.2 m). The plot was probably culti-
vated jointly by the monks who occupied the two cells.
Cell 36 is located to the south of the spring. It is oval (4.1 × 5 m) and
has a cistern below it. Below the cell is a terrace 50 m long. At the north-
ern end of the plot is the spring, and at its southern end is Cell 37. This
cell is rectangular (3.3 × 7.8 m)
and has walls 0.8 m thick pre-
served to a height of 0.7 m. Cell
38, at the foot of the slope, is
poorly preserved.
Cell 39 is the southernmost
cell. Its walls are preserved to a
height of 2.5 m (Photo 31). The
rectangular cell is exceptionally
large, measuring 6.1 × 10.1 m
(Fig. 21). Under it is a cistern,
whose eastern wall was breached.
The roof of the cistern, 2.5 m
above the wall, is completely pre-
served (Photo 32). At the top of
the roof are two square openings
for drawing water, each measur-
ing 0.5 × 0.5 m. Cracks in the Fig. 20 Plan of Cell 33.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 343

internal plaster of the cistern

have been repaired with mud
plaster. Agricultural plots ex-
tend from both sides of the cell.
The large number and
good preservation of the cells
supply ample data on their
shape and components, as
summarized in the Table 1:
see p. 345.
From these data, we may
draw some conclusions about
the cells at the Old Laura.
About three-quarters of the
cells are quadrangular in shape,
either rectangular or square.
Only three (Nos. 5, 8, 19) are
round, and seven are oval.
The monks apparently pre-
ferred stone-built cells to
caves or rock shelters, despite
the fact that the rocky sur-
roundings of the monastery
contain many karstic caves.
The average size of the cells
is fairly constant, though there
are some very small cells with
an area of less than 5 sq. m
(Nos. 13, 16 and 27) and
some large cells, such as Nos.
5 and 39, with an area of over
Fig. 21 Plan of Cell 39. 40 and 60 sq. m respectively.
More than half of the cells
(56.4%) have an area of 20–25 sq. m. This area is inclusive of the walls,
which are usually 0.7 m thick. If we subtract the area of the walls, we are
left with an average living space of 14–16 sq. m for each monk.
Another feature that characterizes the cells of the laura of Chariton is
the cistern in the foundations. In 31 cases (87%) a cistern was found below
the cell. The numerous cisterns ensured supplies not only of drinking wa-
ter, but also of water for the irrigation of the agricultural plots. Remains of
344 Y. HIRSCHFELD

agricultural terraces were found beside 27 (69%) of the cells. On them the
fresh fruit and vegetables that enriched the diet of the monks were grown.
An interesting feature is the distance between the cells. Although the
distance ranges from zero (the two adjacent cells 4 and 5) to 160 m (the
distance between cells 37 and 38), these are exceptional cases. The aver-
age distance between the cells is 35 m. This distance is characteristic of
the lauras of the Judean Desert, and seems to have been an accepted norm.50

‘Ein en-Natuf

‘Ein en-Natuf flows from a cleft in a rock cliff 20 m high (Photo 33). On a
natural rock terrace below the spring were found two small pools and the
remains of agricultural terraces (Fig. 22). The pools are hewn from the rock
and connected by channels (Photo 34). One pool is square (0.6 × 0.65 m)
and the second is rectangular (0.6 × 0.9 m). They are 0.4–0.5 m deep.

Fig. 22 Plan of the remains below ‘Ein en-Natuf.

50. Hirschfeld, Judean Desert Monasteries (above, n. 13), p. 31.

 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 345

Table I. The cells of the monastery of Chariton: shape, size and

associated remains.

No.Shape External Area Cistern Cistern Agricul- Distance Notes

measure- incl. walls below beside tural from
ments (m.) (sq. m) cell cell plot nearest
cell (m)
1 Square 5.5 × 5.5 30.2 + - - 45
2 Square 4.2 × 4.2 17.6 - + + 45
3 Oval 4 × 5.5 22 + - + 20
4 Rect. 3.2 × 10 32 + - - 0 Two adjacent cells
5 Round 7.5 (diam) 40.6 + - - 0 "
6 Rect. 2.5 × 3.2 8 + - - 8
7 Rect. 4.5 × 5 22.5 + - - 4
8 Round 3.5 (diam) 9 + - - 5
9 Rect. 4.2 × 6 25.2 + - - 6
10 Rect. 2.5 × 4 10 - - + 25
11 Oval 4.5 × 6 27 + - + 12
12 Square 2.2 × 2.5 5.5 + - + 8
13 Square 2 × 2.2 4.4 + - + 18
14 Rect. 3.2 × 4.5 14.4 + - + 15
15 Rect. 3.3 × 4 13.2 + - + 15
16 Oval 2.1 × 1.8 3.8 - - + 30 Path near cell
17 Rect. 5.2 × 6.5 33.8 + - + 15 Monastery garden
18 Oval 4.1 × 8.5 34.8 + - + 70 "
19 Round 4 (diam) 12.5 - - + 5 "
20 Square 4 × 4.3 17.5 + - + 20 "
21 Rect. 3 × 4.5 13.5 + - + 40 “Hanging Cell”
22 Square 4 × 4.5 18 + - + 25 Monastery garden
23 Oval 3.3 × 3.5 11.5 + - + 20 "
24 Square 3 × 3.2 9.6 + - + 25 "
25 Square 3 × 3.5 10.5 + - - 20 Built against boulder
26 Square 3.2 × 3.5 11.2 + - - 15 "
27 Round 1.5 (diam) 1.7 + - - 10 Small, perhaps cistern?
28 Rect. 4.9 × 5.9 28.9 + - + 170 S. of laura
29 Rect. 4.5 × 6.5 29.2 + - + 80 "
30 ? ? ? - + - 30 Poorly preserved
31 Rect. 5.5 × 6.7 36.8 + - + 40 “Double cell”
32 Oval 4.5 × 5 22.5 + - + 4 "
33 Trapezoid 5 × 5.5 27.5 + + + 40
34 Rect. 3.7 × 6.2 22.9 + - + 60
35 Rect. 3.6 × 3.2 22.3 + - + 80
36 Oval 4.1 × 5 20.5 + - + 100 Near spring
37 Rect. 3.3 × 7.8 25.7 + - + 40
38 ? ? ? - - - 60 Poorly preserved
39 Rect. 6.1 × 10.2 62.2 + - + 160 Southernmost cell
346 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Table II. The pottery from the “Hanging Cave”.

No. Location Vessel Fabric Period

1 Below plaster floor

of lower level Storage jar Coarse, gray core Iron Age II

2 Below plaster floor

of lower level Storage jar Coarse, gray core Iron Age II

3 Below plaster floor Delicate, well levigated,

of lower level Small bowl “Fine Byzantine Ware” Byzantine

4 Above plaster floor

of lower level Holemouth jar Coarse Iron Age II

5 Above plaster floor

of lower level Bowl Coarse, red decoration Mamluk

6 Above plaster floor Delicate, “Fine

of lower level Jug Byzantine Ware” Byzantine

7 Above plaster floor

of lower level “Gaza jar” Coarse Byzantine

8 Above plaster floor Delicate, “Fine

of lower level Jug Byzantine Ware” Byzantine

9 Above plaster floor

of lower level Jug Delicate, black slip Byzantine

10 Above plaster floor

of lower level Bowl Green glaze Abbasid

11 Above plaster floor

of lower level Bowl Wavy decoration Byzantine

12 Above plaster floor

of lower level Krater Coarse, yellowish Early Arab

13 Above plaster floor

of lower level Bowl Combed decoration Early Arab

14 Upper level Delicate, “Fine

Bowl Byzantine Ware” Byzantine

15 Upper level Cooking pot Reddish Byzantine

 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 347

Fig. 23 The pottery from the “Hanging Cave”.

348 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Close to the pools is a large agricultural terrace, some 8 m wide and 20

m long, i.e. an area of 160 sq. m. Two sections of the terrace wall are pre-
served. The western section, 7 m long, is built of exceptionally large stones;
some of them reach a length of 1.3 m. The second section of wall, 11 m
long, is built of medium-sized and small stones, like the terraces of the
nearby monastery. The difference in construction between the two sections
points to the possibility that they were built in different periods. Though
there are no archaeological data for the dating of the pools below the spring
and the terrace beside them, it seems likely that the terrace was part of the
monastery’s garden in the Byzantine period.

The “Hanging Cave”

The site known as the “Hanging Cave” of Chariton is located some 300 m
southeast of ‘Ein en-Natuf. Two paths lead to it, one from the core of the
laura along a natural rock terrace and the other from the direction of Tekoa
via a small ravine known as Wadi Sha‘ab el-‘Ein (“the Gorge of the
Spring”). The latter bypasses the cliff to the south of the cave to provide
fairly convenient access.
The cave has two levels, containing niches, hewings in the rock and
cisterns, with an alcove above them. On the natural rock platform outside
the cave is an agricultural terrace with two pools beside it (Photo 35). The
identification of the cave as the place where Chariton secluded himself at
the end of his life was based on two factors: 1) the discovery of crosses
and monograms of the Byzantine period in the alcove located above the
upper level and 2) the fact that access to the upper level and the alcove is
possible only by using a ladder, exactly as described in the Life of
Chariton.51
The excavation carried out in April 1989 concentrated on the two levels
of the cave. In the lower level (i.e. the ground floor) the plaster floor en-
abled distinction between material found on the floor and material from
below it. In the upper level the rock floor was cleared and a few finds were
made. The finds of the excavation include a selection of pottery vessels,
fragments of marble panels, roof tiles and two metal vessels.
The pottery found under the plaster floor of the lower level (Fig. 23)
dates the floor to the Byzantine period, since none of the sherds postdates
this period: two date from the Iron Age II, and all the others are of the

51. Above, n. 10.

 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 349

Fig. 24 Iron plasterer’s trowel (left) and bronze hanger (right), found in the lower
level of the cave.

Byzantine period.52 In contrast, the pottery found above the floor consisted
of mixed sherds from the Byzantine and Early Arab periods.
Three fragments of marble panels were found in the excavation. Two of
them were found above the floor of the lower level. The first is 14 mm
thick and the second 26 mm thick. The fragments, which are well smoothed
on both sides, were apparently used for facing. The third fragment, found
in the upper level, was 11 mm thick and smoothed on only one side. The
upper level also yielded fragments of roof tiles, which perhaps came from
a roof erected over an opening.
In the lower level, in addition to the pottery and the marble fragments,
two metal vessels were found. One is an iron plasterer’s trowel and the
other a small bronze hanger (Fig. 24). The plasterer’s trowel, 20 cm long
including the handle (Photo 36), was found in the bedding of the plaster
floor of the cave and was apparently used by the workmen who laid the
floor and left there for some reason. The hanger, 4 cm high, was probably
used to suspend an object. To its upturned lower end was fixed a kind of
wrapped pipe, 3 mm in diameter, into which the object to be suspended
could be inserted.
Remains outside the cave. On the natural rock platform below the
cave, the remains of an agricultural terrace and pools were found (Photo
37). The rock platform is relatively large, measuring 35 m long, 7.6 m wide
and about 2 m. high (Fig. 25). At its western end four fairly narrow steps
(0.6 m wide) were hewn in the rock, enabling ascent to the terrace. From
the steps a fairly wide passage (1.6 m wide) runs along the terrace wall to
the mouth of the cave. At a point where the passage narrows, an external

52. Rivka Birger and Anna de Vincenz assisted in the identification of the potsherds.
350 Y. HIRSCHFELD

retaining wall, 2.6 m long and 1.4 m high, was built (Photo 38). The wall
enabled the laying of a paving, whose preserved remains consist of large
stone slabs up to 0.7 m long.
The agricultural terrace on the rock platform is well preserved (Photo
39). It is 11 m long and 1–2.8 m wide. Its retaining wall is preserved to a
height of two courses (0.4 m high). Excavation of the terrace revealed
brown fertile earth, sterile of finds. The monks probably cultivated a small
orchard here.
Between the terrace and the massive wall behind it was a rock surface
18 m long and 2.5–6 m wide, an area of some 70 sq. m. In its floor were
hewn 5–6 small round cavities, whose function and date are unclear. Above
the surface is the roof of a rock shelter that supplies shade for most of the
day. The cool and shady surface is a pleasant spot to this day, and in the
Byzantine period it probably served as a waiting and resting area for visi-
tors to the cave.
At the end of the terrace, below the mouth of the cave, two well-pre-
served pools were discovered (Photo 40). The larger of the two is in the

Fig. 25 Plan of the remains on the lower level of the “Hanging Cave” and the
rock platform in front of it.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 351

Fig. 26 Plan and section of the two pools.

form of a sitting bath. Its walls, preserved to a height of 0.5 m, were built
against the rock. The external measurements of the pool are 1.2 × 2.2 m
(Fig. 26). The walls, 0.4 m thick, are well built and sealed on the inside by
the characteristic reddish hydraulic plaster of the Byzantine period. In the
base of the pool is a step 10 cm high, dividing it into two levels. In the
southeastern corner of the pool, at the point where water enters it from the
nearby cistern (below), is a small step (15 × 25 cm), whose function was
probably to protect the floor of the pool from the flow of water.
From the bath-like form of the pool and its location at the mouth of the
cave, it seems likely that it served as a baptismal pool. The existence of
baptismal pools in monasteries and holy places is attested by both literary
sources and archaeological finds.53
Excess water from the bath-like pool was apparently drained into a
small rectangular pool beside it, with external measurements of 0.7 × 1 m

53. On baptismal pools in the monasteries of the Judean Desert, see M. Ben-Pechat, “Bap-
tism and Monasticism in the Holy Land: Archaeological and Literary Evidence”, in: G. C.
Bottini, L. Di Segni and E. Alliata (eds.), Christian Archaeology in the Holy Land: New
Discoveries, Jerusalem 1990, pp. 501–522.
352 Y. HIRSCHFELD

and walls 0.25 m thick. Attached to it on the west are walls that enclose a
trough-like structure, 1.3 × 2.3 m, whose function is unclear.
The cave’s lower level. The cave consists of three levels: the lower
entrance level, the upper level and the alcove above it. The lower level
comprises a large space, 16 m long, 2–7 m wide and an average of about 4
m high (Fig. 27). The cave has two entrances facing northeast: the larger
western entrance, 3.1 m wide and 2.9 m high, served as the main entrance,
while the eastern entrance is only 1.5 m wide and difficult of access (Photo
41). Between the two entrances is a natural rock pillar, measuring 2.5 × 2.8
m in section, which is part of the outer wall of the cave.

Fig. 27 Longitudinal section of the “Hanging Cave”, looking west.

Excavation of the cave revealed a plaster floor with remains of a cistern

below it. The coarse plaster of the floor was 0.4 cm thick and was laid on a
bedding of stoneworkers’ debris, 10 cm thick (Photo 42). The cistern had a
vaulted roof (which was not preserved), strong enough to enable visitors to
walk safely on the floor above it. The plaster floor was designed to prevent
seepage of damp from the rock floor of the cave. Patches of coarse plaster
1 cm thick are preserved on the cave walls. On the surface of the plaster are
incisions in a herringbone pattern, made to improve the adhesion of the next
layer. The plastering of the floor and walls of the cave attests to its use as a
place of worship.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 353

Fig. 28 Plan and longitudinal section of the upper level, looking west.
354 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Attached to the southern wall of the cave are two cisterns with a basin
between them. Deposits of travertine on the rock above the cisterns are
evidence of a spring that fed the cisterns in the past. Signs of running wa-
ter were also discerned on the rock walls of the upper level. The two cis-
terns with the basin between them were built as a single unit. The larger
cistern is oval, measuring 2.1 × 1.4 m. The cistern wall against the rock
wall of the cave is preserved to a height of 1.8 m. The second cistern is
also oval and measures 0.9 × 1.4 m. Between the two cisterns is a round
basin, 0.6 m in interior diameter, which apparently received overflow wa-
ter from the cisterns. The open basin was probably used for drinking or for
washing.
From the basin a rock-hewn channel leads into the cistern below the
center of the cave. The cistern is kidney-shaped, measuring 2 × 5 m (inter-
nal measurements). Its lower part is hewn in the rock and its roof was
vaulted. The walls are preserved up to the springers of the vault, 2.2 m
above the cistern floor. The capacity of the cistern may be estimated as at
least 15 cu. m.
The total water storage capacity of the cisterns greatly exceeds the re-
quirements of a single hermit, a fact that supports the assumption that the
“Hanging Cave” was a focus of pilgrimage in the Byzantine period.
The cave’s upper level. Ascent from the lower to the upper level of the
cave is possible only by using a ladder. The opening between the two lev-
els is located in the center of the ceiling, 4.5 m above the floor (Photo 43).
The opening is rather small (0.5 × 1 m). Around the opening were laid sev-
eral stone beams, apparently to stabilize a wooden ladder or staircase.
The interior of the upper level of the cave is irregular in shape and quite
large, measuring 4 × 8 m (Photo 44). The ceiling height is 4–5.5 m (Fig.
28). The cave mouth is 4.5 m wide and 1.8 m. high, and supplies abundant
light to the interior. The mouth is divided into two by a natural rock pillar
(0.6 × 0.8 m in section).
The walls of the cave bear signs of hewing and remains of sooty plas-
ter. In the northwestern wall of the cave is a semicircular apse-like niche.
The niche, 1.4 m in diameter, faces northeast and thus was probably the
apse of a chapel. On each side of the niche are 2–3 rock-hewn steps, 1.5–2
m long, forming a passage 2.5–3 m wide.
In the northwestern wall of the cave is a large rock-hewn niche, about 0.6
m above the floor (Photo 45). The niche, which has a flat base and a half-
domed roof, is shallow (only 0.25 m deep), 0.95 m high and 0.5 m wide.
Around its opening is a carved recess 4 cm wide, perhaps intended to hold a
wooden door. Inside the niche are two horizontal grooves, 0.25 m apart, into
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 355

which wooden shelves were probably inserted. From its location it seems
likely that sacred items connected with the services conducted in the cave
were stored in this niche.
A larger niche, whose base is flush with the floor, is located some 2 m to
the east (Photo 46). The niche is 0.25 m deep, 0.7 m wide and 1.7 m high. In
the base are carved two round hollows, each 13 cm in diameter, symmetri-
cally spaced. The niche is positioned under the opening in the cave wall that
leads to the upper alcove. This location may not be coincidental: the niche
may be a memorial niche connected with the biography of Chariton.
In the floor beside the niche a long trough-shaped cavity was hollowed
out of the rock (Photo 47). It is 1.8 m long, 0.6 m wide and 0.3 m deep. At
the western end of the cavity the hewers left a small ledge, a kind of pil-
low, 0.2 m high. From the size and shape of the cavity one may speculate
that this was a tomb. If this is the case, a person of significance in the his-
tory of the site was interred here.
Close to the southern wall of the cave a cistern, channels and several
niches were found (Photo 48). The cistern is oval, measuring 0.5 × 1.3
and some 2 m deep. Above the cistern the hewers left a kind of rock
bridge, 0.25 m wide, to which the rope of a bucket was perhaps tied. In
the rock above the cistern traces of travertine can be discerned, evidence
of running water in the past. From the cistern a rock-hewn channel runs
along a rock shelf that borders the chapel on the south. The channel, 4.5
m long, drained overflow water from the cistern through the opening in
the floor of the cave into the cisterns of the lower level. Beside the chan-
nel is a round niche, 0.35 m in diameter, in which a jar of drinking water
perhaps stood. In the wall of the cave are additional niches and small
shelves, presumably for lighting devices (oil
lamps). Many patches of plaster are preserved
on the rock, heavily blackened with soot. Ex-
amination of the plaster showed that it is of
good quality, painted white and applied in
two layers each 1–2 cm thick. On the plaster
one may discern very faint traces of painted
geometric designs.
The opening to the upper alcove is located
in the northern corner of the cave, some 3 m
above the floor. Here too a ladder is neces-
sary to reach the opening. The opening is
Fig. 29 Elevation of the
opening leading to the al- rather small (0.4 × 0.5 m), making passage
cove. through it difficult (Fig. 29). The inner side
356 Y. HIRSCHFELD

of the opening is wider, measur-

ing 0.6 × 0.9 m. In the jambs are
cavities for a bolt, and in the
threshold and the jambs are cavi-
ties for hinges. From this we may
assume that the opening was
blocked by a wooden shutter to
keep out pests and unwelcome
visitors. The other openings in
both levels of the cave were
probably blocked in a similar
manner. The shutters perhaps
consisted of wooden lattices,
which have not survived; such
lattices are shown in our pro-
posed reconstruction of the site in
the Byzantine period (Fig. 30).
The complex of remains in the
upper level — the chapel, wall
niches and water systems —
Fig. 30 Pro-
posed recon-
struction of
the “Hanging
Cave” in the
Byzantine pe-
riod (draw-
ing: Leen Rit-
meyer).

Fig. 31a
Plan of the
alcove, look-
ing east.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 357

shown that the main activity of the site took place here. Visitors probably
ascended to this level to take part in religious rites that were almost cer-
tainly connected with the figure and memory of St. Chariton.
The alcove. Some 5 m from the opening of the upper level and 3 m
above it is the alcove in which Chariton presumably secluded himself
(Photo 49). The alcove is hewn from the rock at a terrifying height of
about 15 m above the ground. To reach it from the outside one must hug
the face of the vertical cliff. Access to the alcove is possible only because
of the natural rock ledge, some 0.7 m wide, along which runs a channel
that drained runoff water from the cliff into the water system of the cave
(Fig. 31a-b). The channel, 3.5 m long, provides footholds that enable one
to climb relatively safely into the alcove above it. Beside the ledge, be-

Fig. 31b Later-

al section of the
alcove, looking
east.
358 Y. HIRSCHFELD

tween the cave mouth and the alcove,

is a rock-hewn niche with a cross
above it (Photo 50). The rectangular
niche measures 0.4 × 0.7 m and is 12
cm deep. Around its opening is a re-
cess that perhaps held an icon. The
cross above it is very simple, with a
vertical arm 20 cm long and a horizon-
tal arm 10 cm long. The cross and the
possible icon niche below it are indi-
cations of the sacred character of the
place.
Below the rock ledge, opposite the
niche and the cross above it, a tether-
ing hole is carved in the rock (Photo Fig. 32 Elevation (partly recon-
structed) of the opening of the al-
51). The hole, 4 cm in diameter, was cove.
used to anchor a rope that reached the
foot of the cliff. Was the rope used to raise various supplies, or was it
used from the beginning to climb to the alcove? It is possible that during
Chariton’s lifetime the rope was already used for climbing. It is related
that when Sabas came to Nahal Kidron, before the building of the mon-
astery that bore his name, he took up residence in a cave. According to
Cyril, “he [Sabas] hung a rope at the mouth of the cave when ascending
or descending because of the difficulty of the ascent”.54 It is conceivable
that Chariton did the same when he took up residence in the “Hanging
Cave”. Only later, after the installation of ladders inside the cave and the
opening of the passages, was it possible to reach the alcove in a more
convenient fashion.
The alcove is about 2 m above the rock step mentioned above. To im-
prove the ease of access, three steps were hewn in the rock. They are not
identical in shape: two are 0.6 m wide, while the third is only 0.35 m
wide. The steps average 0.3 m high and 0.25 m deep. To the west of the
steps is an elliptical cistern, 1.7 m long, 1.1 m wide, and 1.5 m deep to
the top of the silt that it contains today. The cistern ensured a supply of
water to the hermit who lived in the alcove.
The hermit’s alcove, which is mostly hewn from the rock, is well pre-
served (Photo 52). It is bell-shaped, measuring 2.1 m long, 1.2 m wide

54. Life of Sabas 15, ed. Schwartz, p. 98. I personally would be reluctant to dangle from a
rope tied to a hole in the rock high in the cliff.
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 359

and a maximum of 1.9

m high. Of the en-
trance, which faces
west, the threshold,
the interior jamb and
part of the lintel are
preserved (Photo 53).
These preserved re-
mains enable the re-
construction of the
dimensions of the en-
trance: 0.6 × 1 m (Fig.
32). Around the en-
trance is hewn a re-
cess that probably
held a wooden door.
In the threshold and
Fig. 33 Proposed reconstruction of the alcove in the
the lintel are two cavi- Byzantine period (drawing: Erez Cohen).
ties, one opposite the
other, for the hinges of the door.
An additional cavity for a bolt is
hewn in the jamb. These data on
the entrance support the assump-
tion that there was a masonry wall
in the facade of the alcove. This
is the only way to reconstruct the
rest of the frame of the entrance
in a way that would enable the fit-
ting of a door. The blocking of the
alcove with a wall would have
given the hermit who occupied it
protection from climatic extremes
and stormy weather, especially in
the winter, as shown in the pro-
posed reconstruction of the alcove
(Fig. 33).
The interior of the alcove was
carefully finished. Patches of
yellowish plaster are preserved
on the floor and the rock walls. Fig. 34 The crosses and monograms.
360 Y. HIRSCHFELD

Near the wall, a round hollow 0.4 m in diameter is hewn in the floor;
its function was probably to drain water that penetrated, perhaps during
rain, into the alcove. A small bench, 0.4 m deep and 18 cm high, runs
across the full width of the eastern end (1.2 m). It was probably used
by the alcove’s occupant for seating or perhaps even sleeping. It is re-
lated that Euthymius used to sleep sitting up, holding with both hands
a rope that was suspended in a corner of his cell.55 Above the bench, at
a height of 1.06 m, is a small niche (8 × 12 cm) which presumably
held a lamp. This is attested by the signs of soot that remain on the
plaster above the niche. Above this niche is another, larger one, mea-
suring 15 × 16 cm and 11 cm deep. This perhaps held a wooden beam,
since in the opposite western wall is a niche at the same height and of
identical dimensions. A beam of this kind could have served as a shelf
on which various items could be placed, or from which they could be
suspended.
On the eastern wall of the alcove, 1.5 m above the floor, three painted
crosses with Greek monograms were found (Photo 54). They are painted
in black, red and yellow. The eastern cross is the largest of the three
(Fig. 34). It is painted in bright red; its vertical arm measures 18.5 cm
and its horizontal arm 16 cm. At the ends of the arms are Greek letters
representing the well-known formula ’Ι(ησου)ς Χ(ριστο)ς Υ(ιο)ς
Θ(εο)υ (“Jesus Christ Son of God”). The second cross is painted in
black and yellowish-ochre; its vertical arm is 20 cm long and its hori-
zontal arm 17 cm. The third cross, in the southern part of the alcove, is
blurred. Under the crosses a second monogram painted in bright red is
preserved (Photo 55). The monogram consists of two letters: the upper
one seems to be an omega, and the lower one may be a stylized alpha.
In this case, we have an example of the Christian formula based on
Revelation 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,
the beginning and the end”. This monogram in association with a cross
is extremely common in Christian inscriptions, for example in the mon-
astery of Theoctistus.56

55. Life of Euthymius 21, ed. Schwartz, p. 34.

56. Y. Patrich and L. Di Segni, “New Greek Inscriptions from Theoctistus Monastery in
the Judean Desert”, Eretz-Israel 19 (1987), p. 274 (Hebrew).
 THE MONASTERY OF CHARITON 361

Summary

The presence of the crosses and monograms confirms the identification

of the alcove as the place where Chariton spent his last years. The choice
of the alcove high in the cliff is suggestive of the extremely ascetic tra-
dition of Syrian monasticism. Chariton’s residence in the alcove, sus-
pended between heaven and earth, is reminiscent of famous Syrian
monks, such as Simon Stylites, who lived on top of columns in the fifth
century. The Life of Cyriac records that the monks of the Old Laura
preserved the cave and the alcove above it and turned it into a holy
place. The alcove in which Chariton secluded himself was entrusted to
Cyriac when he too was recognized as a holy man. Cyril of Scythopolis
himself was among the many visitors who reached the place during the
Byzantine period and were able to pray in the rock-hewn chapel, im-
merse themselves in the pool at the entrance and rest on the shady rock
surface beside it. The immersion pool was perhaps also used for the
baptism of infants from the vicinity.
The “Hanging Cave” was an integral part of the monastery of
Chariton, which was one of the largest and most important lauras of the
Judean Desert. The remains of the monastery are characteristic of a laura.
They consist of two elements: the core, including a church and various
communal buildings, and cells scattered over a wide area. An extensive
system of paths connecting the different elements creates a coherent
monastic complex.
The building of the monastery on a steep slope is typical of the lauras
of the Judean Desert. The choice of a wild and inaccessible location in
the desert provided the tranquillity and solitude that the monks sought.
The cisterns and other water storage installations ensured an ample sup-
ply of water. The terrace and agricultural plots turned the monastery into
a man-made oasis. Terraces were found beside most of the cells, at ‘Ein
en-Natuf and at the entrance of the “Hanging Cave”. Like hard-working
peasants, the monks tilled the soil and tended orchards, despite the harsh
conditions in the desert. The structures of the core and the cells, sur-
rounded by greenery, probably looked like a typical Mediterranean vil-
lage in the wilderness.
This picture of the monastery in the Byzantine period changed dur-
ing the Early Arab period. In the later phases of the existence of the
monastery, apparently from the eighth century and onwards, the monks
abandoned the cells and moved into the structures of the core. Because
of the deterioration in security, the core was surrounded by a defensive
362 Y. HIRSCHFELD

wall and towers. During this period and up to the end of the twelfth
century, the monastery of Chariton probably looked like the monastery
of Mar Saba today, a fortified complex clinging to the steep cliff of the
ravine.

Yizhar Hirschfeld
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem