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A Sixth-Century Church at Ras el-Hilal in Cyrenaica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2013

R. M. Harrison
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Extract

In recent years the investigation of Cyrenaica's Byzantine remains has proceeded apace. At the end of 1960 nine churches had been excavated, seven on city-sites, two in small towns; many others had been recognised, mainly in the surrounding countryside. A spectacular discovery has been a large palace at Apollonia, almost certainly that of the provincial governor during the last century and a half of Byzantine rule. Miss J. M. Reynolds has collected Cyrenaica's Christian inscriptions, and a comprehensive publication of the churches and their mosaics is being prepared by J. B. Ward-Perkins, R. G. Goodchild and E. Rosenbaum.

The excavation of the present church, conducted in 1961 by the Cyrenaican Department of Antiquities under the direction of the writer, was planned with specific reference to this forthcoming study. The selection of the site was determined on two grounds. First, the church is an isolated building surrounded by a talus, in these respects similar to a widespread type in Cyrenaica, no example of which had been examined in detail. Second, a single limestone block decorated in shallow relief lay near the church (pl. VII, c); it was hoped that more carving might be recovered, offsetting to some extent the hitherto uniform picture (derived from the richer, urban churches) of imported marble fittings.

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Papers of the British School at Rome , Volume 32 , Issue 1 , November 1964 , pp. 1 - 15
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Copyright © British School at Rome 1964

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References

1 Two at Cyrene, three at Apollonia, one at Ptolemais (for these briefly, see Ward-Perkins, J. B., Riv. Arch Crist. xxxiv (1958), pp. 188 ff.Google Scholar; Widrig, W. M. and Goodchild, R. G., PBSR. xxviii (1960), pp. 70 ff.Google Scholar; H. Sichtermann, Arch. Anz. 1959, 296–297, 314–315, pls. 39, 43–54, 76–82), and one (unpublished) at Teuchira.

2 Gasr el-Lebia: R. G. Goodchild, ILN, 14 December, 1957; J. B. Ward-Perkins, loc. cit.; H. Sichtermann, Arch. Anz. 1959, 342 ff., pls. 107–111. Erythrum: W. M. Widrig, Arch. Anz. 1962, 433–434.

3 E.g. at Limnias (Lamluda) and Mtaugat; see Goodchild, R. G., ‘Mapping Roman Libya,’ Geographical Journal cxviii (1952), p. 150Google Scholar.

4 Goodchild, R. G., ‘A Byzantine Palace at Apollonia (Cyrenaica),’ Antiquity xxxiv (1960), pp. 246 ff.CrossRefGoogle Scholar; cf. also Arch. Anz. 1962, 431 ff. and pl. 2 (an amplified plan).

5 Journal of Theological Studies xi (1960), pp. 284–294CrossRefGoogle Scholar; add now PBSR xxx (1962), pp. 41 ff.Google Scholar, and Quaderni di Archaeologia della Libia iv (Rome, 1961). pp. 48–51Google Scholar.

6 The church had been identified by Mr. Good child, who pointed out the site to me in August 1960. Excavation was begun in March 1961 and lasted five months. Mr. Abdulhamid Abdussaid and Mr. Ali Lakwani, officials of the Department, were in charge of much of the detailed work, the former drawing the plan. The photographs were taken by my wife. A brief preliminary report appeared in Arch. Anz. 1962, 436–437, pls. 8–10.

7 One of the churches (Mtaugat) is illustrated in Goodchild, loc. cit. (note 3, above), pl. facing p. 149.

8 See below, III (v).

9 Goodchild commented on the ‘remarkable lack of decorative elements’ in the country churches, in Actes du Ve Congrès International d'Archéologie Chrétienne (Rome and Paris, 1957), p. 162Google Scholar.

10 Ed. Müller: Scylax 108; Ptolemy IV, 4; Stadiasmus 51. Add Pomponius Mela (ed. Frick) I, 39, mentioning Naustathmos promontorium. F. W., and Beechey, H. W., Proceedings of the Expedition to explore the Northern Coast of Africa (London, 1828), p. 479Google Scholar, record ‘two ancient forts’ on this promontory, one presumably this church, the other a small ruin lying less than 1 km. to the north.

11 Cited by Ferri, S., I testi geografici antichi relativi alla Cirenaica (Benghazi, 1924)Google Scholar. This and the following reference I owe to Mr. Goodchild.

12 Bacchisio Motzo, R., ‘Il Compasso da Navigare,’ Annali della Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia della Università di Cagliari viii (Cagliari, 1947), p. 66Google Scholar. The medieval name might possibly suggest that the Ras el-Hilal church had been dedicated to St. Andrew.; cf. Appendix I, c, 1, a (11. 4–5) and b, Below: suppliant or Saint?

13 Heights of semi-dome courses: (i) 0·51, (ii) 0·51, (iii) 0·56, (iv) 0·47, (v) 0·35, (vi) 0·31 m.; the curvature of (vi) implies one more course.

14 See below, III (ii): this had surmounted one of the columns (diam. 0·37–0·45 m.) flanking the apse (see following paragraph); total height of column and capital c. 3·0 m.

15 These fragments were found in such quantity as to leave no doubt that the shell had entirely filled the semi-dome. It is assumed that the flute radiated upwards, following the practice of the eastern provinces, and some confirmation is afforded by the two main mosaic panels from the nave (pls. IX, X). Dimensions along top edge of illustrated fragment of shell: width of channel 0·18, width of rib 0·06, depth of channel 0·04, maximum total thickness 0·07 m. Traces of yellowish-red paint were observed.

16 H. 0·14·0·18, maximum projection 0·075 m.

17 H. 0·37, top width c. 0·50, maximum projection 0·09 m.

18 See below, p. 11.

19 Both layers continue round the apse's northern springing; the first antedates the chancel-column, the second (with traces of green paint) postdates it.

20 See below, III (i).

21 The altar-platform is in fact the re-used doorslab of a Greek tomb, of a type familiar at Cyrene.

22 See below, III (iii). A similar triple-step was found upturned in the south-eastern part of the chancel of Apollonia's West Church, but its excavators argue that it originally stood in the nave: W. M. Widrig and R. G. Goodchild, loc. cit. (note 1, above), p. 78, pls. xxvii, a, and xxxii, b.

23 See below, p. 11.

24 See below, IV.

25 This layer of plaster postdated the reinforcement-walls and was found only upon the surviving areas of mosaic; presumably it once covered the whole nave, while the mosaic was still virtually intact.

26 See below, p. 11.

27 Thickness 0·10–0·5, av. length 0·30 m.

28 Northern steps: 1·21 wide, 0·35 deep, risers 0·24 m. Southern steps: 1·35 wide, av. 0·30 deep, risers 0·25 m. Although a thin layer of plaster passes beneath the stair-platforms, the main thickness of the floor is laid up against them; the staircases were certainly part of the original plan.

29 The basin stands 0·45 m. above the floor and is a late feature; most of the layers making up the plaster floor pass beneath it. Even later was a rough cross-wall sealing off this part of the south aisle, and another late wall was built across the north aisle; both are shown in the excavation-plan.

30 The western grave was cut into the floor 0·15 m. deep, lined and built up with small stones, and closed by two long slabs; the eastern was cut into the floor c. 0·25 m. deep and plaster-lined. Both had been opened in antiquity.

31 This area was not excavated. The passage may indeed follow the curve of the apse.

32 The threshold of the east entrance is 0·25 m. above the floor of the vestibule and 0·70 m. above the courtyard (there would thus have been two steps outside the door); the nave-mosaic lies 0·20 m. higher than the floor of the vestibule.

33 The absence of tiles precludes a tiled roof, As for the timbers, these were doubtless salvaged at an early date either for building or for firewood, although, had they been left, traces would scarcely have survived the harsh alternation of wet and dry seasons.

33a The Polis Nea Theodorias panel at Gasrel-Lebia (cf. note 2, above) probably depicts, not a conventional city-gate as has been suggested, but the facade of a church of this type: the doorway (flanked by towers) is shown screened by a curtain (for curtains at Ras el-Hilal cf. p. 7 above); the trees are merely space-fillers, as elsewhere on this pavement.

34 Cf. Wroth, W., Catalogue of the Imperial Byzantine Coins in the British Museum (London, 1908), i, p. 108Google Scholar, no. 21, pl. XIV, 5.

35 Cf. ibid., p. 136, no. 96.

36 Cf. ibid., p. 208, no. 188, pl. XXIV, 10. The specimen is clipped and worn, and the date is illegible.

37 Æ, diam. 0·029 m., wt. 7·34 grams. Obv., S. MARC. VEN., frontal bust of Lion of Mark, St.: in ex., IIGoogle Scholar. Rev., ·DALMA∣E·T∣ALBAN·.

38 For this ware see Winlock, H. E. and Crum, W. E., The Monastery of Epiphanius at Thebes i (New York, 1926), pp. 84–87, fig. 37Google Scholar, pls. XXXI–II. (It is there termed ‘Imitation Samian.’)

39 Antioch-on-the-Orontes iv, 1 (Princeton, 1948), p. 47, pl. VIIGoogle Scholar.

40 Ward-Perkins, J. B. and Goodchild, R. G., ‘The Christian Antiquities of Tripolitania,’ Archaeologia xcv (1953), pp. 44–47Google Scholar, pls. XVII–XIX. For relevant chancel-screens at Barce, see Ward-Perkins, J. B., “Christian Antiquities of the Cyrenaican Pentapolis,’. Bulletin de la Société d'Archéologic Copte ix (1943), Pls. VII, VIIIGoogle Scholar.

41 The inscriptions are discussed below, Appendix 1.

42 W. M. Widrig and R. G. Goodchild, loc. cit. (note 1, above), pl. XXXII, e.

43 Cf. R. G. Goodchild, ILN, 14 December 1957 (Gasr el-Lebia); H. Sichtermann, Arch. Anz. 1959, pls. 45–52 (Cyrene ‘Cathedral’); J. B. Ward Perkins, loc. cit. (note 1, above).

44 [I should like to record my sincere thanks to Miss Reynolds for her work on these inscriptions. R.M.H.]