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‘Atiqot 84 (2016)
ISBN 2948-040X
The Church of Bishop Johannes at Horbat Barqa, Gan Yavne
(with a contribution by Leah Di Segni)
(Hebrew, pp. 79*–88*; English summary, p. 128)
Ofer Sion
Keywords: southern coastal plain, Christianity, epigraphy, Greek inscription, mosaic, chancel screen, glass, numismatics, pottery
A Byzantine church was uncovered at the site. It was divided by two rows of pillars into a nave and two narrow aisles, and was entered from an atrium in the west via three openings. The nave was paved with a colored mosaic, of which nine rows were uncovered. The central vertical row contained a Greek dedicatory inscription, which dates the erection of the church to the time of Bishop Johannes in 511/12 CE. Fragments of liturgical furniture were found scattered in the nave, together with pottery fragments and roof tiles. This church is an important contribution to our understanding of the distribution of churches in the southern coastal plain.