Dozens of soldiers who take part in the “Nature Defense Army – Commanders Take Responsibility for their Environment” educational project, led by the Antiquities Authority, rediscovered during the past month a 1,500-year-old women’s monastery near Shoham. This is after a small part of the site, which is inside a fire area, was accidentally damaged by the IDF.
After it was covered and hidden: soldiers uncovered a historical find that is about 1,500 years old
The monastery building was excavated about 20 years ago by Dr. Uzi Dehri and Dr. Yehiel Zelinger from the Antiquities Authority, and since then it was covered for its preservation and could not be seen. Recently, following the excavation operation, a renewed look at it was possible.
“During a previous excavation at the monastery, two buildings were uncovered, one of which is a church paved with colorful mosaics showing scenes from flora and fauna,” said Issy Kornfeld, an archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority. “An underground burial system, the main rooms of the monastery, seclusion rooms for nuns, an entrance hall at the front of the church, an entrance room and a tower with living rooms were also found. A second building was also uncovered with a kitchen, a hostel for pilgrims and a dining room.”
Evidence from the excavation points to the fact that a tradition of female sanctity was preserved in the place. Dr. Eitan Klein from the Antiquities Authority raised the possibility that this is the grave marker of Hanna – one of the prophetesses mentioned in the book of Samuel, who symbolized religious piety and fertility. According to the sources, Hanna was a barren woman who gave birth to her son Shmuel, after making a vow to give her son to the priesthood upon his birth.
In the previous excavation of the Antiquities Authority, headed by Eli Escozido, several skeletons of women were discovered at the site, who apparently wanted to be buried next to this holy figure. Kornfeld noted: “The hypothesis is that, as was customary in antiquity, the ancient church preserves an even more ancient tradition and was established here following the burial of Hannah.”
The director of the project Guy Slai said: “The excavation in Hani ruins is an example of commanders taking responsibility for their environment – carrying out a valuable and joint action of archaeologists, commanders and soldiers who will be the citizens of tomorrow to restore an ancient site, which allows us to be exposed and connect to the heritage of the land of all of us.”