Jāmiʿ al-Sittīn—An Early Islamic Mosque near Tel Shiloh

Abstract

The article deals with the history of Jāmiʿh al-Sittīn, an Early Islamic building located south of Tel Shiloh. Based on an analysis of archaeological finds, architectural comparanda and Medieval travelers’ literature, we conclude that in the Early Islamic period, probably by the time of the Abbasid dynasty, a mosque was erected here; somewhat later in the same period, sloping walls were added in order to reinforce the building, possibly to adjust for the dome that was affixed to the roof. In the Mamluk period a vaulted room and courtyard were appended, and the building continued to be in use during the Ottoman period. We identify this building with the ‘Mosque of the Sak na’ (or ‘Dome of the Sak na’, ‘Domus Dei’) which is known from written sources.

Keywords:

• Islamic archaeology
• Shiloh
• Medieval holy places
• Medieval travelers’ itineraries

Notes

1 In the Palestine Exploration Fund map, the place is also known by the name Jāmiʿ al-Arba>in (written there Jâmià el Arbà>in) while in a 1929 Danish publication of the excavation of the site it is written as Ĝāmiʿ as-Sittīn. The writing that has been chosen in this publication is Jāmiʿ al-Sittīn, following the ALA-LC (American Library of Congress) romanization system.

2 A full review of the archaeological finds in Shiloh at the end of the Byzantine period and in the Early Islamic period will be published in a forthcoming article by Reut Livyatan Ben-Arie.

3 Shiloh has also been identified as Rama/Ramathaim (Na’aman 2019).

4 The site is known as Sailun in Medieval sources and continues to be used by the local population until modern times.

5 ةَّبقُ )Arabic) הפיכ (Hebrew). The dome can also represent the Tabernacle because in Arabic the Tabernacle is called qubbat al-zaman )نامزلا ةبق) (Cardahi 1891: 546-547), a literal translation of the Hebrew term ohel moʿed.

6 “From this city you go to Shiloh that is called Sailun. There are the graves of Eli the high priest and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas and it is a very fine sepulcher where the Jews and the Muslims always light candles” (Horovitz 1919: 102).

7 Yeivin never published the vessels; they were examined by one of us (Peretz Reuvan) and dated to the Ottoman period.

8 Permit number: 14-3-2014. The full excavation report will be published by the Staff Officer for Archaeology – Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria. We wish to thank Hananya Hizmi, the Staff Officer for Archaeology, for allowing us to publish the finds.

9 This column is not mentioned in their report, but its photograph can be found in the Mandatory Archive in the possession of the Israel Antiquities Authority.