DOI issue:
Lebanon
DOI article:Waliszewski, Tomasz; Kowalski, Sławomir P.: Shhim-Jiyeh: excavations 1996
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41241#0157
Early Islamic period. Thus, it seems likely that the church was
abandoned sometime toward the end of the 7th or the first half of
the 8th century.
SHHIM - VILLAGE E AND OIL-PRESS E.l
Ruins of a village with walls preserved up to 1.50 - 2.00 m
extend over the area north of the temple and temenos. It was
possible to identify groups of rooms constituting houses and
a number of oil-presses. A narrow passage (1.20 m wide) leads
from the temenos to oil-press complex E.l. This almost square
structure (10.00 x 10.20 m) which was already cleared by
H. Kalayan and R. Tarazi, needed further excavation. The open
courtyard in the middle is surrounded by the installations of an oil-
press. In front of the entrance, just beside the western wall,
a crushing basin (diam. 1.70 m) was found. Two oil-presses were
situated along the northern and southern wall. The northern press
was of the lever-and-screw type and consisted of a pressing area,
collecting vat inserted into the floor and cylindrical-screw weight
which operated the beam (Phot. 4). The southern oil-press was
similar except for the three stone weights which took the place of
the screw weight. Remains of pillars suggest that the working
zone, i.e. oil-presses and crushing basin, had a roof over it, leaving
the courtyard open. A vaulted room in excellent condition was
found under the courtyard.
There is no need to recall the importance of oil in the
economy of Byzantine Syro-Palestine. The oil-presses from Shhim
share features with similar installations in the immediate vicinity,
e.g. those at Khan Khalde.
Pottery finds from the area of the oil-presses and village
range from imported Cypriot, Phocaean and North African Late
Roman Wares to the gray amphorae from Beisan, indicating that
the village flourished in the 6th century.
155
abandoned sometime toward the end of the 7th or the first half of
the 8th century.
SHHIM - VILLAGE E AND OIL-PRESS E.l
Ruins of a village with walls preserved up to 1.50 - 2.00 m
extend over the area north of the temple and temenos. It was
possible to identify groups of rooms constituting houses and
a number of oil-presses. A narrow passage (1.20 m wide) leads
from the temenos to oil-press complex E.l. This almost square
structure (10.00 x 10.20 m) which was already cleared by
H. Kalayan and R. Tarazi, needed further excavation. The open
courtyard in the middle is surrounded by the installations of an oil-
press. In front of the entrance, just beside the western wall,
a crushing basin (diam. 1.70 m) was found. Two oil-presses were
situated along the northern and southern wall. The northern press
was of the lever-and-screw type and consisted of a pressing area,
collecting vat inserted into the floor and cylindrical-screw weight
which operated the beam (Phot. 4). The southern oil-press was
similar except for the three stone weights which took the place of
the screw weight. Remains of pillars suggest that the working
zone, i.e. oil-presses and crushing basin, had a roof over it, leaving
the courtyard open. A vaulted room in excellent condition was
found under the courtyard.
There is no need to recall the importance of oil in the
economy of Byzantine Syro-Palestine. The oil-presses from Shhim
share features with similar installations in the immediate vicinity,
e.g. those at Khan Khalde.
Pottery finds from the area of the oil-presses and village
range from imported Cypriot, Phocaean and North African Late
Roman Wares to the gray amphorae from Beisan, indicating that
the village flourished in the 6th century.
155