The Judean Desert Monasteries in the Byzantine Period (review)

Archeological excavations in Egypt during the past generation have added immensely to our knowledge and understanding of the early monastic world there. Yet until now there has been no thorough evaluation of the archeological evidence for early Judean desert monasticism. Hirschfeld's book admirably fills this gap, providing us with the most complete picture to date of Judean desert monasticism in the Byzantine period. The author's unparalleled first-hand familiarity with the archaeological evidence, the thoroughness with which he describes and analyzes it, and the sheer wealth of information he makes available (130 drawings and photographs and 14 maps and tables complement the text) mark this as a work of major significance.

In the introduction, Hirschfeld outlines the main literary sources for the study of Judean monasticism, describes the physical environment (noting such pertinent matters as the small size of the Judean desert, the relatively large number of water sources, and the concentration of monasteries in two main areas—the desert plateau and the Jericho plain), and gives a helpful historical sketch of the emergence and growth of monasticism in Judea (especially its expansion in the fifth century under the leadership of Euthymius the Great, Gerasimus, Sabas and Theodosius). Chapter 1 comprises an examination of the four main types of monasteries found in the Judean desert, the Laura (a community of monks who live in separate cells, spending most of the week in solitude), the Coenobium (where monks live a communal life with a daily routine of communal prayer, work and meals), the Fortress monastery (monasteries built in ruined fortresses erected during the Hasmonean and Roman periods) and monasteries built next to memorial churches (coenobia, generally intended to serve the needs of pilgrims coming to holy places from all over the Byzantine empire).

Chapter 2 focuses attention on how the monasteries were built. Hirschfeld notes that while some small monasteries, like that of Castellion, were built quickly (sometimes in a matter of months), larger coenobia such as the monastery of Euthymius took considerably longer to construct, up to three years. Nor was it uncommon for monasteries to be built in stages, with different "wings" being added over the years. The archaeological evidence suggests (in a way the literary sources do not) that considerable planning went into the building of these monasteries; often there was a master plan with a carefully conceived layout and provisions for such matters as water drainage and storage—critical to the long-term survival of the monastery. Hirschfeld also notes the range of construction techniques that were employed in building the monasteries. Although the monks generally favored small, modest buildings and often used simple, crude techniques, the dimensions and the high quality of construction of some of the monasteries shows that occasionally professional builders were employed. Aesthetic considerations also figured into the building of the monasteries: in monasteries built on slopes, the doors and windows as well as the balconies were oriented toward the open landscape, a practice which assured the maximum penetration of light into the inner recesses of the monastery.

Hirschfeld draws upon both literary sources and archaeological evidence to describe in chapter 3 the daily life of the monks, including how monastic communities came into being ("the guru pattern"), how one joined a monastery, the internal organization of the monastic community, its size (Hirschfeld suggests that at its peak, the Judean desert was home to no more than three thousand monks), the daily routine of the monastery, and the monks' diet (noting for example, how the monks traded fruit which came from their orchards for wheat from the Transjordan), dress and possessions. Chapter 4 examines sources of the monks' livelihood, including donations (often the primary source), crafts (weaving of baskets, twining of rope, pottery), and agriculture.

Chapters 5 and 6 explore the evidence for the architectural elements of the monasteries—both sacred and secular. The churches in the monasteries were of two main types, the monastic church (long narrow chambers directed toward a single apse...