Tell Mar Elias

Tell Mar Elias is a tell, i. e. an archaeological mound, located slightly outside the town limits and northwest of Ajloun in the Ajloun Governorate, northern Jordan, in the historical region of Gilead. "Elias" is the Latin and Arabic form for Elijah, the prophet whom the Hebrew Bible calls "the Tishbite" (), which can be interpreted to mean that he lived, or was even born, in a town named Tishbe. The ruins of the historical town of Listib ("el-Ishtib" or "el-Istib" in Arabic) have been traditionally identified with Tishbe, and are located just across a valley from the tell.International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)
Tishbite
via BiblicalTraining.org, accessed 2020-01-13 The ruins of a Byzantine monastery dedicated to prophet Elijah and including two churches can be seen on the tell.Jordan Tourism Board
Religion & Faith: Tall Mar Elias
accessed 28 September 2017.Tedd Bolen
Upper Gilead
Tishbe, Home of Elijah, on BiblePlaces.com, accessed 2020-01-13

Archaeology

Because of its proximity to the assumed location of the religiously significant Tishbe, two Christian churches were erected on the tell during the Byzantine period, a smaller one in the 4th-5th, and a large one in the 6th century CE. The later is among the largest known Byzantine churches from Jordan. The Byzantine monastery with the two churches has been recently excavated by Jordanian archaeologists. A mosaic inscription, part of one of the church floors, mentions prophet Elijah. Artifacts from the site, including marble carvings and small metal religious objects, are displayed in the archaeological museum of nearby Ajloun Castle.

Significance in Islam

"Respect for the spirit of ''Nebhī-Ilyâs''", as the prophet Elias is called in the Koran, "is given to a grove of oak trees above the ruins" of the Byzantine churches there.

Gallery

Image:Viewfromtelmarelias.jpg, View northwest from Tell Mar Elias, August 2005
Image:Mar Elias Lower Chapel.jpg, The lower chapel, Tell Mar Elias
Image:Mar Elias mosiac floor.jpg, A simple mosaic floor, Tell Mar Elias
Image:Mar Elias carving.jpg, Carving of a cruciform rosette, Tell Mar Elias
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1108.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, general view
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1067.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, stairs to Byzantine church
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1103.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, Byzantine church
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1106.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, Byzantine church
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1100.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, baptismal font
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1072.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, baptismal font
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1066.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic with Greek inscription mentioning the name Elia(s) (fifth line, on the right)
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1098.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic floor and door
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1087.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic panel with floral motifs
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1082.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic panel with floral motifs
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1081.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic panel with floral motifs
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1078.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic with swastikas
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1077.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic floor (detail)
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1075.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic with chevron and floral pattern
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1074.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic with chevron and floral pattern
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1065.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic floor (corner)
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1070.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, mosaic floor with vegetal motif
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1091.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, entrance to burial site
File:Jordan Tell Elias 2013 1095.jpg, Tell Mar Elias, burial site

References

External links

Virtual Tour of Tell Mar EliasArchival / digitized 35mm slide photos of the site
(via the American Center of Research)
More pictures of the ruined church, including its mosaicsPhotos of Tell Mar Elias
at the Manar al-Athar photo archive

Video

The Road to Mar Elias Cathedral

Mar Elias Cathedral
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Archaeological sites in Jordan
Tourism in Jordan
Gilead
Elijah