227. Listib / Thisbe in Gilead? | لستب

‘Ajlūn governorate

Jāmi‘

JADIS no. 2119010

MEGA no. 5195, mosque 25112.

Coordinates: 32°21'53.8"N 35°43'07.8"E

32.364953, 35.718825

Plan: broad rectangular with a fenced courtyard around; in long S wall slightly decentered miḥrāb facing the doorway in N wall. The interior is divided by two arcades with protruding impost walls at the short sides in three transversal naves running parallel to the qibla wall. Between the impost walls flat benches. The southern arcade rests on reused column drums with each a limestone Corinthian capital dating to different eras of the Roman Imperial period (figs. 227.14-15). The roof has been recently reconstructed with pointed barrel vaults out of concrete covering only the S and the middle aisles, left open at their short sides (figs. 227.8-9). The inscription (figs. 227.13) was described by Steuernagel (1927) as a lintel above the window at the E side, but it has been set by the recent conservators outside above the N wall entrance door which terminates above with a segmental arch; along the northern exterior wall sitting benches (ziyādeh) on both sides of the door.

Measurements: unknown.

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: coarsely cut blocks out of local limestone, in part of ancient origin. Reuse of Roman spolia: Column drums to support the arcade of the S and central nave (figs. 227.10-11). The Corinthian capitals are of different dates: The W one dates by style to the late 2nd early 3rd century, while the E one is considerably older (judged by their stylistic execution).

Construction details: Two sided masonry with rubble fill.

Preservation: ruined and restored (rebuilt), occasionally in use for Muslim prayer by visitors of the site.

Inscription(s): Arabic inscription in three lines in old Kufic (0.88 x 0.40 m) reused by modern restoration above the entrance in the N outside wall (fig. 227.13, facsimile and transcription by van Berchem 1903; photo TMW-K 2026)

“Allāh, forgive the mother of Isma’īl, the son of….(?)”, ca. 3rd -4th century H. (van Berchem 1903).

Date(s): According the palaeography of the Arabic inscription probably Ayyubid.

Traveler Reports: „Die dschâmi‘ war im äußersten Süden des Ortes erbaut, ein kleiner rechteckiger Bau mit einem Vorhof. Noch stehen die Grundmauern bis zu 2 m Höhe, angefügte Stützmauern und ein Rundbogen von 3 m Weite. Innen sieht man zwei Säulentrommeln, die zur Abstützung von Bögen dienten. Erhalten sind der miḥrāb, im Norden Spuren von Türen, im Osten Fenster und einem Sturz und einer arabischen Inschrift. Das verwandte Material war älter als der Bau.” (Steuernagel 1927). “La moschea rovinata si trova a SO del Khirbe. I muri esterni rimasti ancora in piedi arrivano on qualche punto dell’ alteszza di un m. Orientazione dell’edificio è NE-SO. La porta S si trova al muro N. Davanti alla porta un cortile relativamente grande, con una cisterna in mezzo. Nei muri si notano pietri con bozze. Nell’interno, per terra, due grandi pezzi di colonne (un’ altro si trova fuori della moschea) di 42 e 46 cm di diam. Anche il dado di un pilastretto a fascio, usato forse peril portale della fascciata, come presso a poco nella fascciata del S. Sepolchro a Gerusalemme. Misura in larghezza cm 38 ed è alto cm 40 cm. Ha l’incasso delle pareti, le due colonnette sporgono solo 4 cm e tutta la lunghezza è cm 28. All’ingresso dell’edificio (il muro N) sembra esserci stato, un portale e forse qui avevano il loro posto quelle due colonne trovate nell’interno. Il material della moschea è certamente riadoperato, ma c’è nessun indicio che originarimente si tratasse di una capella: manca l’orientazione, ogni traccia di apside ed ogni altro segno chiaramente cristiano” (Augustinović - Bagatti 1951-1952).

Bibliography: Van Berchem 1903, 51-52 fig. 46; Steuernagel 1927, A. 134. 329; Glueck 1951, 225-226; Augustinović - Bagatti 1951-1952, 283-284; RCEA, III, n° 944 (=TEI no. 4821); Daire 1988, 86 s.v. Listib; AJ II2, 368-374 s.v. Listib (Th. Weber); Thiel 1990, 119-134; Hiyyari 2008, 58; MMU IV 322 (A. M. Qudah); Hattab 2015, 140- 143.