84. Dēr ‘Aīn ‘Abāṭa | دير عين عباطة

Kerak Governorate

Maqām Nebi Lūṭ

JADIS no. none

MEGA no. 158954

Coordinates: 31°02'49.0"N 35°30'10.0"E

31.046944, 35.502778

Plan: three-aisled Christian basilica belonging to a monastery. The maqām is located in a cave in prolongation of the N aisle (próthesis), which is accessible through a door in the apse.

Measurements: unknown.

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: natural rock with limestone pavement.

Construction details: unknown.

Preservation: excavated, conserved as a ruin.

Inscription(s): There is only one Arabic graffito attesting the Muslim veneration of prophet Lōt. It has been scratched into the plaster of the SE wall of the N aisle in front of the entrance to the cave, but it is no more in situ. It was close to the name of a Christian female pilgrim named Zenobia (Politis 2012, 414-415 no.19;417 no. 1):

Ζινοβία Νεστασί[ου]

Translation: “Zenobia, daughter of (A)nastasios”. The Arabic graffito runs over three lines and quotes the bismillāh and paraphrases of Q. 48 al-Fath, 2 as well as Q. 5 al-Ma‘idah, 114:

Translation: “In the name of Allāh, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Oh God, forgive Jarīr his sin, [that is past and is to come - - - - and provide [sustainance for him] out of your bounty. [Lot] you are the best of sustainers” (M. C. A. Macdonald, in: Politis 2012, 417 no. 1).

Date(s): Christian Byzantine with Islamic continuation of the veneration in the Umayyad to Mamluk periods.

Traveler Reports: none known.

Bibliography: Hiyyari 2008, 76; Piccirillo 1993, 336; Politis 1994, 417-418; Politis 2012; Schick 2020, no. 24.