Shivta - The Site

On entering the site of Shivta, which now lies within a National Park, we come first to the South Church, a three-aisled basilica with the apses still standing. To the left of the porch is the baptistery, with a cruciform font. Built against the church is a mosque dating from the seventh century.

A little way north of the church is the council house ("town hall"), which stands at the intersection of two streets. Taking the street to the left, we come to the Middle Church, also three-aisled, of which only a few sections of wall and the south apse survive. Continuing north, we come, just before the North Church, into the craftsmen's quarter, with a baker's oven or potter's kiln and other workshops.

Adjoining the North Church, which again is three-aisled, are conventual buildings. Next to the church are a baptistery, with steps leading down to the large immersion font, and a chapel, so that there are no fewer than five completely preserved apses standing side by side. At the entrance is part of an entablature with the chi-ro monogram and the Greek letters alpha and omega.