Author(s):
Hübner, Ulrich
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Hoheisel, Karl
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Osiek, Carolyn
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Sprondel, Walter M.
[German Version] I. Archaeology – II. Religious Studies – III. House Church (in Early Christianity) – IV. Sociology
I. Archaeology Functionally, the house was a building which, in contrast to a palace, served as a private dwelling. While circular structures have been identified in prehistoric Palestine, from the Chalcolithic to the Early Bronze Age the broad-room type of house dominated, that is, a one-room and one-floor structure with a single entrance on the long side. In addition, there were sometimes apsidial houses. For the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages, the courtyard-house with a central, roughly square courtyard, surrounded on two to four sides with rooms, was typical. In the Iron Age, the so-called two- or four-room house with its variants dominated; it can be derived from Late Bronze Age architecture and was common in the Levant far beyond Israel or Judah. The entrance was usually on the short side; three parallel long rooms were located in front of rear rooms that were arranged transversely. The long rooms could be separated from the central compartment by rows of columns or walls; whether this central compartment was covered or not is disputed. The foundations often consisted of stone, the walls of stone or brick. The houses could have more than one floor (Judg 3:20; 1 Kgs 17:19; 2 Kgs 4:10) and were covered by a flat roof that was sometimes used as a work terrace and a place to sleep (Josh 2:6; Isa 15:3; 22:1; Prov 21:9; cf. Mark 2:4 parr.). The rainwater draining from the roof could be collected in cisterns. Small window openings provided for better air circulation and illumination (Hos 13:3). The inventory included a fireplace, earthen ceramic utensils, stone vessels, and equipment made of leather, wood, and metal. The area of the houses could be kept comparatively small since everyday life took place mainly outside the house. In the Hellenistic Roman era, in addition to various simpler houses, the courtyard-house of Greek provenance with a central inner courtyard was widespread. In upper-class districts, it is also attested in the form of the atrium or peristyle villa; the floors could be adorned with mosaics and the walls with painting…