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Dayr al-'Awanah

By René-Georges Coquin, Maurice Martin

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Authors
René-Georges CoquinMaurice Martin
Printed pages
784a–784b

dayr al-‘awanah (Asyut). The village of al-‘Awanah is situated on the right bank of the Nile to the southeast of Asyut, about 11 miles (18 km) to the north of the basin of al-Badari and about 7 miles (12 km) to the south of dayr al-bisrah. The monastery of al-‘Awanah is today a Christian quarter with a church that is to the south of the village.

V. de Bock (1878, pp. 67-72) drew attention to it as worthy of interest and called it Deir Awana Cherbana. The atlas of the Description de l'Egypte (1821-1829, fol. 12) also registers it in its place.

The ancient part of the church is formed by a choir with three altars under deep, perforated domes and, in front of them, a bay of joists roofed by three similar domes. This is Type C in S. Clarke's classification (1912, p. 109). The back of the church has a ceiling opposite the dome.

The church is dedicated to Saint George. Perhaps it is the same as the one called Dayr Mar Jirjis of Khammas (or Hammas) by al-Maqrizi (1853, Vol. 2, p. 503). But the name of this town does not appear to be attested elsewhere.

Bibliography

Bock, V. de. "Notice sur les monuments coptes de la vallée du Nil." Comité de conservation des monuments de l'art arabe 15 (1878):67-72. Clarke, S. The Christian Antiquities in the Nile Valley. London, 1912. Description de l'Egypte. Paris, 1802-1829. RENÉ-GEORGES COQUIN MAURICE MARTIN, S.J.