Church of Nativity

Name of structure: Church of Nativity
Extended name of structure:
Type of structure: Church
Country or main area: Israel
Region within country or main area: Bethlehem
City or area within region: Bethlehem
Date of structure: 339, 530s, 1165-69
Century of structure 1: 4 AD
Century of structure 2: 12 AD
Specific place of mosaic: Nave walls. Originally also on external walls (perhaps from 6C).
Brief descriptive contents of mosaic: Scenes from Life of Christ, angels, ancestors of Christ, resolutions of the Church Councils, flora, achitectural setting.
Date of mosaic: 1165-69
Century of mosaic 1: 12 AD
Century of mosaic 2: 12 AD
Silver tessera at site: Yes
Gold tessera at site: Yes
Colour tessera at site: Yes
Were other materials found at site (i.e., glass cakes)? Unknown
Has analysis been done? No
Samples taken from where? n/a
Excavation and restoration campaigns:

15C, 17C and
1848: team from the Greek Orthodox Church
early 19C: team led by W. Harvey
Bibliography of mainly technical resources:

McKenzie, J., The Architecture of Alexandria and Egypt 300 B.C.-A.D. 700 (Yale, 2007).


Hunt, L. A., 'Art and colonialism: the mosaics of the church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (1169) and the problem of 'Crusader' art', DOP 45 (1991), 72-3.


Kühnel, G., 'Das Ausschmücknungsprogramm der Geburtsbasilika in Bethlehem. Byzanz und Abendland im Königreich Jerusalem', Boreas 10 (1987), 133-49.


Harvey, W., Structural Survey of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1935).


Harvey, W. et al, The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (London, 1910).
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