320 Jeremy M. Hutton earlier” (52). Despite the discrepancy between these variant locations of Bethabara, one might assume a quite simple solution to the problem of Bethabara in either of the models proposed above: the toponym “Bethabara” — whether original or the result of phonological metathesis motivated by etiological misanalysis — did not refer to a settlement per se, but rather specifically to the fords over the Jordan River (hence, the plural form ta; Bhqabara/' given by Origen [Comm. Jo. 6.40.205]) (53), currently spanning about 2 km of river length from el-Magμtas (the current location commemorating the baptism near St. ˇ John’s Convent and Qas≤r al-Yah¨d) to the Ma˙˝d≥at H˘agla (the formerly recognized site of the baptism ca. 1.5 km further south) (54). This proposal not only accounts for the paucity of contemporaneous archaeological remains at the proposed site on the Jordan River, but could explain why “Bethany” was preserved in the most reliable manuscripts of John: there was no settlement Bethabara to which that name referred. Yet, the location of the ford over the Jordan named Bethabara remains relatively fixed by the Madaba Mosaic Map. The site is just north of the outlet of the Jordan River into the Dead Sea, and to the southeast of Jericho. Nearby on the western bank one finds both Gilgal “and the twelve stones” (Galgala to; kai;/ Dwdekaliqon), and the “[Threshing-] Floor of Atad, now Bethagla” (Alwn Ataq hJ nu'n/ Bhqagla) (55). Just over the river, on the eastern bank, is found “Aenon now Sapsaphas” (Ainwn e[nqa/ nu'n oJ Sapsa/fa") (56). It is clear that the map here preserves a tradition in which the Aenon at which John baptized (Jn 3,23) was located at or very near the Bethabara ford; this locale is named as the baptismal site by the Pilgrim of Bourdeaux (see above), as well as a number of later Christian writers (57). The map also preserves the traditional location of John’s ministry — and, as discussed above, the locale at which the Signs Source may have placed Only with the testimony of the Bourdeaux Pilgrim, argues WIEFEL, do we hear of the site’s commemoration on the western bank. (52) AVI-YONAH, Madaba Mosaic Map, 39. The Pilgrim of Piacenza (ca. 570) mentions commemorative buildings on the western bank as well; Itinera- rium 12 in CCSL 175, 135-136; RIESNER, Bethanien, 25-32. (53) Cf. RIESNER, “Bethany”, 38; idem, Bethanien, 36. (54) See already RIESNER, Bethanien, 36-37. (55) AVI-YONAH, Madaba Mosaic Map, 36-37 nr. 5, and 39 nr. 8, pls. 1-2. (56) Ibid., 37 nr. 6, pls. 1-2. (57) For a list, see ibid., 37 nr. 6.