The site of ʿAyn Saʿaf is located 1.5km north of Dayr Muṣṭafā Kāšif, on the foothills of the western slope of the Ǧabal al-Ṭayr. It is divided into two distinct sections, one in the east and one in the west. The eastern section is concentrated around a residential area established near ʿayn rūmānī (ʿAyn ʿAzzār) and surrounded to the north, east and south by several funerary facilities (rock-cut tombs, mausoleums or simple burials without superstructures) (Ghica, 2012: 222). The initial plan of the housing sector appears to be dominated by two buildings, that of a church in the north-west corner (the size of the which indicates that a large part of the habitation area must be covered), and a vaulted room oriented north south. Due to lack of excavation reports, the function of spaces and their arrangement cannot be determined. The state of preservation, however, enables the identification of numerous construction phases which affected several complexes. Greek ostraca found during the clearing of the site suggest that a Pacomian community was operational here in the 5^th century. Arguing in favour of the monastic nature of the site is a dipinto left in the eastern part of the apse which gives the names of nineteen monks. Another Coptic dipinto suggests that after the Arab invasion the site was occupied by laity; inscribed on the late wall which limits the opening of the conch invokes a term which usually designates a civil servant (Ghica, 2012: 224).

The western section comprises a small farm, established in the center of ancient plots irrigated by water systems from the neighbouring hydreuma. In the south-east corner of the domestic structure are the remains of a small church, which is in considerably good condition. The structure is oblong with a column in the center of the nave, with what was originally a rectangular apse. Three Greek graffiti of a Christian nature appear to be contemporary with the period of activity of the church (Ghica, 2012: 227). The two sectors appear to have been contemporary, at least for some time. The occupation of the nearby tower of Ṭāḥūnat al-Hawā is not known (Ghica, 2012: 224).