DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0161
CIVIL ARCHITECTURE
129
each face in the form of a cross, that opens out upon a narrow balcony extending
around the four sides of the tower, supported upon projecting corbels. On the east
face of the story below this, at one side, there
is a small compartment built out from the wall
upon two large corbels. This overhanging
chamber is entered through a narrow doonvay.
It is about 2.25 m. high, 2.30 m. wide, and
.80 m. deep on the inside. In the middle of the
stone floor is a circular aperture .25 m. in diam-
eter. There can be no doubt that this closet
was the latrina of the watch. Constructions
of similar arrangement, but much smaller, are
found in other towers directly above the en-
trance. These latter were doubtless used by
the guard to drop projectiles upon the heads
of besiegers. An example of this kind is to be
found in the tower published by M. de Vogiie
(Pl. 58). Such a device was used by the Sara-
cenic builders in later centuries, and by the
Gothic architects in the castles of the middle East slde °‘ tower at Di eradeh-
ages. But in medieval buildings we also find this same form of chamber used as a
latrina, and in the tower at Djeradeh we have one of the earliest examples of this use.
Here it could have had no other purpose, for it is on the town side of the tower and not
above any point of attack. It is interesting to note that a mass of broken cylinders of
claywas found in the ruins beside the
wall, suggesting that an earthen con-
duit may have led from the closet to a
sewer of some sort. Later examples
of the same kincl of structure are con-
vincing proof of its purpose (see page
00). The ground story of the tower
is entered by a small doorway on the
western side, but still within the town,
for the south side of the tower coin-
cides with the town wall. This open-
ing was closed by a door of solid ba-
salt, still in situ, that swung upon a
_ ball and socket above and below.
, A ' . , / The outer face of the door is c rved
.. , ... „ , , with stiles and panels m low rclick
Door of basalt m ground story of tower at Djeradeh. r
129
each face in the form of a cross, that opens out upon a narrow balcony extending
around the four sides of the tower, supported upon projecting corbels. On the east
face of the story below this, at one side, there
is a small compartment built out from the wall
upon two large corbels. This overhanging
chamber is entered through a narrow doonvay.
It is about 2.25 m. high, 2.30 m. wide, and
.80 m. deep on the inside. In the middle of the
stone floor is a circular aperture .25 m. in diam-
eter. There can be no doubt that this closet
was the latrina of the watch. Constructions
of similar arrangement, but much smaller, are
found in other towers directly above the en-
trance. These latter were doubtless used by
the guard to drop projectiles upon the heads
of besiegers. An example of this kind is to be
found in the tower published by M. de Vogiie
(Pl. 58). Such a device was used by the Sara-
cenic builders in later centuries, and by the
Gothic architects in the castles of the middle East slde °‘ tower at Di eradeh-
ages. But in medieval buildings we also find this same form of chamber used as a
latrina, and in the tower at Djeradeh we have one of the earliest examples of this use.
Here it could have had no other purpose, for it is on the town side of the tower and not
above any point of attack. It is interesting to note that a mass of broken cylinders of
claywas found in the ruins beside the
wall, suggesting that an earthen con-
duit may have led from the closet to a
sewer of some sort. Later examples
of the same kincl of structure are con-
vincing proof of its purpose (see page
00). The ground story of the tower
is entered by a small doorway on the
western side, but still within the town,
for the south side of the tower coin-
cides with the town wall. This open-
ing was closed by a door of solid ba-
salt, still in situ, that swung upon a
_ ball and socket above and below.
, A ' . , / The outer face of the door is c rved
.. , ... „ , , with stiles and panels m low rclick
Door of basalt m ground story of tower at Djeradeh. r