DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0181
CHURCHES
149
west. The ceiling of the ground story was made of slabs of stone which formed the
floor of the upper story, which was itself roofed with stone slabs. The upper story has
narrow slit openings in the west wall, and larger openings on the side toward the
court on the south of the church.
Kfer. chapel. The small type of church edifice with an undivided nave seems
to have been common in this century as well as in the fourth, particularly in smaller
or poorer communities. A well-preserved example was found at Kfer, in the Djebel
il-ATa, a mile south of
Benabil, a hundred and
fifty meters or more to
the east of a ruined
town of considerable
extent, but poorer,
architectu ral ly, than
many of the towns of
the district. This chap-
el is 15.50 m. long by
6.60 m. wide, with a
semi-domed apse pro-
truding beyond its
eastern wall, and an
open portico along its
south side, upon which
open two portals. The Interior of chaijel at Kler'
eastern end of this colonnade was inclosed to form a diaconicum, and a small chamber
built out on the other side seems to have provided the prothesis.
The former was connected with the nave by a broad arch, and
seems to have been carried up in two stories to the level of the
roof of the nave, as a sort of tower. The other was reached by
a narrow doorway, but it is in ruins. The lateral window open-
ings were rectangular, but the eastern gable contains a round-
topped window between two rectangular openings above the apse
arch. The apse is a beautiful specimen of construction, the semi-
dome being built of large blocks of stone concave on the inside
and convex on the exterior, perfectly fitted and presenting a
smooth spherical surface to the weather. * 1 There is no impost molding within, but
this feature is conspicuous on the outside; below it are three small loopholes opening
into the apse. The apse arch is adorned with rather flat moldings which spring from
Fig. 58. Plan of chapel at
KfSr.
1 At a later period a two-story colonnade of square piers was constructed outside the apse, apparently to support
a roof of wood above the semi-dome, to protect it.
149
west. The ceiling of the ground story was made of slabs of stone which formed the
floor of the upper story, which was itself roofed with stone slabs. The upper story has
narrow slit openings in the west wall, and larger openings on the side toward the
court on the south of the church.
Kfer. chapel. The small type of church edifice with an undivided nave seems
to have been common in this century as well as in the fourth, particularly in smaller
or poorer communities. A well-preserved example was found at Kfer, in the Djebel
il-ATa, a mile south of
Benabil, a hundred and
fifty meters or more to
the east of a ruined
town of considerable
extent, but poorer,
architectu ral ly, than
many of the towns of
the district. This chap-
el is 15.50 m. long by
6.60 m. wide, with a
semi-domed apse pro-
truding beyond its
eastern wall, and an
open portico along its
south side, upon which
open two portals. The Interior of chaijel at Kler'
eastern end of this colonnade was inclosed to form a diaconicum, and a small chamber
built out on the other side seems to have provided the prothesis.
The former was connected with the nave by a broad arch, and
seems to have been carried up in two stories to the level of the
roof of the nave, as a sort of tower. The other was reached by
a narrow doorway, but it is in ruins. The lateral window open-
ings were rectangular, but the eastern gable contains a round-
topped window between two rectangular openings above the apse
arch. The apse is a beautiful specimen of construction, the semi-
dome being built of large blocks of stone concave on the inside
and convex on the exterior, perfectly fitted and presenting a
smooth spherical surface to the weather. * 1 There is no impost molding within, but
this feature is conspicuous on the outside; below it are three small loopholes opening
into the apse. The apse arch is adorned with rather flat moldings which spring from
Fig. 58. Plan of chapel at
KfSr.
1 At a later period a two-story colonnade of square piers was constructed outside the apse, apparently to support
a roof of wood above the semi-dome, to protect it.