DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0261
CHURCHES
DjUWANiYEH. CHURCH.
The ruins of the church
at Djuwaniyeh consist
of the west fagade, two
stories of which are
preserved, the apse and
side chambers at the east
end ; the semi-dome has
fallen. Of the side walls
and interior supports
nothing remains in situ.
The general scheme of
the plan of this church
does not depart from that
of some of the earlier
churches, and I do not
hesitate to place its date considerably in advance of that at Kalb Lauzeh. Its
apse is flanked by side chambers and is concealed by a flat east wall. Its propor-
tions are as 3 is to 2, measuring 18.86 m. by 12.60 m., or 51
by 34 feet inside. The only departure here is seen in the sub-
stitution of widely spaced piers for close ranks of columns. There
were three arches of over five meters span on either side, sup-
ported by two free-standing rectangular piers and deep buttresses
projecting from the end walls. We can judge of this only from
the evidence of the low buttresses at the ends, which are much lower
than the pier of the chancel arch, and by the great curve of the
fragments of arches preserved above them; for the intermediate
piers have totally disappeared.
The caps of these buttresses and of the piers of the chancel are
ornamented with rather crude, uncut acanthus leaves. The apse
arch is well molded, and a heavy ovolo without carving formed the impost molding of
the semi-dome, The exterior of the east wall is perfectly plain, the two arched windows
of the apse being unmolded ; but the ornament of the west fa^ade is not without
beauty. Iieavy string moldings are plentifully used, one at the level of the aisle win-
dows, another at the level of the aisle walls, which is nothing but the return of the
cornice of the side walls, and a third at the clearstory level. The portal has deep
moldings and a narrow ornamented cornice beneath a molded relieving-arch. The
windows in the ends of the side aisles and those in the story above the portal have
delicate incised moldings which are returned at right angles at the sill and carried a
short distance along the string-course and then returned against it. All of the mold-
Fig. 91. Plan of cliurch
at Djuwaniyeh.
West portal of North Church at Ruweha.
DjUWANiYEH. CHURCH.
The ruins of the church
at Djuwaniyeh consist
of the west fagade, two
stories of which are
preserved, the apse and
side chambers at the east
end ; the semi-dome has
fallen. Of the side walls
and interior supports
nothing remains in situ.
The general scheme of
the plan of this church
does not depart from that
of some of the earlier
churches, and I do not
hesitate to place its date considerably in advance of that at Kalb Lauzeh. Its
apse is flanked by side chambers and is concealed by a flat east wall. Its propor-
tions are as 3 is to 2, measuring 18.86 m. by 12.60 m., or 51
by 34 feet inside. The only departure here is seen in the sub-
stitution of widely spaced piers for close ranks of columns. There
were three arches of over five meters span on either side, sup-
ported by two free-standing rectangular piers and deep buttresses
projecting from the end walls. We can judge of this only from
the evidence of the low buttresses at the ends, which are much lower
than the pier of the chancel arch, and by the great curve of the
fragments of arches preserved above them; for the intermediate
piers have totally disappeared.
The caps of these buttresses and of the piers of the chancel are
ornamented with rather crude, uncut acanthus leaves. The apse
arch is well molded, and a heavy ovolo without carving formed the impost molding of
the semi-dome, The exterior of the east wall is perfectly plain, the two arched windows
of the apse being unmolded ; but the ornament of the west fa^ade is not without
beauty. Iieavy string moldings are plentifully used, one at the level of the aisle win-
dows, another at the level of the aisle walls, which is nothing but the return of the
cornice of the side walls, and a third at the clearstory level. The portal has deep
moldings and a narrow ornamented cornice beneath a molded relieving-arch. The
windows in the ends of the side aisles and those in the story above the portal have
delicate incised moldings which are returned at right angles at the sill and carried a
short distance along the string-course and then returned against it. All of the mold-
Fig. 91. Plan of cliurch
at Djuwaniyeh.
West portal of North Church at Ruweha.