DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0443
CHURCHES
4i 1
ent sizes which make up the body of the walls. These dressed stones, I believe, were
all originally cut for the pagan temple which formerly occupied the spot. In the
interior the arch walls are built of stones more smoothly dressed than the great mass
of blocks of the exterior, but, with the exception of the voussoirs of the arches, these
are not so highly finished as those which appear to be of more ancient cutting. These
walls are provided with corbel courses for the support of the stone floor of the gallery.
I he piers which carry the main arches are capped
with plain splay-faced moldings. These are the only
moldings in the building. The only ornament consists
of disks with the cross and the A and co cut on the
lintels of the western portals, and simple wreaths em-
bracing crosses, all in relief, upon the soffits of the
main arches immediately above the caps of the piers.
It will be noticed that corbel courses of rough uncut
stones appear along the south wall on the exterior.
It is difficult to imagine for what these could have been
used. This church was very poorly lighted. There
are three windows in the apse, one small opening in
each end of either aisle, and one in each end of either
gallery. A window in the south side of the tower
preserves a stone shutter complete.
Zor'ah. church 1 of st. george, 515 A.D. The Church of St. George at Zor'ah
is the best preserved of the domed structures of the Hauran. It is, in fact, still con-
secrated to Christian worship. Although the number of Chris-
tians in the neighborhood is small, and the priest comes but
seldom to celebrate the services of the Greek faith within its
walls, this little church is the only one, of all those described
in this volume, that ever hears the sound of the ancient ritual.
The plan is very nearly a square described about the octa-
gon of piers which carry the dome, and embracing a rectan-
gular choir in front of the apse, with chambers on either side.
The semicircular apse, which protrudes beyond the eastern
wall, is inclosed by three straight walls forming two obtuse
angles. The angles between the octagon and the square are
occupied by deep apse-like recesses or chapels. The walls
of this church present an appearance quite different from that
of most of the Christian buildings in the Hauran. Although
they are almost entircly unbroken by window openings, the surface is smooth, and the
1 La Syrie Centrale, Pl. 21. 2 From La Syrie Centrale, PI. 21.
Fig. 148. Plan 2 of Church of St.
George at Zor'ah.
Windovv with stone shutter in tower of
church at Tafha.
4i 1
ent sizes which make up the body of the walls. These dressed stones, I believe, were
all originally cut for the pagan temple which formerly occupied the spot. In the
interior the arch walls are built of stones more smoothly dressed than the great mass
of blocks of the exterior, but, with the exception of the voussoirs of the arches, these
are not so highly finished as those which appear to be of more ancient cutting. These
walls are provided with corbel courses for the support of the stone floor of the gallery.
I he piers which carry the main arches are capped
with plain splay-faced moldings. These are the only
moldings in the building. The only ornament consists
of disks with the cross and the A and co cut on the
lintels of the western portals, and simple wreaths em-
bracing crosses, all in relief, upon the soffits of the
main arches immediately above the caps of the piers.
It will be noticed that corbel courses of rough uncut
stones appear along the south wall on the exterior.
It is difficult to imagine for what these could have been
used. This church was very poorly lighted. There
are three windows in the apse, one small opening in
each end of either aisle, and one in each end of either
gallery. A window in the south side of the tower
preserves a stone shutter complete.
Zor'ah. church 1 of st. george, 515 A.D. The Church of St. George at Zor'ah
is the best preserved of the domed structures of the Hauran. It is, in fact, still con-
secrated to Christian worship. Although the number of Chris-
tians in the neighborhood is small, and the priest comes but
seldom to celebrate the services of the Greek faith within its
walls, this little church is the only one, of all those described
in this volume, that ever hears the sound of the ancient ritual.
The plan is very nearly a square described about the octa-
gon of piers which carry the dome, and embracing a rectan-
gular choir in front of the apse, with chambers on either side.
The semicircular apse, which protrudes beyond the eastern
wall, is inclosed by three straight walls forming two obtuse
angles. The angles between the octagon and the square are
occupied by deep apse-like recesses or chapels. The walls
of this church present an appearance quite different from that
of most of the Christian buildings in the Hauran. Although
they are almost entircly unbroken by window openings, the surface is smooth, and the
1 La Syrie Centrale, Pl. 21. 2 From La Syrie Centrale, PI. 21.
Fig. 148. Plan 2 of Church of St.
George at Zor'ah.
Windovv with stone shutter in tower of
church at Tafha.