DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.810#0016
e-
ijaron.'
'HOUSE OF CHANCEL SCREEN': DAIS FOR SEAT 393
of the building is a square Hall (2) with a doorway, controlled from within,
in its North-East corner, opening on a stepped passage descending East.
Owing to the situation on the slope and the proximity, beyond, of the
South-East House, it is clear that this passage, after a descent of about eight
steps, must have turned South and have reached the entrance by a short
prolongation in that direction at the South-East angle of the building.
Another doorway in the South-East corner of the Central Hall would
have given access to a ' Lustral Basin' on that side, of the usual form (6).1
As in several other instances, its purificatory basins here stand in relation to
the entrance system of the building.
A passage (11) behind the hall also gave easy access to another con-
stantly recurring religious feature, the Pillar Crypt (10), and a small base
found in this space evidently belonged to the column of a similar room
above, an arrangement paralleled by the South House and the Royal
Villa. As in those cases, too, it was flanked by a small staircase, giving
convenient access to the upper floor.
The ' Megaron' or main living-room of the ground floor of the im
house (3 a, d) was entered by a row of four doorways on the North side of
the Central Hall, its first section being probably lit by a window in its East
wall, which runs above a terrace.
But the chief interest of the whole house centres in the approach and 'Chancel
Screen
arrangement of the second section of the Megaron. This was entered by and dais
an opening between two wide projecting balustrades of the usual type with J^^r of
gypsum bases and a woodwork support of the upper slabs, from the ends of
which rise square bases for columns (see Fig. 225). The whole might thus Parallel
be said to form a kind of ' chancel screen', of the same kind as is illustrated < Royal
below in the more perfect example in the Royal Villa. Vl"a '
At the inner edge of the interval between the balustrades were two
shallow steps of gypsum, and against the centre of the back wall of the
inner area was a raised square of rough stones which had evidently formed
the basis of a stucco covering. Of the 'Seat of Honour' itself, that had
rested on this little dais, there were in this case unfortunately no such
remains as were found in the inner niche of the Megaron of the Royal
Villa. It may well have been of wood, as was that of the Antechamber of
the 'Room of the Throne'; indeed, the throne itself was an imitation of
a wooden model. The inner chamber here was not a mere niche and
1 Four steps, divided from the basin by a two more steps. The gypsum slabbing was
parapet with a column-base, lead down to much decayed.
a landing, whence the floor was reached by
II. D d
ijaron.'
'HOUSE OF CHANCEL SCREEN': DAIS FOR SEAT 393
of the building is a square Hall (2) with a doorway, controlled from within,
in its North-East corner, opening on a stepped passage descending East.
Owing to the situation on the slope and the proximity, beyond, of the
South-East House, it is clear that this passage, after a descent of about eight
steps, must have turned South and have reached the entrance by a short
prolongation in that direction at the South-East angle of the building.
Another doorway in the South-East corner of the Central Hall would
have given access to a ' Lustral Basin' on that side, of the usual form (6).1
As in several other instances, its purificatory basins here stand in relation to
the entrance system of the building.
A passage (11) behind the hall also gave easy access to another con-
stantly recurring religious feature, the Pillar Crypt (10), and a small base
found in this space evidently belonged to the column of a similar room
above, an arrangement paralleled by the South House and the Royal
Villa. As in those cases, too, it was flanked by a small staircase, giving
convenient access to the upper floor.
The ' Megaron' or main living-room of the ground floor of the im
house (3 a, d) was entered by a row of four doorways on the North side of
the Central Hall, its first section being probably lit by a window in its East
wall, which runs above a terrace.
But the chief interest of the whole house centres in the approach and 'Chancel
Screen
arrangement of the second section of the Megaron. This was entered by and dais
an opening between two wide projecting balustrades of the usual type with J^^r of
gypsum bases and a woodwork support of the upper slabs, from the ends of
which rise square bases for columns (see Fig. 225). The whole might thus Parallel
be said to form a kind of ' chancel screen', of the same kind as is illustrated < Royal
below in the more perfect example in the Royal Villa. Vl"a '
At the inner edge of the interval between the balustrades were two
shallow steps of gypsum, and against the centre of the back wall of the
inner area was a raised square of rough stones which had evidently formed
the basis of a stucco covering. Of the 'Seat of Honour' itself, that had
rested on this little dais, there were in this case unfortunately no such
remains as were found in the inner niche of the Megaron of the Royal
Villa. It may well have been of wood, as was that of the Antechamber of
the 'Room of the Throne'; indeed, the throne itself was an imitation of
a wooden model. The inner chamber here was not a mere niche and
1 Four steps, divided from the basin by a two more steps. The gypsum slabbing was
parapet with a column-base, lead down to much decayed.
a landing, whence the floor was reached by
II. D d