DOI article:
Gawlikowski, Michał: Palmyra
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43746#0140
THE SOUTHERN COURTYARD
The courtyard loc. 35 is practically square (11.60-11.80m).
It is located in the southeastern comer of the house, being bordered
by the -street wall to the east and by another house, yet
unexcavated, to the south. There was a colonnade running on a
stylobate along the southern and western sides: three columns to
the west and four columns to the south, counting the comer
column twice; there were pilasters at the points where the stylobate
met the walls.
Three columns of the southern court are still standing, and
the bases of others remain in place. They measure 50 cm in
diameter and the upper level of the architrave, still in place on the
comer column and its eastern neighbour, is 5.67 m above the
ground. Counting with floor level variations, this was 75 cm lower
than around the middle court, but 70 cm higher than the ceiling
over the kitchen porch (see lower). One can conclude that there
was no communication on the terrace level and, because there were
no stairs in this part of the house, the rooms depending on the
southern court could not have carried a second storey.
The open court preserved the original pavement of huge
slabs, with a draining well near the northeastern corner. Access
was originally through a door in the northern wall from the
entrance hall loc. 26, from where the other middle court could also
be reached, while the staircase loc. 25 led through the mezzanine
level to the northern household courtyard.
Under the portico to the west two doors opened into rooms
34 and 36, each commanding a backroom, respectively loc. 33 and
37. There were also doors between rooms situated side to side,
from 34 to 36 and from 33 to 37. Other passages allowed access
to the kitchen court and to its porch.
138
The courtyard loc. 35 is practically square (11.60-11.80m).
It is located in the southeastern comer of the house, being bordered
by the -street wall to the east and by another house, yet
unexcavated, to the south. There was a colonnade running on a
stylobate along the southern and western sides: three columns to
the west and four columns to the south, counting the comer
column twice; there were pilasters at the points where the stylobate
met the walls.
Three columns of the southern court are still standing, and
the bases of others remain in place. They measure 50 cm in
diameter and the upper level of the architrave, still in place on the
comer column and its eastern neighbour, is 5.67 m above the
ground. Counting with floor level variations, this was 75 cm lower
than around the middle court, but 70 cm higher than the ceiling
over the kitchen porch (see lower). One can conclude that there
was no communication on the terrace level and, because there were
no stairs in this part of the house, the rooms depending on the
southern court could not have carried a second storey.
The open court preserved the original pavement of huge
slabs, with a draining well near the northeastern corner. Access
was originally through a door in the northern wall from the
entrance hall loc. 26, from where the other middle court could also
be reached, while the staircase loc. 25 led through the mezzanine
level to the northern household courtyard.
Under the portico to the west two doors opened into rooms
34 and 36, each commanding a backroom, respectively loc. 33 and
37. There were also doors between rooms situated side to side,
from 34 to 36 and from 33 to 37. Other passages allowed access
to the kitchen court and to its porch.
138