DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44946#0059
3. IL-MU‘ALLAKAH.
This site, about 50 minutes up the wadi, above Khirbit il-Bardhon, is unquestionably
identical with that mentioned by Captain Conder \ Dr. Geo. E. Post3 and others,
under the name of id-Dfer; the descriptions and sketches published by the two writers
above mentioned apply, in every detail, to the interesting rock-hewn chambers, the
name of which was given to us as il-Mucallakah, “the suspended one” There are no
other ruins of antiquity in the vicinity; a half ruined, quite modern mill and a native
house, stand beside the stream in the bottom of the
narrow valley. High up on the mountain side, on the
right bank, as one ascends the stream, 50 meters or
more above the bed of the wadi, is a sheer face of
natural rock in which a broad space has been scarped
back to a smooth face, and then carved to represent
the facade of a three-story building (Ill. 19). The
slope is well covered with a growth of scrub oak, with
pines and other small trees in considerable numbers;
but the steep cliff in which the artificial cutting has
been made stands out boldly, and the rockhewn facade
can be seen for miles up and down the valley. The
ascent to il-Mucallakah is not easy, though horses may
be ridden most of the way up, and can be led up to
the fagade. In front of the fa£ade is an open space,
5.80 m. wide, with a smooth, rock-hewn pavement,
and side walls on either side falling back, as they
ascend, to the face of the facade itself. A narrow
doorway with a high threshold is the sole feature of
side windows are closed with grilles of stone, and
have moulded window caps. The face of the upper- I1L I9- Mucaiiakah, from the opposite
side of the valley.
most story is cut back from the lower face, like a
long, sunken panel with mouldings all around. There are four windows in this story,
those on the sides being open, while the other two are closed with slightly broken
grille work. The crowning feature of the design is a heavy cavetto cornice which is
badly weathered; above it a deep cutting in the rock extends across the whole facade,
to carry off water descending from the mountain side, deflecting it On either side of
the ground floor (Ill. 20). Above this appear the
windows, the middle one open and unadorned; the
1 Survey of Eastern Pales tine pp. 94—96.
2 Q. 5., ’88, p. 193.
This site, about 50 minutes up the wadi, above Khirbit il-Bardhon, is unquestionably
identical with that mentioned by Captain Conder \ Dr. Geo. E. Post3 and others,
under the name of id-Dfer; the descriptions and sketches published by the two writers
above mentioned apply, in every detail, to the interesting rock-hewn chambers, the
name of which was given to us as il-Mucallakah, “the suspended one” There are no
other ruins of antiquity in the vicinity; a half ruined, quite modern mill and a native
house, stand beside the stream in the bottom of the
narrow valley. High up on the mountain side, on the
right bank, as one ascends the stream, 50 meters or
more above the bed of the wadi, is a sheer face of
natural rock in which a broad space has been scarped
back to a smooth face, and then carved to represent
the facade of a three-story building (Ill. 19). The
slope is well covered with a growth of scrub oak, with
pines and other small trees in considerable numbers;
but the steep cliff in which the artificial cutting has
been made stands out boldly, and the rockhewn facade
can be seen for miles up and down the valley. The
ascent to il-Mucallakah is not easy, though horses may
be ridden most of the way up, and can be led up to
the fagade. In front of the fa£ade is an open space,
5.80 m. wide, with a smooth, rock-hewn pavement,
and side walls on either side falling back, as they
ascend, to the face of the facade itself. A narrow
doorway with a high threshold is the sole feature of
side windows are closed with grilles of stone, and
have moulded window caps. The face of the upper- I1L I9- Mucaiiakah, from the opposite
side of the valley.
most story is cut back from the lower face, like a
long, sunken panel with mouldings all around. There are four windows in this story,
those on the sides being open, while the other two are closed with slightly broken
grille work. The crowning feature of the design is a heavy cavetto cornice which is
badly weathered; above it a deep cutting in the rock extends across the whole facade,
to carry off water descending from the mountain side, deflecting it On either side of
the ground floor (Ill. 20). Above this appear the
windows, the middle one open and unadorned; the
1 Survey of Eastern Pales tine pp. 94—96.
2 Q. 5., ’88, p. 193.