DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45581#0036
88
II. A. 2. — Southern Hauran
the outer walls and a few interior details can be discovered. The domestic architecture
of the ancient town is lost in the additions and reconstructions of mediaeval and modern
times. Dr. Schumacher visited il-Umtaciyeh, or “little Umm idj-Djimal” as it is some-
times called, and published a brief account1 of the place, with a photograph of the Mosque,
a copy of an inscription, and a drawing of a carved lintel. He refers to the Mosque as
an old church, and recognized two other churches in the ruins. M. Dussaud published
three inscriptions from this place 2 and a drawing of the lintel of the Mosque. 3
Temple — Mosque. The building now called a mosque is almost perfectly pre-
served, only the stone slabs of its roof are wanting to make it complete. A glance
at the facade (Pl. VII) is sufficient to convince one that it is an ancient building, and
earlier than the Christian period; but it is equally plain, after an examination of the
other parts of the building, that much renovation and rebuilding has been done here,
and it is a difficult task to determine the dates of these alterations and additions.
The building is oblong, its longer axis lying north and south (see plan, Ill. 68); there
are three entrances in its east wall, — a large portal between two smaller ones. Along
the east wall extends a platform, 2.50 m. wide, reached by a flight of seven steps,
that extends the whole length of the building. In the south wall, inside, is a small mihrab ;
at the northeast angle a tower has been added. The interior is spanned by four arches
which represent different periods of building. The east fagade is an unusual example of
composition : the middle portal (Pl. VIII and Ill. 69) is richly decorated; its jambs consist of
two pilasters carved with grape-vine. The lintel is ornamented with a meander interspersed
with masks, and capped by a cymatium carved with the egg-and-dart; each end of
the lintel is adorned with an upright acanthus leaf. Above this lintel is an over-lintel,
like a frieze, cut away on a curve at the bottom, so that it rests only upon its ends.
This over-lintel is carved with an arcuation of five arches with slender colonettes, each
embracing an altar in relief. The ends of the stone bear simple six-pointed stars.
Over this is a circular window, with a deep moulding about it, flanked by Ionic pi-
lasters (Ill. 68) that are now inverted. The two small side portals have pilasters with
simple bevelled bases and caps (the bases of two of them being omitted). The lintels
are capped each with a delicately carved cymatium, and the surface below the cymatium
in each shows remnants of carved wreaths and other ornament that has been inten-
tionally broken away. Over each of these side portals, set high in the wall, is a cir-
cular window within an oblong frame moulding (Ill. 68). The other walls of the building
are entirely plain, broken only by two or three small and irregularly placed windows.
The tower, or minaret, is a square of over 3 m. incorporated with the north and east
walls of the mosque. It is built of highly finished masonry up to the height of the
wall of the fagade; above that level the walls of the tower are of smooth quadrated
work. The uppermost story is a recent addition; for it is not shown in the photograph
published by Dr. Schumacher several years ago. The stair is well made but is con-
siderably broken. This building presents a difficult problem in the matter of elates;
for it seems to embody several periods and styles of architecture. It needs no demon-
stration to prove that the edifice was not originally constructed to serve as a mosque;
it is also plain that it was not designed for the services of the Christian religion. It
has been called a Nabataean temple, and indeed the broad flight of steps, and the
’ Z.D.P.-V., ’97. XX, p. 140.
2 p. 286.
3 Revue Numismatique, ’04, p. 164.
II. A. 2. — Southern Hauran
the outer walls and a few interior details can be discovered. The domestic architecture
of the ancient town is lost in the additions and reconstructions of mediaeval and modern
times. Dr. Schumacher visited il-Umtaciyeh, or “little Umm idj-Djimal” as it is some-
times called, and published a brief account1 of the place, with a photograph of the Mosque,
a copy of an inscription, and a drawing of a carved lintel. He refers to the Mosque as
an old church, and recognized two other churches in the ruins. M. Dussaud published
three inscriptions from this place 2 and a drawing of the lintel of the Mosque. 3
Temple — Mosque. The building now called a mosque is almost perfectly pre-
served, only the stone slabs of its roof are wanting to make it complete. A glance
at the facade (Pl. VII) is sufficient to convince one that it is an ancient building, and
earlier than the Christian period; but it is equally plain, after an examination of the
other parts of the building, that much renovation and rebuilding has been done here,
and it is a difficult task to determine the dates of these alterations and additions.
The building is oblong, its longer axis lying north and south (see plan, Ill. 68); there
are three entrances in its east wall, — a large portal between two smaller ones. Along
the east wall extends a platform, 2.50 m. wide, reached by a flight of seven steps,
that extends the whole length of the building. In the south wall, inside, is a small mihrab ;
at the northeast angle a tower has been added. The interior is spanned by four arches
which represent different periods of building. The east fagade is an unusual example of
composition : the middle portal (Pl. VIII and Ill. 69) is richly decorated; its jambs consist of
two pilasters carved with grape-vine. The lintel is ornamented with a meander interspersed
with masks, and capped by a cymatium carved with the egg-and-dart; each end of
the lintel is adorned with an upright acanthus leaf. Above this lintel is an over-lintel,
like a frieze, cut away on a curve at the bottom, so that it rests only upon its ends.
This over-lintel is carved with an arcuation of five arches with slender colonettes, each
embracing an altar in relief. The ends of the stone bear simple six-pointed stars.
Over this is a circular window, with a deep moulding about it, flanked by Ionic pi-
lasters (Ill. 68) that are now inverted. The two small side portals have pilasters with
simple bevelled bases and caps (the bases of two of them being omitted). The lintels
are capped each with a delicately carved cymatium, and the surface below the cymatium
in each shows remnants of carved wreaths and other ornament that has been inten-
tionally broken away. Over each of these side portals, set high in the wall, is a cir-
cular window within an oblong frame moulding (Ill. 68). The other walls of the building
are entirely plain, broken only by two or three small and irregularly placed windows.
The tower, or minaret, is a square of over 3 m. incorporated with the north and east
walls of the mosque. It is built of highly finished masonry up to the height of the
wall of the fagade; above that level the walls of the tower are of smooth quadrated
work. The uppermost story is a recent addition; for it is not shown in the photograph
published by Dr. Schumacher several years ago. The stair is well made but is con-
siderably broken. This building presents a difficult problem in the matter of elates;
for it seems to embody several periods and styles of architecture. It needs no demon-
stration to prove that the edifice was not originally constructed to serve as a mosque;
it is also plain that it was not designed for the services of the Christian religion. It
has been called a Nabataean temple, and indeed the broad flight of steps, and the
’ Z.D.P.-V., ’97. XX, p. 140.
2 p. 286.
3 Revue Numismatique, ’04, p. 164.