DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45581#0101
il-Mithnayeh
143
tion. It consists of a large compartment (Ill. 126) spanned by two transverse
arches, in a single story, between two long narrow compartments. The narrow rooms
on both sides were stables, and open mangers are set in the wall between them and the
main room. There are no traces of upper rooms, either for storing fodder or for
residence. The piers which carry the great transverse arches stand free from the wall,
but the arches are joined to the walls in the spandrils. This stable may be compared
with one in Subhiyeh (Ill. 88).
62. UMM KOSER (West).
A well-built tower and six or seven large ruined houses of the better class, to-
gether with a few poorer structures, mostly stables, mark this ancient site. The place
was a small collection of farm houses with their out-buildings, and with the usual
watch-tower. There was no plan or detail of new type or of peculiar interest, and,
for this reason, I did not linger here to measure the ancient buildings.
63. IMTAN. (MOTHA\
This is a Druse village of some importance. The place was visited by M. Dussaud1
on his journey to the Safa, and several inscriptions were copied here by him. The
ancient name of the place seems to have been Motha, Mothana2 or Motana.3 There
are numerous traces of ancient occupation here, in fragments of architecture and in
inscriptions, but little or nothing that is in situ, or that has not been completely changed
in the construction of the modern town.
64. UMM KOSER (East).
Eastward from Imtan is a second small ruin called Umm Kos£r; it is an ancient
military station, neither very large nor important. In the northeast angle of the ruins
is a well-built tower constructed entirely of draughted masonry. The rest of the group
consists of a rectangle of buildings about a small yard. These buildings are apparently
barracks and stables. The tower is probably not later than the fourth century, parts
of the other buildings are less well constructed, and may be of later date.
65. il-mithnAyeh.
South of Umm Kos£r is this small ancient village now completely ruined, and
much broken up for building stone, by the people of Imt&n. There were few houses
of the better class, the town having been built almost entirely of rough quadrated
masonry. Two capitals of Nabataen style, and a few fragments of mouldings were
found here which witness to the antiquity of the site. The remains of a small church
are perhaps to be recognized in a ruin in the southern part of the town. There are
three well built cisterns on the outskirts of the ruins, and rubbish heaps in which
quantities of sherds of decorated glazed pottery are to be seen.
1 V.A.S., p. 167-175. 2 M.S.M. p. 430. 3 Ibid. 472, note.
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expedition to Syria, Div. II, Sec. A, Pt. 2. 19
143
tion. It consists of a large compartment (Ill. 126) spanned by two transverse
arches, in a single story, between two long narrow compartments. The narrow rooms
on both sides were stables, and open mangers are set in the wall between them and the
main room. There are no traces of upper rooms, either for storing fodder or for
residence. The piers which carry the great transverse arches stand free from the wall,
but the arches are joined to the walls in the spandrils. This stable may be compared
with one in Subhiyeh (Ill. 88).
62. UMM KOSER (West).
A well-built tower and six or seven large ruined houses of the better class, to-
gether with a few poorer structures, mostly stables, mark this ancient site. The place
was a small collection of farm houses with their out-buildings, and with the usual
watch-tower. There was no plan or detail of new type or of peculiar interest, and,
for this reason, I did not linger here to measure the ancient buildings.
63. IMTAN. (MOTHA\
This is a Druse village of some importance. The place was visited by M. Dussaud1
on his journey to the Safa, and several inscriptions were copied here by him. The
ancient name of the place seems to have been Motha, Mothana2 or Motana.3 There
are numerous traces of ancient occupation here, in fragments of architecture and in
inscriptions, but little or nothing that is in situ, or that has not been completely changed
in the construction of the modern town.
64. UMM KOSER (East).
Eastward from Imtan is a second small ruin called Umm Kos£r; it is an ancient
military station, neither very large nor important. In the northeast angle of the ruins
is a well-built tower constructed entirely of draughted masonry. The rest of the group
consists of a rectangle of buildings about a small yard. These buildings are apparently
barracks and stables. The tower is probably not later than the fourth century, parts
of the other buildings are less well constructed, and may be of later date.
65. il-mithnAyeh.
South of Umm Kos£r is this small ancient village now completely ruined, and
much broken up for building stone, by the people of Imt&n. There were few houses
of the better class, the town having been built almost entirely of rough quadrated
masonry. Two capitals of Nabataen style, and a few fragments of mouldings were
found here which witness to the antiquity of the site. The remains of a small church
are perhaps to be recognized in a ruin in the southern part of the town. There are
three well built cisterns on the outskirts of the ruins, and rubbish heaps in which
quantities of sherds of decorated glazed pottery are to be seen.
1 V.A.S., p. 167-175. 2 M.S.M. p. 430. 3 Ibid. 472, note.
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expedition to Syria, Div. II, Sec. A, Pt. 2. 19