DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45583#0016
226
Division II Section A Part 4
wall are the only parts that preserve even their lower courses, for the reason that
they were the farthest removed from the Castle, and it follows that those sections of
the wall which lay nearest to that huge structure are not preserved at all. In fact,
it is impossible at present, without excavations, to say where the walls of the south-
eastern part of the circuit were. A small bit of the Roman wall is preserved in the
structure of the walls of the Djamic il-Mebrak, the mosque at the northeast angle of
city. The lower courses of this wall still remain, though partly buried, in a section
of considerable length to the west of the mosque; but the wall preserves a much
higher fragment which actually forms a part of the west wall of the mosque, and is
set at right angles to the other section, showing that it was part of an angle tower.
This bit of the great city wall may be assumed to have been spared because the
mosque is earlier than the castle. The section of wall that is shown in black on the
plan of Bosra, a short distance to the northwest of the Theatre, is not of the same
type of wall building as the great Roman wall. It is poorer work, and appears to
belong to the mediaeval period. There is a round tower in the wall on the west side
of the city and a square tower in the east wall, both of which are shown in the plan
of the city; but they are so deeply buried in debris that it was impossible to secure
a photograph of them or of any part of the city walls. All my observations of them
were made by excavating small holes in the debris which now covers them, at different
points along their course.
Gates.
It has been remarked above that only two of the principal gates of Bosra are to
be seen to-day: one is in an excellent state of preservation, the other is to be studied
only in foundations. In addition to these, three smaller gates, or posterns, were dis-
covered. The West Gate, or Bab il-Hawa (Gate of the Wind) as it is called by the
Arabs, is one of the monuments that has attracted the notice of every visitor to the
city (Ills. 200—201). It has "been excellently published by Professor Brunnow \ and my
drawings (Ill. 202), which were made from my own measurements, serve only to cor-
roborate his; they add nothing beyond a suggestion for the restoration of the upper
part of the structure. For details on larger scale I would refer to the illustrations in
Die Provincia Arabia. The plan of the gate is composed of two square towers with
pilasters at all four angles, set, over 10 m. apart, to mark the ends of the opening
in the wall, and, between the towers, a double arched entrance of smaller depth than
towers, the arches being flanked on either hand by two pilasters and a niche. The
two faces of the gate are almost precisely alike, the only differences being minor con-
siderations of small measurements. The two photographs, and the parts of the
drawings that are shown by shaded stonework, will give an idea of the state of
preservation in which the gate stands. In the elevation which I have drawn, i. e., the
West Face, the middle part of the gate alone is represented; only the corners of the
towers and their pilasters appearing on either hand. It will be observed that this
middle part rises a full storey higher than the tops of the towers, the extra height being
given by the tunnel vault which is still in place. This then constitutes the gate proper.
It consists of three storeys, divided by string mouldings, the lowest storey containing
1 P.A. III. 6—11.
Division II Section A Part 4
wall are the only parts that preserve even their lower courses, for the reason that
they were the farthest removed from the Castle, and it follows that those sections of
the wall which lay nearest to that huge structure are not preserved at all. In fact,
it is impossible at present, without excavations, to say where the walls of the south-
eastern part of the circuit were. A small bit of the Roman wall is preserved in the
structure of the walls of the Djamic il-Mebrak, the mosque at the northeast angle of
city. The lower courses of this wall still remain, though partly buried, in a section
of considerable length to the west of the mosque; but the wall preserves a much
higher fragment which actually forms a part of the west wall of the mosque, and is
set at right angles to the other section, showing that it was part of an angle tower.
This bit of the great city wall may be assumed to have been spared because the
mosque is earlier than the castle. The section of wall that is shown in black on the
plan of Bosra, a short distance to the northwest of the Theatre, is not of the same
type of wall building as the great Roman wall. It is poorer work, and appears to
belong to the mediaeval period. There is a round tower in the wall on the west side
of the city and a square tower in the east wall, both of which are shown in the plan
of the city; but they are so deeply buried in debris that it was impossible to secure
a photograph of them or of any part of the city walls. All my observations of them
were made by excavating small holes in the debris which now covers them, at different
points along their course.
Gates.
It has been remarked above that only two of the principal gates of Bosra are to
be seen to-day: one is in an excellent state of preservation, the other is to be studied
only in foundations. In addition to these, three smaller gates, or posterns, were dis-
covered. The West Gate, or Bab il-Hawa (Gate of the Wind) as it is called by the
Arabs, is one of the monuments that has attracted the notice of every visitor to the
city (Ills. 200—201). It has "been excellently published by Professor Brunnow \ and my
drawings (Ill. 202), which were made from my own measurements, serve only to cor-
roborate his; they add nothing beyond a suggestion for the restoration of the upper
part of the structure. For details on larger scale I would refer to the illustrations in
Die Provincia Arabia. The plan of the gate is composed of two square towers with
pilasters at all four angles, set, over 10 m. apart, to mark the ends of the opening
in the wall, and, between the towers, a double arched entrance of smaller depth than
towers, the arches being flanked on either hand by two pilasters and a niche. The
two faces of the gate are almost precisely alike, the only differences being minor con-
siderations of small measurements. The two photographs, and the parts of the
drawings that are shown by shaded stonework, will give an idea of the state of
preservation in which the gate stands. In the elevation which I have drawn, i. e., the
West Face, the middle part of the gate alone is represented; only the corners of the
towers and their pilasters appearing on either hand. It will be observed that this
middle part rises a full storey higher than the tops of the towers, the extra height being
given by the tunnel vault which is still in place. This then constitutes the gate proper.
It consists of three storeys, divided by string mouldings, the lowest storey containing
1 P.A. III. 6—11.