DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45583#0029
236
Division II Section A Part 4
Nabataean Remains.
Before taking up in order the description of other structures in Bosra which belong
certainly to the period of Roman domination in Arabia, and which are in a better or
a worse state of preservation, it may be well to give a description of some remains
of ancient buildings which bear a different mark from the edifices of the Roman or
Christian periods, and which seem to be allied with architectural monuments which are
known to be older, and to have been the work of the Nabataeans. These fragments
have a striking resemblance to details of architecture found at Sic in the Djebel Hauran,
which are known by inscriptions in Nabataean script to belong to the first century of
this era. Some of them are closely allied with the architectural features of the rockhewn
tombs of ancient Hegra, near Medain Saleh, which are also known to be of Nabataean
origin and of early date, and all are suggestive of the style of architecture illustrated
in some of the famous rock-hewn facades of Petra which, for lack of inscriptions, are
to be classed with the other monuments by analogy.
It may be said at the outset that Nabataean inscriptions are found in almost
every quarter of the city; but that the remains of buildings and the fragments of
architectural details that can be called Nabataean have all been found between the
East Arch and the line of the east wall of the town. The most conspicuous monu-
ment of this class is a tall half column engaged
with a broad pier, which stands about 25 m.
to the eastward of the East Arch. The scale
of this half column (Ill. 211) which is 1.32 m._
in. diameter, suggests that the building to which
it belonged was one of fairly large dimensions;
but all other signs of a building in the vici-
nity have disappeared, or are completely hidden
in the closely packed cluster of modern dwel-
lings that now occupies the spot. The half
column itself rises 4.50 m. above the flat earthen
roof of one of these dwellings, and the photo-
graph was taken from that roof. To this height
we may add at least 3.50 m. for the height
of the house, and not less than 2 m. more
for the depth of the accumulated soil above
the original level upon which the base of the
column rests, which will give 10 m. or between
eight and nine diameters, as the height of the
column. The capital here is the detail which
attracts attention (Ill. 212), and I have pre-
pared a measured drawing on large scale to
illustrate it. The drawing and the photograph
both show a set of mouldings, — an ovolo and a cyma recta below two slanting fascias
separated by a groove of triangular section —, which compose a sort of echinus, and
a high and heavy abacus with concave sides and salient angles which are cut off square
at the ends and bevelled inwards at a steep angle to meet curved surfaces which carry
Division II Section A Part 4
Nabataean Remains.
Before taking up in order the description of other structures in Bosra which belong
certainly to the period of Roman domination in Arabia, and which are in a better or
a worse state of preservation, it may be well to give a description of some remains
of ancient buildings which bear a different mark from the edifices of the Roman or
Christian periods, and which seem to be allied with architectural monuments which are
known to be older, and to have been the work of the Nabataeans. These fragments
have a striking resemblance to details of architecture found at Sic in the Djebel Hauran,
which are known by inscriptions in Nabataean script to belong to the first century of
this era. Some of them are closely allied with the architectural features of the rockhewn
tombs of ancient Hegra, near Medain Saleh, which are also known to be of Nabataean
origin and of early date, and all are suggestive of the style of architecture illustrated
in some of the famous rock-hewn facades of Petra which, for lack of inscriptions, are
to be classed with the other monuments by analogy.
It may be said at the outset that Nabataean inscriptions are found in almost
every quarter of the city; but that the remains of buildings and the fragments of
architectural details that can be called Nabataean have all been found between the
East Arch and the line of the east wall of the town. The most conspicuous monu-
ment of this class is a tall half column engaged
with a broad pier, which stands about 25 m.
to the eastward of the East Arch. The scale
of this half column (Ill. 211) which is 1.32 m._
in. diameter, suggests that the building to which
it belonged was one of fairly large dimensions;
but all other signs of a building in the vici-
nity have disappeared, or are completely hidden
in the closely packed cluster of modern dwel-
lings that now occupies the spot. The half
column itself rises 4.50 m. above the flat earthen
roof of one of these dwellings, and the photo-
graph was taken from that roof. To this height
we may add at least 3.50 m. for the height
of the house, and not less than 2 m. more
for the depth of the accumulated soil above
the original level upon which the base of the
column rests, which will give 10 m. or between
eight and nine diameters, as the height of the
column. The capital here is the detail which
attracts attention (Ill. 212), and I have pre-
pared a measured drawing on large scale to
illustrate it. The drawing and the photograph
both show a set of mouldings, — an ovolo and a cyma recta below two slanting fascias
separated by a groove of triangular section —, which compose a sort of echinus, and
a high and heavy abacus with concave sides and salient angles which are cut off square
at the ends and bevelled inwards at a steep angle to meet curved surfaces which carry