DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45584#0008
74- DJEMERRIN.
There are at least three ancient roads leading out of Bosra toward the north,
and passing through ruins in the immediate vicinity, one leading in a northeasterly
direction toward il-Kefr, one extending almost due north through Suweda, and a third
which leads toward the northwest; this last was not explored by us beyond Kharaba.
The middle road passes near D£r Mikm, a small ruin of crude character showing little
dressed stonework and only a few fragments of columns; it was probably the site of a
small convent of little importance. The first ancient site on this road which is worthy
of note is situated just to the south of the upper branch of the Wadi Zedi and is now
called Djemerrin. The ruin appears to be that of a large villa with numerous depen-
dencies rather than that of a town; but the extensive remains of this large and fine
structure are quite imposing, crowning, as they do, a low knoll, which slopes toward
the wadi. Just beyond the villa is a fine bridge, rather well preserved, which spans
the Wadi Zedi, and seems, from its structure, to belong to the same period as the
bridge over the same stream near it-Taiyibeh, which is dated by an inscription 1 of the
year 164 a. d.
Villa. The ruins of the villa have become the site of a small village. Parts of
the lower storey of the ancient building are now inhabited, and several modern houses
have been erected within the walls of the courtyard. It is still possible to trace the
ground plan (Ill. 268) of the greater part of the ancient building; and the most im-
portant part of it is still preserved in a tall, massive, and highly finished wall, showing
three, and even four, storeys of openings (Ills. 269, 270), which constituted the main
facade of the villa, facing south upon the enclosed court. The row of apartments on
the north side of the courtyard, extending about 40 m., are well preserved on the
east of the middle room, on the other side they have been partly rebuilt in modern
times. There are extensive remains of lower buildings on the east side of the court,
and traces of similar structures on the west side. The south side was closed by a row
of narrow buildings on either side of the entrance; but these are in complete ruins.
The whole compound was surrounded by a high wall, built of undressed stone laid in
regular courses, which formed an enclosure of about 80 by 60 m. The plan of the
main residential group on the north side of the courtyard consists of a fine large middle
room, almost 10 m. square, in two storeys both arched, with two oblong narrow rooms
and a square apartment on either side of it. My drawing (Ill. 268) shows the plan
of this part of the villa complete, but the elevation and longitudinal section give only
the middle group of apartments, which are the only ones that are preserved above the
1 HI, insc. 622.
There are at least three ancient roads leading out of Bosra toward the north,
and passing through ruins in the immediate vicinity, one leading in a northeasterly
direction toward il-Kefr, one extending almost due north through Suweda, and a third
which leads toward the northwest; this last was not explored by us beyond Kharaba.
The middle road passes near D£r Mikm, a small ruin of crude character showing little
dressed stonework and only a few fragments of columns; it was probably the site of a
small convent of little importance. The first ancient site on this road which is worthy
of note is situated just to the south of the upper branch of the Wadi Zedi and is now
called Djemerrin. The ruin appears to be that of a large villa with numerous depen-
dencies rather than that of a town; but the extensive remains of this large and fine
structure are quite imposing, crowning, as they do, a low knoll, which slopes toward
the wadi. Just beyond the villa is a fine bridge, rather well preserved, which spans
the Wadi Zedi, and seems, from its structure, to belong to the same period as the
bridge over the same stream near it-Taiyibeh, which is dated by an inscription 1 of the
year 164 a. d.
Villa. The ruins of the villa have become the site of a small village. Parts of
the lower storey of the ancient building are now inhabited, and several modern houses
have been erected within the walls of the courtyard. It is still possible to trace the
ground plan (Ill. 268) of the greater part of the ancient building; and the most im-
portant part of it is still preserved in a tall, massive, and highly finished wall, showing
three, and even four, storeys of openings (Ills. 269, 270), which constituted the main
facade of the villa, facing south upon the enclosed court. The row of apartments on
the north side of the courtyard, extending about 40 m., are well preserved on the
east of the middle room, on the other side they have been partly rebuilt in modern
times. There are extensive remains of lower buildings on the east side of the court,
and traces of similar structures on the west side. The south side was closed by a row
of narrow buildings on either side of the entrance; but these are in complete ruins.
The whole compound was surrounded by a high wall, built of undressed stone laid in
regular courses, which formed an enclosure of about 80 by 60 m. The plan of the
main residential group on the north side of the courtyard consists of a fine large middle
room, almost 10 m. square, in two storeys both arched, with two oblong narrow rooms
and a square apartment on either side of it. My drawing (Ill. 268) shows the plan
of this part of the villa complete, but the elevation and longitudinal section give only
the middle group of apartments, which are the only ones that are preserved above the
1 HI, insc. 622.