DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45588#0015
Brekeh
411
architrave consists of two bands separated by a slender reed, the lower band is very
narrow, and the cymatium is of an unusual type, consisting of a simple cyma-reversa,
as may be seen in the drawing (Ill. 352) of a voussoir from the arcuated part of the
architrave. The frieze was quite plain, and could be detected in the ruins only by the
presence of those parts of it which belonged to the arcuated entablature. The cornice
was denticulated, but it is too badly broken to be reproduced in a drawing. It was found
that the sima of the cornice was separated from the corona and dentils on the east
faQade, the former taking the lines of the gable, the latter following the arch. The
two exterior niches are represented by four heavy and very salient brackets, one of
which is in place, by pieces of the stone-coursing cut with parts of the curve of a
niche and with sections of coupled three-quarter columns, bases, and Ionic capitals, and
by two large blocks each cut to form the concha, the arcuated entablature, and the
gable of a niche. One of these niches is represented in a scale drawing in Ill. 352,
and they are shown in place in the restoration (Pl. XXIX), where it will be observed
there is no room to spare between the pilasters and the niches.
In the interior were found sections of the plain shafts and capitals of Ionic columns
of an order slightly smaller than those of the porch. It is probable that these divided
the interior and supported the roof; but excavations would be necessary to determine
their number, and where they stood. It was interesting to find that the capitals of
these columns had four similar faces, like the upper part of a Composite capital. I made
no drawings of these capitals; but the outer angle of the exterior corner capital which
is shown in Ill. 352, if reproduced all the way around, would present a very exact
picture of one of these interior capitals. The great niche in the west wall, only the
lower courses of which are preserved, is 1.52 m. wide, and only 60 cm. deep. It is
flanked by coupled pilasters. The great concha which crowned the niche had the form
of one quarter of a hollow sphere, and its projection beyond the niche which is less
than a semicircle, together with the heavy mouldings and the pediment above them,
were carried on two pairs of columns to which the coupled pilasters were responds.
Thus the great niche of the interior and the smaller exterior niches were all reproductions
on small scale of the east fagade of the temple itself. The great concha of the interior
niche fell from its place in the wall when its supporting columns were removed, and it
was later intentionally broken up; a small part of it being taken for the erection of
the mihrab which the Moslems built against the south wall of the cella.
The style of this little building would indicate a rather late date. The Ionic capitals
with the flat bands which describe their volutes and the rather dry, stiff carving suggest
the order of the street colonnades of Bosra, which belong probably to the time of
Severus Alexander, rather than that of the temple at Hebran which is dated in the
reign of Antoninus Pius. Many of the projecting mouldings which would be expected
to be curved, like the upper and lower numbers of the pilaster bases (cf. Ill. 352), are
simply chamfered; but all the carving and the stonework have the highest finish, which
shows that technical skill had not yet begun to decline in the Hauran. It will be
observed that many of the details of this little temple are quite similar to those of the
so-called Basilica at Shakka1 first published by M. de Vogue. 3 The exterior niches
are almost identical. The certainty with which the porch of the temple may be restored
cf. A. A. E. S. II, p. 367. 2 5. C. Pl. 15.
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions to Syria. Div. II, Sec. A, Pt. 7. 54
411
architrave consists of two bands separated by a slender reed, the lower band is very
narrow, and the cymatium is of an unusual type, consisting of a simple cyma-reversa,
as may be seen in the drawing (Ill. 352) of a voussoir from the arcuated part of the
architrave. The frieze was quite plain, and could be detected in the ruins only by the
presence of those parts of it which belonged to the arcuated entablature. The cornice
was denticulated, but it is too badly broken to be reproduced in a drawing. It was found
that the sima of the cornice was separated from the corona and dentils on the east
faQade, the former taking the lines of the gable, the latter following the arch. The
two exterior niches are represented by four heavy and very salient brackets, one of
which is in place, by pieces of the stone-coursing cut with parts of the curve of a
niche and with sections of coupled three-quarter columns, bases, and Ionic capitals, and
by two large blocks each cut to form the concha, the arcuated entablature, and the
gable of a niche. One of these niches is represented in a scale drawing in Ill. 352,
and they are shown in place in the restoration (Pl. XXIX), where it will be observed
there is no room to spare between the pilasters and the niches.
In the interior were found sections of the plain shafts and capitals of Ionic columns
of an order slightly smaller than those of the porch. It is probable that these divided
the interior and supported the roof; but excavations would be necessary to determine
their number, and where they stood. It was interesting to find that the capitals of
these columns had four similar faces, like the upper part of a Composite capital. I made
no drawings of these capitals; but the outer angle of the exterior corner capital which
is shown in Ill. 352, if reproduced all the way around, would present a very exact
picture of one of these interior capitals. The great niche in the west wall, only the
lower courses of which are preserved, is 1.52 m. wide, and only 60 cm. deep. It is
flanked by coupled pilasters. The great concha which crowned the niche had the form
of one quarter of a hollow sphere, and its projection beyond the niche which is less
than a semicircle, together with the heavy mouldings and the pediment above them,
were carried on two pairs of columns to which the coupled pilasters were responds.
Thus the great niche of the interior and the smaller exterior niches were all reproductions
on small scale of the east fagade of the temple itself. The great concha of the interior
niche fell from its place in the wall when its supporting columns were removed, and it
was later intentionally broken up; a small part of it being taken for the erection of
the mihrab which the Moslems built against the south wall of the cella.
The style of this little building would indicate a rather late date. The Ionic capitals
with the flat bands which describe their volutes and the rather dry, stiff carving suggest
the order of the street colonnades of Bosra, which belong probably to the time of
Severus Alexander, rather than that of the temple at Hebran which is dated in the
reign of Antoninus Pius. Many of the projecting mouldings which would be expected
to be curved, like the upper and lower numbers of the pilaster bases (cf. Ill. 352), are
simply chamfered; but all the carving and the stonework have the highest finish, which
shows that technical skill had not yet begun to decline in the Hauran. It will be
observed that many of the details of this little temple are quite similar to those of the
so-called Basilica at Shakka1 first published by M. de Vogue. 3 The exterior niches
are almost identical. The certainty with which the porch of the temple may be restored
cf. A. A. E. S. II, p. 367. 2 5. C. Pl. 15.
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions to Syria. Div. II, Sec. A, Pt. 7. 54