DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45588#0052
Sahr
445
composes the thighs and some drapery, the uppermost fragment is the complete torso.
The upper drapery falls from a buckle on the left shoulder leaving the right breast bare,
and is loosely belted at the waist. There is a necklace hanging loosely about the neck,
and the belt is studded probably to represent jewels. The upper drapery, the himation,
below the belt parts in flying folds, not unlike trumpet folds, on either side of the
abdomen, falling to the upper part of the thighs; the under drapery falls to the feet,
is thrown back against the limbs, and is carried as if by the wind, in long sweeping
folds backward from beside the limbs. Much of this heavy fold drapery has been
broken away. The composition is spirited and has every appearance of being copied
from some great work of art. It probably belongs to the early years of the second
century after Christ. The execution is remarkably good when one considers the diffi-
culties of working such a material as basalt. L is a draped male figure in two frag-
ments. Only the head and shoulders and the right forearm are missing. Here again
we find an upper and a nether garment, but in this figure the drapery is heavier than
that seen in H and falls in straighter folds. The figure stands erect upon both feet
in soldierly attitude. The left hand rests easily upon a shield, the right, which was
extended forward, probably held a spear. The sleeved tunic is belted at the waist by
a broad band and falls to the thighs in front in even folds with a heavy hem at the
bottom, and to the knees behind. Over the tunic was a mantle which fell from the
neck, parting over the chest and draping itself over both arms as far as the elbows.
The lower drapery is very stiffly treated. The thighs are outlined in the drapery by
means of thin sharp folds, the knees are over emphasized, and the feet barely show.
The front of the oval shield is given a nail-studded rim, and is ornamented in the middle
with the Medusa head in low relief. This figure does not compare favourably with H in
style or composition or execution. It is manifestly by a different hand and probably
belongs to a different epoch. The base of this statue bears a brief inscription in Greek;
but I would assign the statue to the Nabataean period of the first century after Christ.
Theatre. The diminutive theatre is situated just beside the fore-court of the temple,
on the east, or left, side as one faces the temple, and only 15.80 m. from it, facing
south. It is only 20 m. in diameter with an orchestra of 10.25 m. in diameter. The semi-
circle of the orchestra, if drawn to a complete circle, is exactly tangent to the front of
the stage wall. The semicircle of seats is prolonged in straight lines on either side,
to a distance of 8.60 m., to the straight wall which forms the back of the stage. The
stage is in a ruined condition, so that it is impossible to determine its original height,
and the orchestra is so filled with debris of broken stone that its floor level could not
be found. The orchestra is surrounded by a wall at least 2 m. high, above which is
a narrow walk only 82 cm. wide. Above this rise the seven rows of seats, each 38 cm.
high and 50 cm. deep, with another passage at the top. The seats are intersected by
three flights of stairs, one on the major axis and two on the diameter; and there are
two more flights of steps at the termination of the seats against the back wall. The
orchestra was reached from the outside by three passages below the seats, one on the
main axis and one on either side just below the diameter. I was unable to discover
the means of communication between the orchestra and the cavea, or tiers of seats, or
any approach from the outside to the seats of the theatre; but it is probable that steps
ascended in the thickness of the wall, breaking through the tiers of seats. So far as
could be discovered, there was no stage building in the ordinary sense : the seats extended
445
composes the thighs and some drapery, the uppermost fragment is the complete torso.
The upper drapery falls from a buckle on the left shoulder leaving the right breast bare,
and is loosely belted at the waist. There is a necklace hanging loosely about the neck,
and the belt is studded probably to represent jewels. The upper drapery, the himation,
below the belt parts in flying folds, not unlike trumpet folds, on either side of the
abdomen, falling to the upper part of the thighs; the under drapery falls to the feet,
is thrown back against the limbs, and is carried as if by the wind, in long sweeping
folds backward from beside the limbs. Much of this heavy fold drapery has been
broken away. The composition is spirited and has every appearance of being copied
from some great work of art. It probably belongs to the early years of the second
century after Christ. The execution is remarkably good when one considers the diffi-
culties of working such a material as basalt. L is a draped male figure in two frag-
ments. Only the head and shoulders and the right forearm are missing. Here again
we find an upper and a nether garment, but in this figure the drapery is heavier than
that seen in H and falls in straighter folds. The figure stands erect upon both feet
in soldierly attitude. The left hand rests easily upon a shield, the right, which was
extended forward, probably held a spear. The sleeved tunic is belted at the waist by
a broad band and falls to the thighs in front in even folds with a heavy hem at the
bottom, and to the knees behind. Over the tunic was a mantle which fell from the
neck, parting over the chest and draping itself over both arms as far as the elbows.
The lower drapery is very stiffly treated. The thighs are outlined in the drapery by
means of thin sharp folds, the knees are over emphasized, and the feet barely show.
The front of the oval shield is given a nail-studded rim, and is ornamented in the middle
with the Medusa head in low relief. This figure does not compare favourably with H in
style or composition or execution. It is manifestly by a different hand and probably
belongs to a different epoch. The base of this statue bears a brief inscription in Greek;
but I would assign the statue to the Nabataean period of the first century after Christ.
Theatre. The diminutive theatre is situated just beside the fore-court of the temple,
on the east, or left, side as one faces the temple, and only 15.80 m. from it, facing
south. It is only 20 m. in diameter with an orchestra of 10.25 m. in diameter. The semi-
circle of the orchestra, if drawn to a complete circle, is exactly tangent to the front of
the stage wall. The semicircle of seats is prolonged in straight lines on either side,
to a distance of 8.60 m., to the straight wall which forms the back of the stage. The
stage is in a ruined condition, so that it is impossible to determine its original height,
and the orchestra is so filled with debris of broken stone that its floor level could not
be found. The orchestra is surrounded by a wall at least 2 m. high, above which is
a narrow walk only 82 cm. wide. Above this rise the seven rows of seats, each 38 cm.
high and 50 cm. deep, with another passage at the top. The seats are intersected by
three flights of stairs, one on the major axis and two on the diameter; and there are
two more flights of steps at the termination of the seats against the back wall. The
orchestra was reached from the outside by three passages below the seats, one on the
main axis and one on either side just below the diameter. I was unable to discover
the means of communication between the orchestra and the cavea, or tiers of seats, or
any approach from the outside to the seats of the theatre; but it is probable that steps
ascended in the thickness of the wall, breaking through the tiers of seats. So far as
could be discovered, there was no stage building in the ordinary sense : the seats extended