DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45598#0027
64
II. B. 2.
the south side, and a single square tower in the middle of its east wall. The lower
part of the walls was canted, adding greatly to the strength of the main wall which was
only .94 m. thick. The wall was provided on the inside with salient buttresses about 3 m.
apart, and there are a number of retaining arches between the buttresses. Two very stout,
tower-like buttresses flanked the entrance, on the inside. Within the outer walls there is a
confused mass of ruins. Near the east wall, and south of the east-and-west axis ot
the fortress, is a ruined building which had interior arches and an arcade on three sides
supported by piers, and which may have been a chapel. South of this, at some distance,
stands a row of five columns. To the northwest are the remains of an arcade which
was composed of T-form piers alternating with slender columns. This is a very un-
usual arrangement in Syria, and is more like the ruin of a Romanesque cloister in
Southern France. The leg of each T is turned inward, and was probably a respond
for a column. The arcade turned an angle, and, if both sides were produced, one
would be 18 m. north of the chapel, and the other 24 m. west of it. Near the middle
of the north wall is a building of two compartments, both of which were paved with
white mosaic; one contained a cistern. West of the north-and-south axis of the for-
tress are two parallel walls 2.90 m. apart. The west wall and one half of the east
wall are well preserved. The towers at the entrance on the south have fallen, but the
portal, consisting of a rectangular doorway, retains its lintel in situ, with the inscription 1
which gives the date to the building.
Between the entrance towers there appears to have been a tunnel vault. The
west wall is less well preserved, and the north wall is completely dilapidated; in
fact, there are no signs that it was ever as well built as the other walls. It is difficult
to make out the plan of the building that I have called the chapel, owing to the accu-
mulations of debris, and the heaps of ruin about the outer arcade render it impossible
to secure further details than those already mentioned. The sole remnant of ornament
beside that on the jambs and lintel of the main gate (see phothograph of inscription
947 in Div. Ill), is that of the portal of the chapel which is rather more graceful and
effective than most of the ornament of the region.
22. KUBBIT CABLEH.
This name means the “hut of cAbleh”, cAntar’s wife. The ruin is situated south-
west of Stabl cAntar; it consists of the remains of a number of small buildings of no
particular importance, a large building, not a church, built entirely of limestone in large
blocks, and a small tower also of limestone. There are indications that the place was
recently inhabited by one or two families; for there are two half-ruined mud kubbehs here.
The condition of the ruins made it quite impossible to gather sufficent data for a single plan.
23. TELL IL-HALAWEH.
Upon the tell of this name, and about its base, there are but scant indications
that this was the site of an ancient town. The remains consist of half-buried foun-
dation walls and scattered details all in basalt. A modern settlement of small size appears
to have been made here and abandoned again at no very distant date. The ruins on the top
of the tell may be of great antiquity, the others appear to have been of the Christian period.
1 Div. Ill, inset. 947.
II. B. 2.
the south side, and a single square tower in the middle of its east wall. The lower
part of the walls was canted, adding greatly to the strength of the main wall which was
only .94 m. thick. The wall was provided on the inside with salient buttresses about 3 m.
apart, and there are a number of retaining arches between the buttresses. Two very stout,
tower-like buttresses flanked the entrance, on the inside. Within the outer walls there is a
confused mass of ruins. Near the east wall, and south of the east-and-west axis ot
the fortress, is a ruined building which had interior arches and an arcade on three sides
supported by piers, and which may have been a chapel. South of this, at some distance,
stands a row of five columns. To the northwest are the remains of an arcade which
was composed of T-form piers alternating with slender columns. This is a very un-
usual arrangement in Syria, and is more like the ruin of a Romanesque cloister in
Southern France. The leg of each T is turned inward, and was probably a respond
for a column. The arcade turned an angle, and, if both sides were produced, one
would be 18 m. north of the chapel, and the other 24 m. west of it. Near the middle
of the north wall is a building of two compartments, both of which were paved with
white mosaic; one contained a cistern. West of the north-and-south axis of the for-
tress are two parallel walls 2.90 m. apart. The west wall and one half of the east
wall are well preserved. The towers at the entrance on the south have fallen, but the
portal, consisting of a rectangular doorway, retains its lintel in situ, with the inscription 1
which gives the date to the building.
Between the entrance towers there appears to have been a tunnel vault. The
west wall is less well preserved, and the north wall is completely dilapidated; in
fact, there are no signs that it was ever as well built as the other walls. It is difficult
to make out the plan of the building that I have called the chapel, owing to the accu-
mulations of debris, and the heaps of ruin about the outer arcade render it impossible
to secure further details than those already mentioned. The sole remnant of ornament
beside that on the jambs and lintel of the main gate (see phothograph of inscription
947 in Div. Ill), is that of the portal of the chapel which is rather more graceful and
effective than most of the ornament of the region.
22. KUBBIT CABLEH.
This name means the “hut of cAbleh”, cAntar’s wife. The ruin is situated south-
west of Stabl cAntar; it consists of the remains of a number of small buildings of no
particular importance, a large building, not a church, built entirely of limestone in large
blocks, and a small tower also of limestone. There are indications that the place was
recently inhabited by one or two families; for there are two half-ruined mud kubbehs here.
The condition of the ruins made it quite impossible to gather sufficent data for a single plan.
23. TELL IL-HALAWEH.
Upon the tell of this name, and about its base, there are but scant indications
that this was the site of an ancient town. The remains consist of half-buried foun-
dation walls and scattered details all in basalt. A modern settlement of small size appears
to have been made here and abandoned again at no very distant date. The ruins on the top
of the tell may be of great antiquity, the others appear to have been of the Christian period.
1 Div. Ill, inset. 947.