DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45598#0041
Kerratin, (Tarutia).
17
House No. i. 368-9 a.d. : I was unable to secure a measured plan of the house
with the oldest dated inscription. 1 The plan was, in general, similar to that of House
No. 4. The details of the arch and portal of the vestibule are given in illustration 83.
The portal was wide, measuring 1.60 m., the arch was broad and high. The profile
of the lintel is very simple, substantially like those of fourth-century lintels in the Djebel
Riha; the profiles of the pier cap and arch, with the half-round torus, are peculiar to
the region. The absence of incised ornament is significant, since all the later portals
and arches are richly ornamented, and I believe that the earlier details were simpler.
A capital, however, was found near this ruin, which may have belonged to this same
house. It is of Ionic design, the space between the volutes, on the face of the capital,
being filled with a Greek fret, in the squares of which are letters3 forming the
word A drawing of this capital is given in Div. Ill, with inscription No. 972.
House No. 2. 412—13 a.d. This residence was also in such absolute ruins that
I did not attempt to trace its plan. It is dated by an inscription 3 upon the lintel of
its main entrance. This house is over forty years later than the foregoing; its lintel
INSO 975- KETOATIN- scale: 6-cm-IM-
HoVSEN^- EATE^u/13- LINTELanDC0LVMN-
is more ornate (Ill. 84.). Beneath the hood-mould is a half-round carved as a large
bead-and-reel; in the centre is a disc with the -f-, and pellets in three of its quadrants.
A band of scroll work and small discs is carried across the flat part of the lintel: the
recessed fascias are done away with, and all resemblance to the Classic lintel is lost.
In the same ruin are the drums of an eight-sided column; each
side has a panel terminating at the top in a semi-circle.
House No. 3. 436—7 a.d. This house, is an example of
the smaller houses of ancient Tarutia. It had originally two rooms
on the ground floor (Ill. 85), or perhaps two rooms separated
by a narrow passage. A colonnade, probably in two stories,
extended across the front. A court yard, a little narrower than
the front of the house, walled on three sides, completed the plan.
This house was converted into a mosque in early Mohammedan
times. It faces north, and the mihrab was placed in the middle
of the south wall; the interior partitions were removed, the door¬
ways in the front wall were walled up, and a larger entrance
was placed in the middle. For this purpose the lintel of the outer vestibule was used,
so that its present position is not original. In the northwest angle of the court-yard,
upon the walls of the vestibule, a small square tower was erected; this is now in ruins;
1 Div. Ill, insc. 971.
2 Div. Ill, insc. 972.
3 Div. Ill, Ines. 975.
17
House No. i. 368-9 a.d. : I was unable to secure a measured plan of the house
with the oldest dated inscription. 1 The plan was, in general, similar to that of House
No. 4. The details of the arch and portal of the vestibule are given in illustration 83.
The portal was wide, measuring 1.60 m., the arch was broad and high. The profile
of the lintel is very simple, substantially like those of fourth-century lintels in the Djebel
Riha; the profiles of the pier cap and arch, with the half-round torus, are peculiar to
the region. The absence of incised ornament is significant, since all the later portals
and arches are richly ornamented, and I believe that the earlier details were simpler.
A capital, however, was found near this ruin, which may have belonged to this same
house. It is of Ionic design, the space between the volutes, on the face of the capital,
being filled with a Greek fret, in the squares of which are letters3 forming the
word A drawing of this capital is given in Div. Ill, with inscription No. 972.
House No. 2. 412—13 a.d. This residence was also in such absolute ruins that
I did not attempt to trace its plan. It is dated by an inscription 3 upon the lintel of
its main entrance. This house is over forty years later than the foregoing; its lintel
INSO 975- KETOATIN- scale: 6-cm-IM-
HoVSEN^- EATE^u/13- LINTELanDC0LVMN-
is more ornate (Ill. 84.). Beneath the hood-mould is a half-round carved as a large
bead-and-reel; in the centre is a disc with the -f-, and pellets in three of its quadrants.
A band of scroll work and small discs is carried across the flat part of the lintel: the
recessed fascias are done away with, and all resemblance to the Classic lintel is lost.
In the same ruin are the drums of an eight-sided column; each
side has a panel terminating at the top in a semi-circle.
House No. 3. 436—7 a.d. This house, is an example of
the smaller houses of ancient Tarutia. It had originally two rooms
on the ground floor (Ill. 85), or perhaps two rooms separated
by a narrow passage. A colonnade, probably in two stories,
extended across the front. A court yard, a little narrower than
the front of the house, walled on three sides, completed the plan.
This house was converted into a mosque in early Mohammedan
times. It faces north, and the mihrab was placed in the middle
of the south wall; the interior partitions were removed, the door¬
ways in the front wall were walled up, and a larger entrance
was placed in the middle. For this purpose the lintel of the outer vestibule was used,
so that its present position is not original. In the northwest angle of the court-yard,
upon the walls of the vestibule, a small square tower was erected; this is now in ruins;
1 Div. Ill, insc. 971.
2 Div. Ill, insc. 972.
3 Div. Ill, Ines. 975.