DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45598#0043
Kerratin, (Tarutia).
79
end. The court-yard was of the same width as the house; it is impossible to know
how far south it extended. Along its west wall a colonnade of columns, smaller than
those of the main colonnade, was carried. In the middle of the court, just in front
of the middle room of the house, is the opening of a cistern. The two columns that
stand above the mass of ruins (Ill. 87), carrying aloft their block of architrave which
proclaims to the passer-by the age of the long deserted residence, are of considerable
interest, as is also the architrave. They show us conclusively that capitals of different
orders were employed, side by side, in colonnades. One of the capitals is an imitation
of the Corinthian order, commonly found in this locality. It has the form of that
capital crudely blocked out; the lower ring of leaves are plain, heavy suggestions of
the leaves of water plants, executed without grace or delicacy; above these rise taller
leaves of the same description; the volutes are simply incised scrolls upon a heavy
projection at each angle of the capital, and upon its faces. The other capital was suggested
by the Doric form; a tall thick echinus of ovolo section carries a huge abacus the sides
of which are ornamented with interlaces in a sunken panel. The architrave combines
all three parts of the Classic entablature; the lowest part is made up of a narrow and
a broad fascia, the frieze is represented by a band of conventional grape vine, the cornice
is a salient cyma recta. In the middle of the frieze, among the leaves, is an ornament
which resembles a modern horseshoe, — not the Arabic horseshoe of today — with the
open part down. If the ancient horseshoe resembled the modern, one might suggest
that the omen of good luck in a horseshoe was known in ancient Tarutia.
House No. 5. 444 a.d. “The House of Paul” was one of the finest houses of the
city. The arch of the entrance, several columns without their capitals and most of
the walls of the ground story are still in situ, though the walls, as usual, are almost
completely hidden in debris. The plan (Ill. 88) is quite different from that of No. 4.
A large, oblong court was entirely surrounded by columns. On the north side of this
is the residence, consisting of three large arched rooms and one narrow compartment
all of which open upon the court. In the middle of the east wall is a doorway opening
into a vestibule of unusual size, spanned by three arches, and occupying almost the
entire east side of the court. In the northeast angle, between the block of three rooms
and the vestibule, is another large chamber. The columns on the north and east sides
of the court are larger than those on the other sides, having a diameter of 36 cm.;
they undoubtedly carried an upper story colonnade, while the others, only 30 cm. in dia-
meter, composed a one-story colonnade. One of the chief rooms is 7.50 m. long, —
an unusual size in a private house. The long room at the end resembles rooms in
houses in Southern Syria that seem to have served as kitchens. Each of the main
rooms was provided with one or two large windows, besides a door, on the court, the
outer walls were pierced with loop-holes. Ornament is quite profusely applied; the
outer arch (A) of the vestibule (Ill. 88) has three diminishing bands and the usual
crowning moulding, a torus, a cavetto and a fascia; the keystone bears a cross within
a well executed wreath tied with waving fillets. The lintel of the doorway (B) between
the court and the vestibule (Ill. 88) is characteristically ornamented with a disc, bands
of relief work, and lettering. The middle band is an interesting Oriental design, not
unlike patterns seen in old carpets. The inscription, 1 in letters in relief, gives only
1 Div. Ill, insc. 979.
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expedition to Syria, Div. II, Sec. B, Pt. 2.
11
79
end. The court-yard was of the same width as the house; it is impossible to know
how far south it extended. Along its west wall a colonnade of columns, smaller than
those of the main colonnade, was carried. In the middle of the court, just in front
of the middle room of the house, is the opening of a cistern. The two columns that
stand above the mass of ruins (Ill. 87), carrying aloft their block of architrave which
proclaims to the passer-by the age of the long deserted residence, are of considerable
interest, as is also the architrave. They show us conclusively that capitals of different
orders were employed, side by side, in colonnades. One of the capitals is an imitation
of the Corinthian order, commonly found in this locality. It has the form of that
capital crudely blocked out; the lower ring of leaves are plain, heavy suggestions of
the leaves of water plants, executed without grace or delicacy; above these rise taller
leaves of the same description; the volutes are simply incised scrolls upon a heavy
projection at each angle of the capital, and upon its faces. The other capital was suggested
by the Doric form; a tall thick echinus of ovolo section carries a huge abacus the sides
of which are ornamented with interlaces in a sunken panel. The architrave combines
all three parts of the Classic entablature; the lowest part is made up of a narrow and
a broad fascia, the frieze is represented by a band of conventional grape vine, the cornice
is a salient cyma recta. In the middle of the frieze, among the leaves, is an ornament
which resembles a modern horseshoe, — not the Arabic horseshoe of today — with the
open part down. If the ancient horseshoe resembled the modern, one might suggest
that the omen of good luck in a horseshoe was known in ancient Tarutia.
House No. 5. 444 a.d. “The House of Paul” was one of the finest houses of the
city. The arch of the entrance, several columns without their capitals and most of
the walls of the ground story are still in situ, though the walls, as usual, are almost
completely hidden in debris. The plan (Ill. 88) is quite different from that of No. 4.
A large, oblong court was entirely surrounded by columns. On the north side of this
is the residence, consisting of three large arched rooms and one narrow compartment
all of which open upon the court. In the middle of the east wall is a doorway opening
into a vestibule of unusual size, spanned by three arches, and occupying almost the
entire east side of the court. In the northeast angle, between the block of three rooms
and the vestibule, is another large chamber. The columns on the north and east sides
of the court are larger than those on the other sides, having a diameter of 36 cm.;
they undoubtedly carried an upper story colonnade, while the others, only 30 cm. in dia-
meter, composed a one-story colonnade. One of the chief rooms is 7.50 m. long, —
an unusual size in a private house. The long room at the end resembles rooms in
houses in Southern Syria that seem to have served as kitchens. Each of the main
rooms was provided with one or two large windows, besides a door, on the court, the
outer walls were pierced with loop-holes. Ornament is quite profusely applied; the
outer arch (A) of the vestibule (Ill. 88) has three diminishing bands and the usual
crowning moulding, a torus, a cavetto and a fascia; the keystone bears a cross within
a well executed wreath tied with waving fillets. The lintel of the doorway (B) between
the court and the vestibule (Ill. 88) is characteristically ornamented with a disc, bands
of relief work, and lettering. The middle band is an interesting Oriental design, not
unlike patterns seen in old carpets. The inscription, 1 in letters in relief, gives only
1 Div. Ill, insc. 979.
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expedition to Syria, Div. II, Sec. B, Pt. 2.
11