DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45598#0052
88
II. B. 2.
has destroyed almost every vestige of antiquity save inscriptions and fragments of archi-
tectural details. This ruin is situated in the borderland between limestone and basalt,
and the chief interest in its ruined buildings lies in the fact that both materials were
employed in them, separately and in combination. The limestone is of a finer-grained
and more perishable quality than that of the mountains. The two styles of ornament
meet here, and both types are often seen in a single building. The ruins consist of a
Ill. 97. Macrata. Interior of Church, looking West.
church of fair size (Ill. 97), a number of private residences all planned on the western
model, and several pyramidal tombs akin to the famous mausoleums of il-Barah. The
ancient high-road leading westward from Kerratin appears to have passed through MaVata.
Church. This was a handsome structure, but it is now in complete ruins. It
was about 40 m. long and 18 m. wide, with a broad single arched narthex between two
towers at the ends of the side aisles (Ill. 98), like that in the church of Kalb Lauzeh.
The nave consisted of six bays, the arches, over 4 m. wide, were carried on piers.
The accumulation of debris at the east end is so great that it is impossible to say if
the presbyterium was semi-circular or rectangular. On the south side of the church is
an oblong atrium with a large building extending beyond the church at its western end,
and a long row of apartments, including a double arched tower of entrance, on its south
side. The other buildings on the south side of the atrium and at the east end are in
hopeless ruins and partly buried. Limestone and basalt were combined in the super-
structure. The outer walls, the sanctuary and side chambers were all of limestone, the
piers and arches of the interior were of basalt. The arch of the diaconicum was of
limestone and beautifully carved; but the chancel arch and its piers were of basalt.
All of the basalt arches were triple banded and had a small outer moulding, some of
II. B. 2.
has destroyed almost every vestige of antiquity save inscriptions and fragments of archi-
tectural details. This ruin is situated in the borderland between limestone and basalt,
and the chief interest in its ruined buildings lies in the fact that both materials were
employed in them, separately and in combination. The limestone is of a finer-grained
and more perishable quality than that of the mountains. The two styles of ornament
meet here, and both types are often seen in a single building. The ruins consist of a
Ill. 97. Macrata. Interior of Church, looking West.
church of fair size (Ill. 97), a number of private residences all planned on the western
model, and several pyramidal tombs akin to the famous mausoleums of il-Barah. The
ancient high-road leading westward from Kerratin appears to have passed through MaVata.
Church. This was a handsome structure, but it is now in complete ruins. It
was about 40 m. long and 18 m. wide, with a broad single arched narthex between two
towers at the ends of the side aisles (Ill. 98), like that in the church of Kalb Lauzeh.
The nave consisted of six bays, the arches, over 4 m. wide, were carried on piers.
The accumulation of debris at the east end is so great that it is impossible to say if
the presbyterium was semi-circular or rectangular. On the south side of the church is
an oblong atrium with a large building extending beyond the church at its western end,
and a long row of apartments, including a double arched tower of entrance, on its south
side. The other buildings on the south side of the atrium and at the east end are in
hopeless ruins and partly buried. Limestone and basalt were combined in the super-
structure. The outer walls, the sanctuary and side chambers were all of limestone, the
piers and arches of the interior were of basalt. The arch of the diaconicum was of
limestone and beautifully carved; but the chancel arch and its piers were of basalt.
All of the basalt arches were triple banded and had a small outer moulding, some of