DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45603#0057
192
II. B. 4.
the west, and the stairs leading to the upper story of it are still preserved. The west
wall of this courtyard is composed of piers with a low wall between them. A covered
portico extended along the north side of the eastern courtyard.
Houses VII, VIII and IX compose a group on the west side of the main street,
near its southern end. There are at least four units represented by the group, possi-
bly six. No. VII is a building of the ordinary type, a row of four rooms with a long
portico on the south side; it had two stories. No. VIII has two rooms on the ground
floor with a portico and loggia on the east. The southern half of No. IX has only
two rooms on the ground floor, a larger and a smaller one; a portico extends across
the south end and for a short distance along the west side. Adjoining this house at
the west is a long covered portico which forms the southern boundary of the court-
yard which belongs to the other half of the house. The northern half of this house
has three large rooms on the ground floor, all. opening towards the south: two of
them have transverse arches; one room has a portico across its entire front, another
has only a porch of two columns in front of its doorway. A flight of steps leads to
the roof of the porch on which opened a doorway of the upper story. The court-
yards of this group, and of other groups of houses in this country, appear to have
been used in common by the several families living within the group. In the present
case they communicate with each other directly; but are enclosed in one outer wall
which embraces a terraced vinyard on the west.
House No. X has an inscribed lintel1 dated 295/6 A.D.; but it is not absolutely
certain that the lintel is now in situ, for this group of houses was converted into a
small castle in Saracenic times; yet there can be little doubt that the lintel belonged
to the house in its original state. The rebuilding in the middle ages has somewhat
altered and confused the plan; but it is shown on the map as nearly in its original
state as possible. One section of the group presents a residence of square plan with
a portico on the south, and, within, a long front room opening into two smaller rooms
at the rear. The remainder of the house consists of a large arched apartment and
the usual row of rooms opening upon a portico.
House No. XI, dated 452 A.D., is a large complex, embracing, perhaps, six resi-
dences. A photograph (Ill. 198) of the southwest angle of the smaller courtyard is
given herewith, and a plan on large scale, (Ill. 199) with a section of the western
portion of the group is also presented. As shown in the plan given on the map of
Dar Kita, the west side of the court which opens toward the north is occupied by a
residence with two rooms and a portico of piers on the ground floor. In the south-
east angle of the group is a large apartment divided by a row of mangers. On the
south side of the same court are two large single residences with stables in the rear
on the ground floor. From the west side of this open court opens a small courtyard
with residences on three sides. It is this section of the group which has been drawn
to a larger scale, and shown in Ill. 199. On the north side of this courtyard are two
large apartments; the east side is occupied by the opening into the outer court and
the building on the south of it. On the south side are a large room with two door-
ways and a smaller apartment with a stable in the rear. There is an open passage
between two residences in the southwest angle of the small court, and this, with the
1 Div. Ill, insc. 1073.
II. B. 4.
the west, and the stairs leading to the upper story of it are still preserved. The west
wall of this courtyard is composed of piers with a low wall between them. A covered
portico extended along the north side of the eastern courtyard.
Houses VII, VIII and IX compose a group on the west side of the main street,
near its southern end. There are at least four units represented by the group, possi-
bly six. No. VII is a building of the ordinary type, a row of four rooms with a long
portico on the south side; it had two stories. No. VIII has two rooms on the ground
floor with a portico and loggia on the east. The southern half of No. IX has only
two rooms on the ground floor, a larger and a smaller one; a portico extends across
the south end and for a short distance along the west side. Adjoining this house at
the west is a long covered portico which forms the southern boundary of the court-
yard which belongs to the other half of the house. The northern half of this house
has three large rooms on the ground floor, all. opening towards the south: two of
them have transverse arches; one room has a portico across its entire front, another
has only a porch of two columns in front of its doorway. A flight of steps leads to
the roof of the porch on which opened a doorway of the upper story. The court-
yards of this group, and of other groups of houses in this country, appear to have
been used in common by the several families living within the group. In the present
case they communicate with each other directly; but are enclosed in one outer wall
which embraces a terraced vinyard on the west.
House No. X has an inscribed lintel1 dated 295/6 A.D.; but it is not absolutely
certain that the lintel is now in situ, for this group of houses was converted into a
small castle in Saracenic times; yet there can be little doubt that the lintel belonged
to the house in its original state. The rebuilding in the middle ages has somewhat
altered and confused the plan; but it is shown on the map as nearly in its original
state as possible. One section of the group presents a residence of square plan with
a portico on the south, and, within, a long front room opening into two smaller rooms
at the rear. The remainder of the house consists of a large arched apartment and
the usual row of rooms opening upon a portico.
House No. XI, dated 452 A.D., is a large complex, embracing, perhaps, six resi-
dences. A photograph (Ill. 198) of the southwest angle of the smaller courtyard is
given herewith, and a plan on large scale, (Ill. 199) with a section of the western
portion of the group is also presented. As shown in the plan given on the map of
Dar Kita, the west side of the court which opens toward the north is occupied by a
residence with two rooms and a portico of piers on the ground floor. In the south-
east angle of the group is a large apartment divided by a row of mangers. On the
south side of the same court are two large single residences with stables in the rear
on the ground floor. From the west side of this open court opens a small courtyard
with residences on three sides. It is this section of the group which has been drawn
to a larger scale, and shown in Ill. 199. On the north side of this courtyard are two
large apartments; the east side is occupied by the opening into the outer court and
the building on the south of it. On the south side are a large room with two door-
ways and a smaller apartment with a stable in the rear. There is an open passage
between two residences in the southwest angle of the small court, and this, with the
1 Div. Ill, insc. 1073.