DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45605#0049
292
Division II Section B Part 6
with a slightly narrower rectangular sanctuary at the east elevated on three steps, with
two doorways in the south wall, one in the east, and one in the north wall. A long-
narrow building extends at an obtuse angle from the south side of the sanctuary. This
consists of a vestibule adjoining the chapel and two long rooms end to end. It was
probably a clerical residence. Two photographs (Ills. 316 and 317), in addition to the
scale drawings of sections and elevations given in Ill. 315, will serve to show the
character of the construction and ornament of this little church building. The walls
are of large and highly finished blocks in courses so high as to diminish the apparent
scale of the structure. Flat arches, slightly undercut, were introduced in the walls
above all the lintels. The exterior ornament consists of richly moulded, salient cornices,
and heavy relief mouldings for the windows and the side portals. The window mouldings
are carried over the arcuated lintels, down the sides of the openings, and from one
window to another, terminating in loops at the ends of the walls. A moulding of
similar profile was given to the circular window in the west gable. The rich mouldings
of the side portals are broken by discs in high relief in the middle of each lintel, and
terminate in loops beside the thresholds. The interior ornament is massed upon the
east end. Here one mounts to the little sanctuary by three steps, — the only feature
of this kind that has been preserved, or that is visible, in any of the churches of
Northern Syria. The chancel arch springs from two low angle-piers with heavily
moulded caps. The archivolt is adorned with rich carving consisting of a rope moulding
and a series of plain bands separated by bands of basket work. The slabs which form
the ceiling of the sanctuary slope upward from the rear wall to a groove cut above
the chancel arch. This ceiling still shows remains of a painted design consisting of a
diamond pattern, like a lattice, in green upon a creamy background, with a large red
flower conventionally treated in the middle of each diamond. A certain feature in this
sanctuary proves baffling if one attempts to discover its purpose. It will be observed
in the photograph (Ill. 317) that a sort of boss protrudes from the soffit of the fourth
voussoir of the chancel arch on both sides. This projection
has the form of a roughly truncated pyramid, the uppermost
side of which is provided with a wide, shallow groove. I
have shown the placing of these features in the two Sections
(A-B and C-D) in Ill. 315 where there also appears a
detail sketch marked (Z). It is not an entirely satisfactory
answer to a question as to the purpose of these two bosses
to say that they were intended to carry a wooden beam for
the support of a curtain in front of the altar ; for, in the
first place, a beam proportioned to the size and massiveness
of the supports would be much heavier than necessary to
carry such a curtain, and, in the second place, a curtain
hung from such a beam would not nearly close the arch.
Of course it is not impossible that this was the actual pur-
pose of the bosses, although no similar attachments have
been found in any other chancel arch; but I am inclined
to believe that some more likely use will be suggested.
Mortuary Chapel : Near the western limits of the ruin stands a small group of
buildings (Ill. 318), possibly a very small convent, with an oblong chapel on its western
MORTVARY
BVRDJHEDAR-
I
111. 318.
tombs)
VNDER
98S|
103
t
2 60
CHAPEL
SCALE
1.9 S
H.yori.87 -r i^o>
• <g.3Q 1
ii 1 ■
rr^
■ H30
1 <
1 H
1
Division II Section B Part 6
with a slightly narrower rectangular sanctuary at the east elevated on three steps, with
two doorways in the south wall, one in the east, and one in the north wall. A long-
narrow building extends at an obtuse angle from the south side of the sanctuary. This
consists of a vestibule adjoining the chapel and two long rooms end to end. It was
probably a clerical residence. Two photographs (Ills. 316 and 317), in addition to the
scale drawings of sections and elevations given in Ill. 315, will serve to show the
character of the construction and ornament of this little church building. The walls
are of large and highly finished blocks in courses so high as to diminish the apparent
scale of the structure. Flat arches, slightly undercut, were introduced in the walls
above all the lintels. The exterior ornament consists of richly moulded, salient cornices,
and heavy relief mouldings for the windows and the side portals. The window mouldings
are carried over the arcuated lintels, down the sides of the openings, and from one
window to another, terminating in loops at the ends of the walls. A moulding of
similar profile was given to the circular window in the west gable. The rich mouldings
of the side portals are broken by discs in high relief in the middle of each lintel, and
terminate in loops beside the thresholds. The interior ornament is massed upon the
east end. Here one mounts to the little sanctuary by three steps, — the only feature
of this kind that has been preserved, or that is visible, in any of the churches of
Northern Syria. The chancel arch springs from two low angle-piers with heavily
moulded caps. The archivolt is adorned with rich carving consisting of a rope moulding
and a series of plain bands separated by bands of basket work. The slabs which form
the ceiling of the sanctuary slope upward from the rear wall to a groove cut above
the chancel arch. This ceiling still shows remains of a painted design consisting of a
diamond pattern, like a lattice, in green upon a creamy background, with a large red
flower conventionally treated in the middle of each diamond. A certain feature in this
sanctuary proves baffling if one attempts to discover its purpose. It will be observed
in the photograph (Ill. 317) that a sort of boss protrudes from the soffit of the fourth
voussoir of the chancel arch on both sides. This projection
has the form of a roughly truncated pyramid, the uppermost
side of which is provided with a wide, shallow groove. I
have shown the placing of these features in the two Sections
(A-B and C-D) in Ill. 315 where there also appears a
detail sketch marked (Z). It is not an entirely satisfactory
answer to a question as to the purpose of these two bosses
to say that they were intended to carry a wooden beam for
the support of a curtain in front of the altar ; for, in the
first place, a beam proportioned to the size and massiveness
of the supports would be much heavier than necessary to
carry such a curtain, and, in the second place, a curtain
hung from such a beam would not nearly close the arch.
Of course it is not impossible that this was the actual pur-
pose of the bosses, although no similar attachments have
been found in any other chancel arch; but I am inclined
to believe that some more likely use will be suggested.
Mortuary Chapel : Near the western limits of the ruin stands a small group of
buildings (Ill. 318), possibly a very small convent, with an oblong chapel on its western
MORTVARY
BVRDJHEDAR-
I
111. 318.
tombs)
VNDER
98S|
103
t
2 60
CHAPEL
SCALE
1.9 S
H.yori.87 -r i^o>
• <g.3Q 1
ii 1 ■
rr^
■ H30
1 <
1 H
1