The survey of Western Palestine-Jerusalem (1884) (14778222942)

Identifier: surveyofwesternp00warruoft (find matches)
Title: The survey of Western Palestine-Jerusalem
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Warren, Charles, Sir, 1840-1927 Palestine Exploration Fund Conder, C. R. (Claude Reignier), 1848-1910
Subjects: Jerusalem -- Antiquities Jerusalem -- Description and travel
Publisher: London : Palestine Exploration Fund
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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e, During the time when the scaffolding was erected within the Dome,Lieutenant Conder ascended into the drum and was able to observe theglass mosaic. It is remarkable that the gilded tessercc are fitted in at ananyle so as to reflect the licrht downwards. The tcsscrcc of other colours 248 THE SURVEY OF WESTERN PALESTINE. are not so arranged, but are placed flat in the wall. This arrangementappears first to have been noticed by Herr K. Schick. The removal of the Kishani tiles from the e.xterior of the octagonwall laid bare the arcades of the balustrade above the roof. This wasexamined by all the officers of the Society. The dressing of the stoneshas been injured by their preparation to receive the tiles, but both inproportion and dressing they appear to bear no resemblance to Crusadingmasonry. Beams were found resting on this wall above the modernceiling, forming part of an older roofj with an inscription dating from913 .A.D. A well-carved wooden cornice, hidden by the modL-rn ceiling,
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appears to have supported the older roof. The date thus obtained,together with the dates above the gates in this wall (216 a.11., or831 A.P.), appear to agree in pointing to the erection of the octagonalwall in the ninth century. The arcades arc not mentioned before thetwelfth century, but llu: round arches and the pairs of dwarf pilasters,standing above the larger panels, having also round arches, give to theoctagon wall a general style approaching to that of Sassanian buildings.The building at Amman, which has been considered by architecturalauthorities to be not later than the eleventh century, bears a strikingresemblance to the octagon wall of the Dome of the Rock. The pointedarch is .said to have been first used by the Arabs in the ninth ccntiuv. JERUSALEM. 249 and the general result of these various indications seems to tend to thesupposition that the octagon wall of the Dome of the Rock was erectedin the ninth century. (See Dr. Chaplins Letter, Quarterly Statement, 1873. P- I55