Preliminary Report on the 2000 Swiss-Liechtenstein excavations at ez Zantur
by Bernhard Kolb and Daniel Keller
III. Ez Zantur IV: Position and architectural features of the main entrance (PQ 90–91/AK–AL)
One of the main aims of this campaign, namely that of locating the northern outer wall and the main entrance to the building, was successfully completed in PQ 90–91/AK (Figs. 1–3). The poorly preserved northern outer wall AQ/BB is built on the living rock – the perfect solidum mentioned by Virtuvius I, 9 – and is approx. 0.9 m wide. In PQ 91/AK the two wall sections AQ and BB flank the main entrance which measures c. 1.8 m across and was originally equipped with a double door (threshold level: c. 925.05 m). Both its position and measurements can be deduced from the „scratch marks“ left by the western door wing on the flagstones and from the arrangement of the pavers along the northern limit of courtyard 28.
Fig. 3: EZ IV. Main entrance, courtyard 28 and collapsed façade seen from northwest (photo: D. Keller)
Unlike the western and southern outer walls H and I, the northern outer wall was largely destroyed during the earthquake of AD 363 (Fig. 3!). What little remains in situ of the main entrance can not give any clues as to the architectural features of the original façade. Nevertheless, the fragments exposed in the débris to the north of the wall give the impression of a richly decorated entrance: Between room 22 in the northwest and courtyard 37 in the southeast, a „show façade“ of approx. 0.4 m thickness had been mounted on the outside (Fig. 2). Two shallow pilasters with unusual intermediary double mouldings and capitals emphasized the entrance.
Fig. 4: EZ IV. Main entrance: lower part of a pilaster capital of the Nabataean blocked out type (photo: O. Jaeggi)
Fig. 4 shows three fragments originally belonging to one of the said pilaster capitals, i. e. the lower part of a Nabataean capital of the blocked out type 1 (McKenzie 1990: 190, fig. g). Furthermore fragments of a triglyph (overall width 24 cm, overall height approx. 34 cm; Fig. 5) as well as fragments of a series of well-preserved metope-medaillons of excellent workmanship were found. All these finds indicate that the shallow pilaster capitals were topped by a Doric entablature. The mentioned fragments of elaborately carved metopes adorning the Doric frieze are among the outstanding finds of the campaign 2000 (Fig. 6). However, before going into more detail, a further feature of the north façade should be mentioned: Some of the large ashlars originally belonging to north wall bear well-preserved traces of paintings The stretchers are up to 1.2 m long and always 0.45 m high. . It seems that in a first phase, the outer wall was painted in a polychrome linear pattern; in a second phase, the wall was re-decorated by at least one large-scale figural scene (figures performing a libation at an altar?) on a white background and framed by green tendrils The painting fragments were cleaned and conserved in winter 2000/2001. Thus, a detailed and in-depth discussion of these important finds has to be postponed to the next contribution to ADAJ 2001. .
The Doric frieze with busts of Nabataean deities over the main entrance
The rubble north of the entrance yielded a number of carefully worked ashlars and fragments of stone medaillons in high relief representing, as already mentioned, metopes of a Doric frieze. The profiled, circular „frame“ of the medaillons is 32 cm in diameter. The medaillon bust shown in Fig. 6 (PQ 92/AK, Abs. 2, FK 3422, EF 3358) presents a youthful, beardless male looking to the right. The full face with its deepset eyes, the short, straight nose and the prominent chin is framed by short, thick curls springing from beneath a helmet pushed back from the forehead. The right shoulder is turned slightly forward, where a fibula holds together the chlamys that is thrown back over the left shoulder. Iconographically, this bust closely resembles another relief found in Petra, namely the one found near the Temenos Gate which has been identified as Dusares/Ares LIMC II Ares (in per.or.) 1; McKenzie (1990): Pl. 61, Fig. a; cf. G. H. R. Wright, Some Aspects Concerning the Architecture and Sculpture, in: Recent Discoveries in the Sanctuary of the Qasr Bint Far’un at Petra. ADAJ XII & XIII, 1967–1968, Pl. XVIa.2. . Another, female bust fragment found north of the main entrance on EZ IV can be positively identified as the goddess Allath/Athen a by the aegis and the gorgonieon on her chest PQ 91/AK, Abs 4, FK 3339, EF 3314. cf. LIMC I Allath 36; F. Zayadine, Die Götter der Nabatäer, in: M. Lindner (ed.) Petra und das Königreich der Nabatäer (1980)3 114, Fig. 6. . Two further medaillon fragments (EF 3309 and 3310) indicate that the metopes of the Doric frieze crowning the entrance were indeed adorned exclusively with Nabataean deities.
Fig. 6: EZ IV. Relief medaillon with bust of Dusares/Ares (photo: O. Jaeggi)
Looking for possible models for this unusual frieze in Petra we have to turn to the temple Qasr el-Bint at the western end of the Colonnaded Street. Its entablature does not only feature a Doric frieze, but also metopes showing busts of deities set in medaillons. The medaillon fragments in the lapidary on the east side of the temple show that the profiles of the medaillon frames match down to the last detail with those of EZ IV Cf. McKenzie 1990: pl. 40, fig. a. . The only relevant difference concerns their size and state of preservation: the monumental metope medaillons of the temple are roughly three times the size of those found on EZ IV – however, they have been wantonly damaged or destroyed by iconoclasts.
As has been discussed earlier with regard to the wall-paintings and the architectural stucco found in room 1 this is not the first time Qasr el-Bint may have served as a model for the decoration of the mansion on EZ IV Cf. Kolb, Keller and Fellmann Brogli 1997: 237. . With these parallels in mind, do we thus have to assume a special relationship between the patron of the mansion EZ IV to the temple, or was quoting from monumental buildings a standard feature of rich Nabataean private architecture? In view of the parallels observed between the decorations of room 6 and the façade of the Palace Tomb in Petra, this last assumption seems to be more likely Cf. Kolb – Keller 2000: 365–366, Figs. 13–14. .
Surprisingly, there were no clues whatsoever to an access road north of the main entrance. Right on top of the smoothed bedrock surface (924.75 m; cf. Fig. 3) nothing but a thick ash layer containing finds dating from the 4th century AD could be documented underneath the débris of the outer wall in 91/AK PQ 91/AK, Abs. 5, FK 3357: EF 3320, Bz coin, AE 3, Constans or Constantius II, 337–341 AD; EF 3333, Bz coin, AE 4, Constans, 347–348 AD. . Since there are no signs of wear whatsoever on the smoothed living rock, it must be assumed that the original construction had been removed during the last phase of habitation – possibly in connection with maintenance activities on the rock-hewn water channels in PQ 90–92/AK (cf. Fig. 1) This seems all the more likely since the floor coverings in rooms 2, 10 and 11 were ripped out carelessly for cleaning the rock-hewn channels and were then put back and repaired only very haphazardly. .
