With the results from the northern corner of the complex and, more specifically with the localisation of the angular column in form of a heart and the corresponding stylobat, we found the physical proof for the existence of the eastern portico in front of the triclinium BD 235 as well as its exact position and orientation (cf. above). Although there cannot be any reasonable doubt about the existence of the southern portico, physical proof and indications for its precise location and orientation can so far only be given indirectly. In 2001 we put down a small sounding at the presumed emplacement of the rock-cuttings for the first half-column east of the façade of the Soldier Tomb Schmid 2002A. . On this occasion, the badly eroded remains of what must have corresponded to the parallel rock-cuttings from the northern portico west of the façade were discovered. Opposite the façade, that is east of the triclinium BD 235, a rock-cutting closely resembling the departing point of an arch – with some modern alterations – was always visible. Therefore, we decided to put down a sounding situated on the virtual line between the presumed rock-cuttings of the first half column of the S-portico and the corresponding last arch on the side of the triclinium BD 235. This sounding was put down in front of the rock-cut room in the middle of the S-portico and incorporated half of it (figs. 13–17).
Fig. 13: Medieval remains within the S-portico (photo: S. G. Schmid)
Very soon, massive walls built in front of the rock-cut room started to appear, closely corresponding to the numerous medieval structures from the area of the Soldier Tomb complex, i. e. a careless building technique making extensive reuse of Nabataean architectural elements. The chronology of these structures was confirmed by substantial amounts of hand made pottery, well known from the previously excavated medieval structures from the area the medieval pottery from the IWFP is studied by Micaela Sinibaldi, MA. . The rectangular walls in front of the rock-cut room form a kind of entrance to the cave (fig. 13) including a few steps leading downwards into it (fig. 14), which indicates that the medieval level inside the cave was on a lower level than in front of it. A series of holes cut into the rock on top of the front of the cave must have corresponded with the walls where the beams for roofing this kind of antae-room to the cave must have been fixed. Immediately in front of the cave and its entrance structure, a huge circular structure measuring approximately 2.2 m outer diameter started to appear (bottom right on fig. 13). The massive and fine ashy layer inside the round structure indicates its function as taboun or oven.
Fig. 14: Medieval steps leading towards rock cut room (photo: S. G. Schmid)
Following these medieval structures is a massive sequence of very fine sandy layers, which are the result of a long series of subsequent alluvia. These layers correspond to many years of flash floods carrying important quantities of sand with them that created a fill of about three meters in height (fig. 15). Inside the cave, these alluvia directly started upon the rock-cut floor level. On the sides of the rock-cut room, small banquets were cut out of the rock. The small depth of these banquets, about 50 cm was difficult to explain at first sight. However, it was believed that they were originally enlarged by at least one course of stones, as indicated by a few remaining stones visible on figure 16. This would make them rather comfortable klinai, i. e. spaces for reclining banqueters as in the huge triclinium BD 235.
Fig. 15: Stratigraphic sequence in the rock cut room (photo: S. G. Schmid)
In front of the cave, the rock was mostly visible (fig. 17). However, on a better conserved spot, we again found a confirmation for the sophisticated use of bedrock by the Nabataeans, i. e. the built architecture was not directly put on the rock but on a intermediate layer of small flat stones and samaga, exactly as in areas of porticoes and courtyards that were freely built without bedrock as foundation. Even though the foundation stones as well as the original floor slabs were missing in this area, the stretch of the former stylobat for the South-portico could be identified. As visible on fig. 17, a stretch of the bedrock measuring exactly 68 cm in width was cut away in a different way. The 68 cm perfectly correspond to the width of the stylobat from the N-portico and the rock-cuttings indicate that ashlars were put on them, forming the stylobat in the same way as in the N-portico. Furthermore, the stretch of the stylobat lies exactly on the virtual line between the rock cutting for the first arch on the E-wall and the cuttings for the half column on the W-wall (cf. fig. 1). Last but not least, one column drum and two damaged capitals from the S-portico where found in that trench (fig. 17).
Fig. 16: Rock cut room with banquets (photo: S. G. Schmid)
Therefore, the results from the different trenches in the N- and S-porticoes now allow drawing a more or less exact picture of the main features of the complex of the Soldier Tomb. The courtyard with its porticoes was constructed as an almost exact rectangle – with some alterations due to irregularities in the rock on the W-side where the façade of the Soldier Tomb is situated. The dimensions of the courtyard are 33 m x 20.8 m, while the N-portico is 3.3 m wide, the E-portico 3.7 m and the S-portico 2.9 m.
Figure 17: S-portico with bedrock, foundations for floor slabs and column drum (photo: S. G. Schmid)
As in the case of the courtyard and the huge triclinium BD 235, it seems as if the Denkmalschutzkommando simplified the relationship between the rock cut room in the S-portico and the courtyard. On the initial plan of 1921 the rock cut room is opening in a perfect right angle towards the portico and the courtyard (in gray on fig. 1). In reality however, it is considerably oblique (red on fig. 1).
