by Stephan G. Schmid, Zbigniew T. Fiema and Bernhard Kolb
III. 2012 survey season – structure 1
This is a large building located in the western part of the survey area (fig. 3). It consists of six, well-defined room spaces, two of which might have been courtyards (fig. 4). Altogether 68 architectural blocks (drums, capitals, bases, elements of the entablature, door-jambs, etc.) have been located inside the rooms or outside, in the immediate vicinity of the building (figs. 5. 6). The diverse repertoire of blocks – e. g., the presence of large number of quarter- and semi-columns – indicates opulent architectural decoration and a monumental appearance of the building.
Fig. 4: Overall plan of Structure 1 (plan: J. Falkenberg and M. Holappa)
However, it has also been observed that some major decorative elements have clearly been reused in the secondary function. For example, the southern wall of the building features several architectural elements reused as ashlars. Furthermore, directly south of that wall, there are several door-jambs with pilasters, highly decorated with the endless motif of vine scrolls (fig. 7), all of monumental proportions and one of which has been collected in the bed of Wadi Mousa (fig. 8). As currently there is no visible door in the southern wall of the building, and these large blocks must have collapsed on the slope from the wall it is then apparent that these elements were reused in a secondary location. Furthermore, considering the size of some elements (such as column drums) found inside or directly outside the building, it seems uncertain how these could have been accommodated in the structure in its extant appearance.
Fig. 5: Distribution map of Structure 1 with all recorded architectural elements (plan: M. Holappa)Fig. 6: Chart of all recorded architectural elements related to Structure 1 (chart: M. Holappa)
Therefore, it is highly probable that the building features at least two major occupational phases and that the earlier phase must have been ended by some kind of disaster (earthquake?) which significantly damaged the building. It is difficult to reconstruct the appearance of the building in the earlier phase (Phase 1). Apparently it was a rectangular building, with two entrances. One was presumably in the southern wall (Wall 1), flanked by the large floral-decorated door-jambs. The other one might have been in the eastern wall (Wall 2), flanked by two tower-like rooms (Rooms II and III). The external corners were decorated with quarter columns and shallow pilasters. The building itself might have been a large hall without the extant partition (Wall 5), possibly also including Room V abutting the main building on the northern side. According to the pottery collected at the site and the stylistic dating of architectural elements which might belong to the early building, Structure 1 should date to the 1st century AD
Fig. 7: Distribution map of column drums and door-jambs related to Structure 1 (plan: M. Holappa)
In the following restoration, the ground plan and the decorative design of the building were evidently changed. It is too early to speculate on the nature and date of the disaster which affected the early building. The surface ceramics found inside and around the building are overwhelmingly dated to the 1st to 3rd century AD and a minimal number of later-dated ceramics. If the building was abandoned during or after the 3rd century, it means that the disaster which ended the existence of the early building must have happened sometime in the 2nd or 3rd centuries.
Fig. 8: Door-jamb with pilaster and wine scroll decoration found in the bed of Wadi Mousa (photo: S. G. Schmid)
In the restored building (Phase 2), the main entrance, on the southern side, was abandoned and the building was presumably divided into two main Rooms (I and IV). There are indications that in Room I two architectural orders existed; the smaller in size on the upper level and larger on the lower one. The presence of a column, seemingly in situ, in the SW corner of the room, may indicate that some kind of a simple portico existed at least on one side (see fig. 7 for the distribution of column drums and door jambs within and around structure 1). Not much can be said about Room IV except that a stair-like installation existed in the SW corner. To the north of Room IV, there was a large bedrock outcrop in Phase 2, possibly unoccupied. In Phase 2, a rectangular enclosure (Room VI) was apparently built on top of the bedrock, in which some architectural elements (e. g., door-jambs) were reused. The room was probably unroofed but with a stone payment, probably serving as an open courtyard.
