BSY_FB_17-45

45

The great paved avenue running E. & W.
bisected the town equally - that running
N. & S. was nearer the Eastern wall and did
not divide the city into quarters. It however
crossed the center of the monumental portion
of the city. At the point where the two
avenues intersected were four huge bases
like pedestals, called by the natives today
il-Mâḳa'id - the place of meeting - or Ma'saîd Bed
which signifies 3 huts - one of the structures
having almost completely disappeared.

These four pedestals at the important business
centre of the city are similar, in many respects,
to those which are found in the middle of the
colonade (sic-colonnade) at Palmyra and another set are
known at Jerash. These have been conjectured
to have vaulted structures (tetrapylons) at
the meeting of the great throughfares.

Undoubtedly the colonnades of Shehbā were
carried up to these pedestals which were
part of some monumental structure.