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BSY_FB_04-01_a
Last edit about 2 months ago by denise22334@gmail.com
BSY_FB_04-01_b
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The return to Djebel Rîhā was made primarily for the taking up of the mosaic at Serdjilla; when this was found to have been seriously damaged, and when our work for the saving of the fragments was interferred with, we set about to make a more detailed study of the town of [Sudjilla|Serdjilla]] and to expose a small part of the mountain which we failed to visit in 1900.
Kefer Rûmā we entered the mountain from Maârra. The first ruins were found at Kefer Rûmā visited by some of our party in 1900. This is now a village, built of ancient fragments. To the east, across a wadi are many interesting rock hewn tombs, and the columnar monument published in Part II from a poor photo. This has been further destroyed by the throwing down of the last column drums. Monument was found to be a single shaft and not [be] columnar.
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This is one of the medium sized ruins of the Djebel Rîhā. It appears to have been practically deserted for many centuries; though there is evidence that one of the buildings near the church was converted into a mosque in the middle ages, and a portico of one of the larger houses has been enclosed and roofed and still affords shelter for one family.
The ancient town was built at the head of a wadi and its buildings were erected on both sides of the declivity The bath is situated near the head of the wadi at the bottom of a sort of natural amphitheatre upon the slopes of which are many free standing sarcophagi and other forms of tombs.
Church. The church stands on the slope of the wadi - a small and apparently early building with a group of ecclesiastical structures extending towards the south. The eastern parts of the church, with
BSY_FB_04-03
Last edit about 2 months ago by denise22334@gmail.com
BSY_FB_04-04
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The town adjoining on the south, are preserved up to the level of the spring of the semi-dome. The other religious buildings are well preserved and all the details for the restoration of the interior lie nearly in situ.
Villa II. Near the N.E. angle of the town, at the top of the slope is a group of handsome houses. That which I have numbered two is the best preserved of all. The long line of apartments on the north side of the court are preserved in completeness on the ground story, even the transverse arches being in place, the two [muslim] most rooms have also the second story well preserved, and, the W. wall shows parts of a third story, a sort of open loggia, forming a tower at this angle of the villa. The colonnade still preserves 4 columns in situ, all the rest have fallen but are lying where the fell. The details of the colonnade show early IV century forms. The triple arched building on the west of the court and the irregulary shaped houses on the S. are later.
