Butler Diary: Northern and Central Syria II, 1899

Ksêdjbeh

illustration of capitals,Ksêdjbeh

West Church - Ksêdjbeh

plan, West Church, Ksêdjbeh

(27c)

Ksêdjbeh

the ornament which is quite distinctive in this church is displayed on the doorways on the south side where lintels and jambs are richly moulded and adorned with twisted bands. There is a striking similarity here to the ornament of the doorways of the East Church at Bābisḳa and a Greek inscription on the lowest member of the lintel ^ of the S.E. doorway (W.K.P. Gk insc. no 261) shows them to have been not far from [eastern pronoas].

The capitals of the main columns of the nave are interesting for the variety which they present - some are of the uncut corinthian order with garlands at the angles others are inserted truncated cones with various low carvings in relief - one is fluted like those of the E. church at Bābisḳa - another has a sort of basket work pattern with small heads raised on the bands.

(27d)

Ksêdjbeh

Domestic Architecture. The domestic architecture here like that at Bā'ûdi was chiefly built of small rough stones with lintels and jambs of plain monothiths and 2 story colonnades in heavy rectangular style. There do not seem to have been shops or bazarrs like those at Bā'ûdi all were private houses of the simplest plan with long porticoes of piers.

Above the town are numerous presses, one of which is cut in the top of a rock several feet above the orginary level. There were two great vats with the usual accompanying water cisterns etc - below them is a natural cave which seems to have been used as a cellar or cistern.

These presses are perhaps the best preserved we have seen and are entirely unincumbered with debris.

28

Bābuṭṭa November 9, 1899

This is a small ruined village just below the summit of Kubbet Bābuṭṭa. It consists chiefly of irregularly planned houses built of rough polygonal blocks of natural shape with only jambs and lintels of cut stone in large blocks. The town may be early and primative or late and poor. It's only building that attracts notice is a little baptistry in well cut stone. Only the East wall, with its two round headed windows, is standing. These are ornamented with a moulding, on the exterior, and a small symetrical disc. On the inside a small low niche with a deep basin at its bottom marks the place of the font.

There are some presses here of considerable interest but the chief attraction of the place is a beautiful rock cut tomb.

Tomb. This tomb which is situated in the highest portion of the town, well up the mountain side, is partially rock cut