Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/451

Rh bk. XI. ^H. ni. CIRCULAR OR DOMICAL BUILDINGS. 435 identical with those employed in the basilica at Bethlehem, and some of them still retain the cross on the abacus (Woodcut No. 870). My impression is that most of them Avere so adorned, but the emblem is covered up with plaster. As a rule, the bases of the pillars are cubical blocks, such as were intro- duced at Spalatro by Diocletian, and continued fashionable down, at least, to the time of Justinian. They are always employed at Thes- salonica (Woodcut No. 847). If we were to form an opinion from the constructive details only, there would be no difficulty in as- sio-nino- this buildins; to an earlier age than even that of Constantine ; but, taking both the mechanical and artistic details into considera- tion, it is impossible to place its erection before the age of that monarch, and it seems absolutely certain that the same features were never reproduced in any buildiuw erected after the accession of Justinian. Constantine also erected a church at Antioch, w'hich, from the de- scription of it preserved by Eusebius, we learn was octagonal in plan, and probably similar but less rich and less important than that at Jerusalem. On Mount Gerizim, on or near the site of the Samaritan temple, •Tustinian built an octagonal church, in plan somewhat similar to the Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, though exhibiting a considerable advance towards Christian arrangements; it has, however, been so completely destroyed that only its foundations can now be recovered.' At Bosrah in the Hauran there is a church of perfectly well- ascertained date — A.D. 512 — which, when more completely illustrated, will throw considerable light on the steps by which a Pagan temple was transformed into a Christian church.^ It is a building externally square, but internally circular (Woodcut No.' 871). The central space is 91 ft. in diameter, and was evidently covered with a wooden Capital in Dome of Rock. (Fioiii De Vogiie.) ^ A plan of the church, resulting from ] ^ The plan here introduced was made excavations and measurements very care- by M. Rey. It is hoped that when De fully made, was brought home by Capt. ] Vogiie's work is complete we shall know Wilson of the Palestine Exploration j more about it. Fund.