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436 436 BYZANTINE ARCHITECTUEE. Part II. roof, but whether supported on eight piers, or covering the W^^ce space in one span, is not clear. The great interest of the plan consist! in its showing the progress made in adapting this form to Christian purposes, during the 180 years which had elapsed since the Dome of the Rock was erected at Jerusalem. That has no apse or sanctuary, and is in every essential a Pagan building, in so far as any disposition of the]»lan is concerned; this is a Christian church in every essential respect. It is to be hoped that further investigation may enable us to supply all the steps by which this transformation took place. Meanwhile one, and a very curious one, exists at Kelat Seman, in Northern Syria, and presents a combination of a circular with a rectangular church, very common in Armenia and Georgia. As STl. Calhetlral al Ijusrali. Scale 100 ft. to 1 iu. 872. Section of Double Church at Kelat Semau. (From De Vogu6.) Scale 50 ft. to 1 in. 873. Plan, Kelat Seman. Scale 100 ft. to 1 in. is generally the case there, they are very small in dimensions, the whole group only measuring 120 ft. by 73. When De Vogiie's text is published, we shall probably know the purpose for which these buildings were erected. At present they look like a tomb and its accompanying mortuary chapel, disposed as the Martyrium and Anastasis of Constantine were at Jerusalem: but on this and many other points we must wait for further information before speaking positively. Churches with Domes. Whether the Dome of the Pantheon at Rome (vol. i. p. 310) was erected in the time of the Antonines, or before the time of Augustus, as is generally supposed, it is evident that the Romans had conquered the difficulties of domic construction long befoi-e the transference of the seat of power to Byzantium ; the Pantheon being, up to this hour, the largest (single) dome ever constructed by the hand of man. Simple and grand as it undoubtedly is, it had several glaring defects in its design, which the Bvzantines set themselves to remedy. The