Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/239

 Plan. 219 sanctuary, will be appreciated by those who are able to understand the stupendous difficulties of the undertaking, from the fact of our almost perfect ignorance in regard to the house of Solomon. All we know is that it rose between the two ridges that sink south- ward, where the wall of Ophel was uncovered. 1 At the south- west angle are old buildings, perhaps those formerly known as Mikkad. As the direction of the walls of circumvallation is still sub jndice, we have refrained giving more than a bare outline of them, just enough to enable us to define the position of the sanctuary in touch with these mighty ramparts. On the south face of the court of the Gentiles are structures that we think were the stables of the parvar, which the text seems to locate beyond the area ; but even so nothing was easier than to connect them with the heathen fane, by one of the numerous underground passages in the haram. Of the doorways on this terrace, some, we have supposed, preceded by eight or ten steps ; and those on the north and east faces by subterraneous ramps, which abutted on to the platform where inclined planes facilitated the ascent of the animals about to be sacrificed, which were led on to the wide post or landing of the gate where the whole multitude could see them. The plan of which we have explained and justified the ordi- nance, is clear and complete. It accounts for the dispositions taken in view of the services of the temple, together with the buildings and courts comprised in the area. Nevertheless, nobody, not even an architect, would be able to realize the aspect of the whole building, solely from the maze of lines crossing and re- crossing each other on the paper. As well might you expect to recognize a man from the impress left by his foot. Look at it as you may, it will yield no indication as to the colour of his hair, the expression of his face. Hence, if we stopped short here, our work would be vain and incomplete — not worth the trouble it has cost us. Whatever the difficulties, therefore, we must restore the elevation as we have restored the ground plan — reconstruct the edifice from base to crown. 1 The wall of Ophel, uncovered by Messrs. Warren and Wilson in 1884, is post exillic, at least in the parts above ground.