Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/310

 2 Su A History of Art in Sardinia and Jud.i The nature of painted fragments found in the sepulchral caves of the Kedron makes it evident that, towards the fourth and fifth centuries, they were inhabited by Christian anchorites. Some such inmate conceived the idea of making his self-chosen abode loftier and more roomy ; he set about, therefore, to scoop out the vestibule and the niches along the chamber under notice, to serve as cupboards for his few provisions and his clothes. It was then that the passage was made higher ; and that to secure himself against unwelcome visitors, he lowered the level of the open space in front so that a ladder had to be used every time he was invaded. 1 The -T 'X 'Z 3 ^ '5Mi' FlG. 190. — Façade of Monolith, before the entrance was heightened. discrepancies revealed by close inspection of the monument are not sufficiently marked to strike a casual observer, nor is the general appearance affected by them, as reference to our woodcuts (Figs. 190, 191) will show. Its rock-cut character preserved it from destruction when Jerusalem fell to the Chaldees, albeit no doubt, rifled of its valuables. When, after the return, the eastern necropolis was protracted to the north of the city, the monument may have again been used as a place of burial, and served perhaps as model to the architect in building the tombs of Hyrcanus, Absalom, and Zachariah. Some have seen in the rock-hewn memorial of Siloam the 1 Niches cut in the wall are frequently met with in the East ; sometimes they are only a stone deep, which was left out by the builder, to hold a lamp or some small object. When the wall admits of it, however, they are veritable recesses into which kitchen utensils, etc., are stowed away, much as we see them in old-fashioned farm, houses and cottages.