Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/136

 I20 A History of Art in Sardinia and ]]da<,a. to the missiles of the garrison. The annexed woodcuts (Figs. 300, 301, and 302) will enable the reader to judge of the nature of this piece of military engineering. This winding path abuts to a deep sinking in the wall of nearly three metres, with a guard-room on each side, and an opening at the end which looked into a chamber with folding door. As in Assyria, here also, the city gate was an i ndependent structure, al- most 18 m. r, ij- FiG, 302,— Principal Gate. Longitudinal Section. Texier, Plate LXXXI. deep. The posts were formed of monoliths ; on the outside of each were sculptured lion's heads (Fig. 303). The symbolism represented by these animals placed over the side openings does not require explanation at our hands, nor is it necessary to insist that the central doorway, now disappeared, ter- minated in a horizontal or false arch, and that the scroll moulding which began towards the top of the posts was extended to the massive lintel they supported. This is an arrange- ment which we have frequently en- countered before. The gateway was not the only means of communication the garrison had with the exterior. In many places are remains of narrow passages under the rampart, with outlet to the moat below the retaining wall. The most remarkable is to the west of the gate, superficially occupied by a plantation of oaks. It was obtained by a double set of five rude stones, projecting one beyond the other, till one smaller stone closed the top and made the vault complete (Figs. 304, 305). It is the nearest approach to an arch, and holds a middle course between the false vault and the radiating Fig. 303. — Lion's Head on Doorway. TfexiER, Plate LXXXL