Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/295

Rh the results, but it enabled us to get the relation between the platform, with its tower, the fosse, and the Outer Scarp. It also secured for us a capital photograph of the tower on its rock-platform, which will probably be more valuable to the general reader than the plans and descriptions. Again it will, I hope, be a lasting memorial of our work, as the proprietors intend, I understand, to have the place open, so that the tower, scarp, and ditch may always be seen. Their purpose is not purely archæological, as the huge stones we took out are of more practical value outside than inside the hole.

The original excavation for the fosse was evidently never completed, as shown by the large blocks still left, which explain the curious passages. That these passages descend by a series of steps may be seen by the section and elevation. Similar blocks (but much larger) may be seen in the cuttings at St. Stephen's.

The height of the scarp under the tower at the corner B, along the line A—B, is 16 feet; at the same corner, but along the line B—C, it is only 8 feet; in other words, the part of the fosse running north-east is higher by 7 feet than that part running north-west, as may be seen in the elevation. The fosse is here 20 feet wide. The outer scarp from the cemetery at first runs parallel to the counter-scarp of the fosse, and at the angle G is only 10 feet distant from it; it then runs towards the south-east, while the fosse tends north-east. The base of the outer scarp at H is 8 feet lower than the base of the scarp under the tower.

An examination of the many whole stones removed in this excavation adds little to what we learned from the two courses in situ. They are all drafted, and none are over 4 feet in length, the average being three or under. The stones, in situ, show the "pock-marking" dressing in their drafts. Many of the fallen stones, however, show on their drafts the diagonal comb-pick dressing, usually ascribed to Crusading times, with what certainty I am not prepared to say. This may be due to a re-using of the stones. A pilaster base, plainly in the Crusading style, may have rolled down from the ruins of a church near the Cœnaculum. One drafted stone was so worked as to make it appear that it belonged to a door or window of the tower. We cut into the débris above the tower base, finding only rude masonry. The rock slopes rapidly upwards from the line A—B, so that if there ever was one large room in the tower it must have been at a much higher level than the courses of stone in situ. At one point the rock was cut away to make place for a very small room, about on a level with the top of the first course, for here we found a cemented flooring in which there was a curious depression, widening at the bottom, in the shape of a water-cooler. The pottery found in connection pointed to Jewish times.

Thus far my report has concerned itself principally with rock-scarps. I have, however, to describe the discovery of a genuine wall in situ, which has been traced for about 100 feet. I think that the readers of the Statement will be interested to know of the steps which gradually led to the discovery of this wall. My instructions from the Committee