Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/154

106 forms the western boundary of the temple yard, and is covered with a number of symbolical figures roughly cut on its surface. The court is enclosed on the left by a dead wall, and on the right by several small apartments, while the front of the temple, on which also are many rude engravings, makes up the quadrangle. Instead of attempting any description of these hieroglyphics, I shall refer the reader to the annexed plates where the whole is set down in detail. In one corner of the yard is the Nâzir's seat under a small niche where a lamp is kept burning during the night. On this is an imperfect inscription in Arabic, from which I could only make out the following. On one side:—

And on the other side:

Over one of the apartments in the court-yard is another inscription to this effect:

A stream of water runs into a square basin in the yard floor, and thence flows under the walls of the temple; and in the niche of a raised seat hard by, we observed a number of small earthen balls, which we learned on inquiry, were made of the clay dug up from the vicinity of the principal tomb, to be taken away and used as charms by pious visitors. We were next ushered into the temple, which consists of an oblong apartment, divided into two aisles, (that on the left being raised a few feet above the other,) by a row of five arches, which support the roof. To the right of the entrance is a platform, and a square basin of running water, with a seat at each corner, evidently intended for the accommodation of such as come here to bathe.

Along the wall to the right are several empty niches, and in the aisle opposite, stands a wooden tomb, covered with a curtain. Lower down the same aisle is a large recess, with a long Arabic inscription, which, to my astonishment, I found to be a quotation from the Koran. Two openings a little beyond, lead into as many rooms, in each of which is a tomb, similar to that already