UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA EGYPTIAN DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM ECKLEY B. COXE JUNIOR EXPEDITION TO NUBIA: VOL. II CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA BY GEOFFREY S. MILEHAM EDITED BY D. RANDALL-MACIVER PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM PHILADELPHIA M CM X i.^)visioQ Srrtton Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/churchesinlowernOOmile_0 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA EGYPTIAN DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM ECKLEY B. COXE JUNIOR EXPEDITION TO NUBIA: VOL. II CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA BY GEOFFREY S. MILEHAM EDITED BY D. RANDALL-MACIVER PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM PHILADELPHIA MCMX Letter Press and Printing by The John C. Winstok Co. Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A. Collotypes and Process Blocks by Horace Hart Clarendon Press, Oxford, England. (iv) In the Same Series Vo]. I ARE IK A BY D. Randall-MacIver and C. Leonard Woolley Vols. Ill and IV KARANOG THE ROMANO-NUBIAN CEMETERY BY C. Leonard Woolley and D. Randall-MacIver Price $5. Price $20. To be obtained at the University Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. Agent for Europe: Henry Frowde, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London. (V) PREFACE This volume is the second of a series which will record the results of explorations in Egypt, planned and financed by Mr. Eckley B. Coxe, Junior, of Philadelphia. By an agreement made with the University of Pennsylvania, in January, 1907, the expeditions are to be conducted on behalf of the University, and the antiquities obtained will be presented to the University Museum. The volume is edited by the curator of the Egyptian Department of the Museum, Avho discovered the sites and to a great extent supervised the work upon them which is described. The author is an English architect who was attached to the staff during the seasons of 1908 and 1909, for the special purpose of making technical studies of the Early Christian buildings of Lower Nubia. His researches have been confined to the Southern part of the country between the two cataracts, and may be said to form a complete monograph on that part of the district, from Faras to Haifa inclusive, which belongs to the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. It is hoped that this book may serve to awaken public interest in a subject which has hitherto been much neglected, the history of Early Christian architecture in Egypt. It is our aim to show that this is worthy of study, both for its own sake and in connection with the Byzantine architecture of Europe and Asia. We present this memoir in the form of a simple record of observations, preferring to leave to future writers who may command a greater store of comparative material the task of drawing historical analogies and conclusions. G. S. M. D. R. M. (vii) CONTENTS PAGE Preface. .............. vii CHAPTER I General Introduction ............ i CHAPTER IT Nubian Church Construction .......... 7 CHAPTER III The Church near Debereh ......... . . 14 CHAPTER IV Faras ............... 22 CHAPTER V The Northern Church at Faras .......... 27 CHAPTER VI The Southern Church at Faras ......... .31 CHAPTER VII The two Churches near Addendan ........ -37 CHAPTER VIII The Ancient Fortress and the Churches at Serreh ...... 40 CHAPTER IX The Church near Wady Halfa ........ . . 48 (ix) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT PAGE The Process of Modern Vaulting ........... 9 Detail of Relieving Arch over Doorway. . . . . . . . . .10 Plan of Church at Figiranton . . . . . . . . . . .12 Construction of Apse Vault . . . . . . . . . . -15 Lintel to North Door, near Debereh . . . , . . . . . -17 Objects found in Church near Debereh .......... 20 Doll from Ditch at Faras 23 Tombs in Southern Church, Faras , . . . . . . . . -32 Base from Haikal of Southern Church, Faras. ........ 33 Objects found in Southern Church, Faras . . . . . . . . -35 Bronze Ornament from North Domed Church, Serreh ....... 43 Ancient Granite Block in South Domed Church, Serreh ....... 45 Granite Capital and Base of Column in Southern Church, Serreh . . . . .46 Granite Column from Doorway of Southern Church, Serreh . . . . . -47 Restoration of a Painting on wood found in Church near Wady Haifa . . . - So Objects found in the Church near Wady Haifa ....... 52-56 (xi) LIST OF PLATES PLATE 1. Coloured Frontispiece. 2. (a) Begrash, The Gate. (6) Kasr Ibrim from the North, (c) Kasr Ibrim: View OF THE Interior of the Church Looking East. 3. (a) Kelaa-t-adda : View from the River. (6) Wiss: The Principal Building from THE North, (c) Wiss: The Principal Building from the East. 4. The Church Opposite Debereh. (a) View from the North, (fc) Interior Looking East. 5. The Church Opposite Debereh. (a) View from the South, (b) View from the Northwest. 6. The Church Opposite Debereh. (a) Capital from Arch of Triumph. (6) Cross Design on Lintel from North Door, (c) Interior Looking West. 7. The Church Opposite Debereh. Stela Found in Haikal. 8. The Church Opposite Debereh. Plan. Longitudinal Section. 9. The Church Opposite Debereh. Cross Section. Cross Section (Restored). Longitudinal Section (Restored). 10. Sketch Map of the District of Faras. 11. Faras, The Fortress, (a) The Central Building from the North. (5) The Central Building from the Southwest, (c) The Fortress Wall and Central Building FROM the West. 12. Faras. (a) Remains of Church, Partly Rock-cut. (b) The Gate in the Fortress Wall, (c) General View of Faras from the West. 13. Faras, The Northern Church, (a) Entrance to the Tomb at East of Church. (6) Interior of Church Looking East. 14. Faras, The Northern Church. Plan. 15. Faras, The Northern Church. Cross Section. Longitudinal Section. 16. Faras, The Southern Church, (a) Interior Looking West, before Excavation. (6) Interior Looking East, Showing Tribune, Altar and Pulpit. 17. Faras, The Southern Church. Plan. 18. Faras, The Southern Church. 19. Faras — Pottery from the Churches, (a) Cup or Chalice from South Church. (b) Bowl from North Church, (c) Bowls from North Church, Faras. (d) Bowls from South Church, Faras. (xiii) LIST OF PLATES xv PLATE 20. Pottery Lamps, (a) From South Church at Faras. (b) From Tomb in South Church. Faras. (c) From Church near Halfa. (d) Lamps from Faras and Halfa (e) Lamps from South Church at Faras. 21 The Northern Church near Addendan. (a) View from the South, (b) Interior. Looking East. 22. The Northern Church near Addendan. (a) View of Vaulting to the South Aisle FROM the Haikal. (6) The South Aisle Looking East. 23. The Northern Church near Addendan. Plan. 24. The Northern Church near Addendan. Cross Section. Longitudinal Section. 25. The Domed Church near Addendan. (a) View from Southwest. (6) Sketch of Church (Restored) from the Southeast. 26. Addendan. (a) Capital from the North Church. (6) The Domed Church, Interior Looking West, (c) The Domed Church, Southeast, Cupola from Inside. (d) The Domed Church, Southeast, Cupola from Outside. 27. The Domed Church near Addendan. Plan. Longitudinal Section. 28. The Domed Church near Addendan. Cross Section. Detail of Brickwork, North Aisle Wall. 29. East Serreh. (a) View of Southern Half of the Town, (b) View of Northern Half of the Town, (c) General View of the Town fro.m the River. 30. East Serreh. (a) Plan of Central Domed Church. (b) Plan of the Fortress, showing Position of the Churches. 31. East Serreh, The Central Domed Church, (a) Interior Looking East. (6) View of Dome from the South, (c) View from the West. 32. East Serreh. (a) The North Domed Church from the South, (b) The Fortress Wall, South Side. 33. East Serreh, The South Domed Church, (a) The North Door. (6) View at Roof Level from Northeast, (c) View from the Southwest. 34. East Serreh, The North and South Domed Churches, (a) Plan of the North Domed Church, (b) Plan of the South Domed Church. 35. East Serreh, The North AND South Domed Churches. Cross Sections. Longitudinal Sections. 36. East Serreh, The South Church. Plan. 37. The Church near Wady Halfa. View from Northeast, Showing Altar of Latest Period. Plan. 38. The Church near Wady Halfa. (a) Brass Bells Found in Staircase. (6) Iron Crosses Found in Haikal. (c) Granite Bowl. 39. Map of the River Nile, Showing Position of the Sites. CHAPTER I GENERAL INTRODUCTION "^HE tourist who travels from Aswan to Haifa on a luxurious steamboat seldom even notices Value and the existence of numerous buildings of which his guide book gives no explanation or description. ^£arly^^ If it so chances that his eye is caught for a moment by a structure more imposing than common, Christian he sees perhaps that it is built of mud bnck and dismisses it with contempt as probably modem, ^j^^ Nile A liberally educated dragoman will perhaps tell him that it dates from Dervish times, some Valley. listless bystander will evolve original observations on bricks made with straw, and perchance one of those who turn to draw the bow at a venture will hazard the word "Coptic." The idea that there can be any interest in a Coptic building will be so remote from the minds of many that the subject will be dismissed as unworthy of further consideration. The opprobrium which some archaeologists have attached to the word Coptic may easily be understood. To them the Copt figures simply as a destroyer, the man who scribbled graffiti on the walls and statues, who mutilated the sanctuaries of Egyptian temples and turned them to the purpose of his own worship ; the vandal, in fact, who profaned and demolished all that the scholar interested in the art of ancient Egypt holds dear. It is only of late years that those possessed of a truer historical sense have realized that the development of Egypt is continuous; that it does not cease with the founding of the Roman Empire, with the introduction of Christianity or with the invasion of the Mohammedans; but that the Roman, the Christian and the Mohammedan periods have each their interest and their importance. It is these periods which link the past with the present, which connect us of the twentieth century after Christ with Egypt of sixty centuries ago; and if they formed nothing but a bridge, that bridge is so valuable to us that it cannot be neglected. But, if we may continue the metaphor, the bridge itself is a structure of no little grandeur and magnificence, of no little wealth in detail of ornament and sculpture, carving, picture and text. The truer view is gradually winning recognition. Roman antiquities in Egypt are no longer despised because they do not date from the time of the Pyramid builders, Mohammedan art is studied with enthusiasm by all lovers of the beautiful. The early Christian period alone has been neglected and that in great measure owing to the unhappy prejudice against everything that is nicknamed "Coptic." For many years it was supposed that the early Christian inhabitants of Egypt conferred only one benefit upon the world, and that as it were by accident — they had preserved the remains of the hieroglyphic language in their service books and theological works. That they had arts and industries deserving of study remained a secret known only to the discerning few, and, until the publication of Butler's "Coptic Churches,"* perhaps no one in Europe even suspected how much of permanent value these early Christians had contributed to the history of Architecture. Butler's work was confined to Cairo and the Natron Valley, and though in recent years the Red and White Monasteries at Sohag have been rescued from neglect, and steps are now being taken to preserve many of the ancient churches and monasteries which are still in use. *The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt. Alfred J. Butler, M. A., F. S. A., Oxford, The Clarendon Press, 1884. 2 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Date of the Conversion of Nubia to Value and yet the general student can have but little idea of the great number of early Christian churches and £ar/j^^' °^ secular buildings which exist in remoter regions. Christian It was in the hope of awakening interest in this neglected field that the Eckley B. Coxe, Jr., the^Nile^^^^ Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania entrusted me with the task of studying some Valley. representative examples of early Christian architecture in the southern half of Lower Nubia. Accompanying Dr. Randall-Maclver, who kindly assisted me in the field-work and directed the workmen in their excavations, I made a number of studies in the spring of 1908, which were amplified and completed in 1909. A new and unsuspected chapter in the histor\' of Architecture was gradually unfolded to our view and it is the object of this volume to make it known to a wider circle of students. When the Mohammedan conquerors first penetrated into Nubia (640 to 641 a. d.) they found the country to be a stronghold of Christianity. It had then, however, been converted only Christianity, a short time, for though occasional fugitives may have come in from Egypt during the preceding centuries the general Christianization of Lower Nubia is not earlier than the reign of Silko, the king who warred against the still pagan Blemyes in the middle of the sixth century a. d. Silko himself was the first Christian king of the northern part of Lower Nubia and to the time of one of his successors, Eirpanome (circa 559 a. d.), belongs the Church of Dendur, probably the earliest in this region. South of Maharraka, Nubia remained pagan until the power of the Blemyes had been broken. It was the victory of Silko which made possible the two missions of evangeli- zation sent immediately afterwards from Byzantium: the one b}^ the Emperor Justinian and the other by the Empress Theodora. The members of this latter mission were Monophysites, as the Empress herself was an ardent supporter of that heresy. The former mission appears to have been delayed in Egypt and the first Nubian converts were made by the Jacobites. The withdrawal of the Monophysite mission by the Empress afforded to the orthodox mission the opportunity of bringing the Nubian church into line with the orthodox Eastern Church and it appears to have remained subject to Constan- tinople for nearly a century. The account of Nubia given by Quatremere in extracts from the work of mediaeval writers contains a good description of the country, which, although it is not as lucid as might be desired, throws some light on the geographical and political conditions.* At first glance the various mentions of places in Nubia are confusing, but careful study shows that they are consistent. It is difficult, however, to assign exact positions to many places mentioned, as the influence of the Mohammedan invasion and the shifting of the population during various internal troubles have caused a complete change in many of the places named. The clearest account is given by Abdallah ben Ahmad ben Solaim, who describes the Umits of two extensive Nubian kingdoms on the upper reaches of the Nile. The first Nubian town reached from Egypt was at Al-Kasr, the name signifying the Castle, a few miles to the south of Aswan, and, therefore, at the upper end of the cataract which formed the natural strategical boundary between Egypt and the country of the black races as it had often done in former centuries. From Al-Kasr to "the first cataract which forms part of Nubia " the distance is stated to have been ten days journey. f A later mention of this "first cataract" by the same author, Abdallah ben Ahmad ben Solaim, shows that he refers to the cataract which is now called the "second," for he says that it begins at a town called Bakouy which is the port where the boats stop which Mediaeval Descriptions and Geography. *Memoires g^ographiques et historiques sur I'Egypte, et sur quelques Contrees voisines. Par Et. Quatremere, Paris, 181 1, Vol. II. fVoici ce que dit Abdallah ben Ahmed ben Solaim de la V lie d'Asouan, dans son ouvrage intitule: Histore de la Nubie, du Makorrah, d'Alouah, du Be 'jah et du Nil. La Nubie commence au bourg nomme Al- Kasr (le Chateau), situe a cinq milles de la ville d'Asouan De ce bourg a la premiere cataracte, qui fait partie de la Nubie, la distance est dix joum^es . (Quatremere, Vol. II, pp. 6, 7.) GENERAL INTRODUCTION 3 come up from Al-Kasr and that between this former place and Maks there are six stations, in a Medieeval wild and barren district, and he dwells at great length on the rocky nature of the country and the succession of rapids.* This is a very truthful description of the country now called the Geography Batn-el-hagar, Belly of Stones, which lies immediately to the south of the second cataract of the Nile; and the fact that the boats stopped at the entrance to the cataract accords with the existing conditions, because for all ordinary purposes it is impracticable to pass the second cataract by water. According to the accounts collected by Quatremere the Northern Nubian kingdom which The Two was called Makorrah appears to have extended as far south as the Atbara River and the whole ^j^^^i^^ of the country from Al-Kasr to that point was then subject to the King of Dongola. The southern kingdom was called Alouah or Alwah (in the Coptic texts AAOTAIA) and included the "seven rivers of the Nile, " that is to say, the Atbara, the White and Blue Niles and their tributaries, but the southern boundaries of this kingdom are in no way defined by the various historians. The capital of this kingdom, Alouah, Souiah or Swiah, was situated at the junction of the White and Blue Niles on the east of the northern extremity of the large island formed by the two rivers. Thus the town must have occupied the position of modem Khartoum if the "island" is to be considered to mean the land between the two rivers, or else it must have been built on such a site as the present island of Touti which adjoins Khartoum. In the present volume we do not deal further with the kingdom of Alouah, but it may be noted that the inhabitants were Jacobite Christians and that their Bishops were subordinate to the Patriarch of Alexandria. From the various accounts given by the Arab historians of the Northern Nubian ki ngdom Province of it appears that the country was divided into well-defined provinces ruled by almost independent chiefs who were subject to the king. The province which comes under our immediate considera- tion extended from Al-Kasr on the north to the southern end of the Batn-el-hagar. The name given to it was Maris and it was governed by an extremely powerful chief who bore the title of Lord of the Mountain.! Three large fortress towns are mentioned as situated in his domain — Bedjrasch (Begrash) the capital of the province, Ibrim and Adwa. It is noted that Adwa, called Daw by both Macrizy and Nowairy, was a port for vessels. J *La premiere cataracte de la Nubie commence au bourg nomm^ Bakouy. C'est un port ou s'arretent les barques de Nubie, qui remontent d'Al-Kasr, frontiere de ce royaume. Personne, Musulman ou autre ne peut penetrer plus avant, sans la permission du Seigneur de la Montagne. Dela au Maks superieur, on compte six sta- tions. Tout cet espace n'est qu'une suite de rochers arides. C'est le plus affreux canton que j'aie vu dans tout le royaume, a raison de I'inegalite et du peu de largeur du terrain, et de la difficulte des chemins. D'un cote, le Nil est tout seme de rocs et de montagnes qui obstruent son lit, en sorte qu'il ne coule qu' au travers des ravins; et dans quelques endroits il se retrecit tellement qu'il n'a pas plus de cinquante coudees d'une rive a I'autre. (Quatremere, Vol. II, p. 9.) fLa province qui touche a la ville d'Asouan et aux frontieres du Said, se nomme Maris. C'est elle qui donne son nom au vent Marisy. Cette Contree est habitee par des hommes libres. Quant aux habitans du reste de la Nubie, ils sont tous esclaves de leur roi. (Quatremere, Vol. II, pp. 29, 30.) JC'est dans cette province qu'est situee la ville de Bedjrasch, capital edu Maris, la forteresse d' Ibrim, et une autre place nommee Adwa, qui a un port, et qui est, dit-on, la patrie du sage Lokman, et de Dhoul-Noun. On y voit un berba magnifique. Le gouvemeur de cette province, releve du souver- ain de la Nubie, et prend le titre de Seigneur de la montagne. C'est un des puissans officiers du royaume, a raison des avantages que lui procure le voisinage des terres de I'islamisme. En effet, tous les Musulmans qui entrent en Nubie, trafiquent avec lui, ou lui offrent des presens pour lui et pour son maitre; il re^oit tout, et donne des esclaves en echange. II ne permet a personne, Musulman ou autre, de se rendre aupres du roi. La premiere cataracte de la Nubie commence au bourg nomme Bakouy. C'est un port ou s'arretent les barques de Nubie, qui remontent d'Al-Kasr, frontiere de ce royaume. (Quatremere, Vol. II, pp. 8, 9.) 4 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Kasr Ihrim. The fortress of Ibrim is well known to all visitors to Lower Nubia owing to its commanding situation on one of the three spurs of the high sandstone plateau of the eastern desert which juts out to the water's edge just to the south of the modem village of Ibrim, and about 120 miles south of the Cataract of Aswan. (PI. 2, Fig. h.) The fortress is a striking feature as viewed from the river, and can be seen for several miles from both up and down stream. It dates from the time of Petronius (b. c. 23), who fortified the place as a frontier station of the Romans against the Meroitic power. Fragments of earlier Meroitic work are incorporated in the Roman walls, which have been little altered in succeeding centuries, though the town has been frequently occupied in mediaeval and almost modem days. The most striking building within the walls is the church, which must have been one of the finest examples of Christian building in the Nile Valley, and although it has been much damaged and was altered considerably when it was converted into a mosque, it stands very complete in many of its parts. All the walls were carried up in finely dressed ashlar, the courses being some- what less in depth than in the buildings erected under the Roman Empire, and occasional baulks of timber were built into the stonework to distribute the pressure, a method which was often employed in the Cairene churches. Most of the exterior walls of the church are standing to a height of over two metres, and at the west end of the south aisle there is a projecting bay containing the staircase, which is fairly intact. The plan of the church seems to have consisted of a nave with two aisles on either side and the usual apsidal sanctuary or Haikal. The aisles were divided by an arcade of three masonry arches of horse-shoe form and the inner aisles were separated from the nave by colonnades. (PI. 2, Fig. c.) Begrash. The name Begrash has been assigned on most of the published maps of the Nile to a ruined town (called by the Nubians Sheikh Daoud) which lies some twelve miles to the north of Kasr Ibrim on the west bank of the river, and like the latter is built on a rocky eminence, but is separated from the river by a wide belt of richly cultivated land on which stands the village of Tomas. Both of these nained towns are enclosed by thick walls and have extremely narrow entrances and the whole of the enclosed space in each case was thickly covered with houses, mere passages being left for access. The town has been so much ruined that httle idea can be formed of its original arrangement without extensive clearing and excavation, though the north wall and part of the west wall, including the gatehouse, are in good preservation. The gatehouse was built near the centre of the west wall and the entrance was effected from the south so that enemies attacking exposed the unshielded side to the defenders on the wall. Both the inner and outer gates have arched heads, and the outer one is of stone laid without mortar and has a double fillet worked on the voussoirs which stops on the customary impost (PI. 2, Fig. a). Carefully dressed ashlar laid without mortar was employed for the walling of the lower part of this gatehouse, the surface being dressed after fixing; above the impost the walls were carried up in rubble with an upper story in brick. The inner arch is of simple crude brick, of skew form and without any embellishment. The enclosing walls of the town comprise an area of about loc metres by 70 metres, with a narrow front to the river. They are built of rubble and the average thickness at the base is about two and a half metres, the thickness vary- ing with the ground level as the walls have a slight batter. A large bastion on the north side, which guarded a gully sloping up from the lower ground to the plateau upon which the town stood, is very carefully built, and its angles are strengthened by the use of very long stones for the quoins. The floor of the town must have been originally very uneven and ver\' steep in parts, and to obviate the difficulty of building dwellings on such sloping ground, the rock was quarried out in terraces and in some cases rectangular chambers were cut back into the solid rock. The stone thus obtained was used for the town wall and the dwellings and in some places for making up the ground to form a level terrace, GENERAL INTRODUCTION 5 There is no ancient site which is now named Adwa or Daw, though it is possible that the Kelaa-t- name Adda may be a corruption of the ancient form. The extensive town which spreads over an isolated hill a few miles to the south of the well-known temples of Abu Simbel is locally known as Kelaa-t-Adda, and resembles the two towns already described in its strategical position as well as in the style of its buildings. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that it is the third fortress town of the province of Maris, for there is no other ruin of sufficient importance to be put ■ in the same category with Ibrim and Begrash. The hill upon which the town was built stands on the east bank of the river quite close to the water's edge, and it is very steep on all sides, though a long spur on the north side slopes down to the river and forms a sort of bay between it and the southern part of the hill (Plate 3, Fig. a). Perhaps this was the situation of the port to which reference is made by Abdallah ben Ahmad ben Solaim. A narrow roadway leads up to the town along the spur, which was defended at the lower end by strongly fortified towers. The roadway, which is stepped in places, is very steep and winds between the ruined houses which are crowded one behind the other on the sloping ground. The interior of the town is much like Kasr Ibrim, though it lacks the fine church, for the only ecclesiastical building now standing is a ruined church of crude brick standing on the left side at the top of the approach. On the northeast side of the town there is a projecting rectangular platform built up with fine ashlar walls which seem to have formed the stylobate of a temple of Blemyan date. The ashlar walling makes a return to the northeastern angle of the town and runs for some distance along the east side of the hill. At the southwest comer of the hill, which is its highest point, there are scattered fragments of granite columns, which indicate the former existence of an important church. There is also a much battered sandstone capital of extraordinary form lying on the rock. Four large smooth leaves form the square faces at the top of the capital and the angles of the abacus are supported by volute-like brackets. Many fragments of interest are to be seen in the gully lying between this south peak of the rock and the long sloping ridge, and among them the most noticeable are some broken capitals carved in red sandstone. These capitals are of less debased form than the one to which reference has been made and the design is almost directly derived from the Ionic Order. About fourteen miles to the south of Kelaa-t-Adda is the modern administrative boundary The District between Egypt and the Sudan, which crosses the river to the south of the village of Addendan ^^Ji^a^i- on the east bank of the Nile. Just at this point two or three islands divide the stream — the two Adda and largest at the present day being the island of Addendan in Egypt and the island of Faras on the ^^^(^^act^ Sudanese side of the boundary. But in the past the richly cultivated land on the west bank where is the cluster of villages collectively called Faras also formed an island which must have been the most important of the group judging from the ruins of ancient buildings which were erected on it. The geography of this district is of sufficient importance to be treated in a separate chapter. In the various extracts published by Ouatremere there are several other places mentioned in this province, though none of them of such importance as the three fortresses. At the foot of the second cataract there was a monastery dedicated to SS. Michael and Kosma according to Abu Selah.* and there are references to the island of S. Michael by other authorities. On the second island of the cataract from the north end, there stands the ruin of a large monastery, which unfortunately is much encumbered by a fort built during the dervish troubles. This island is called Meilnarti (Meil = Michael (?), arti=: island) by the natives of to-day, so that it may be the site of the historic monasterv. *Au rapport d'Abou-Selah, Bedjrasch, capitale du Maris, est une ville bien batie et fort peuplee. A I'entree de la province de Makorrah est un mon- astere sous I'invocation de Safanouf, roi de Nubie. II est place au pied de la seconde cataracte. Le monastere de Mikail et Kosma, est fort vaste. On y voit un sycomore qui indique chaque annee le moment de la crue et de la baisse des eaux du Nil. (Quatremere, Vol. II, pp. 31, 32.) 6 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA The District The Monastery of Daira is also noted by Abu Selah in connection with a temple near Kelaa-t- which stands "between two high mountains,"* a description which is not clear — though it y4 I Plan of Church at Figiranton. of interest in the roofing, for in place of the usual entirely by domes or domical vaults. In this respect the building more nearly approaches the type found in the desert monasteries and the monasteries of the Natron Valley. The dome over the central bay of the nave is of elliptical form and is considerably higher than any of the others, but there are no openings in it for the admission of light. A wide passage behind the Haikal connects the two sacristies, an arrangement which was employed also in the dromic church at Kasr Ibrim, but not in the other churches of our district. Further South however this feature seems to be common. Thus Mr. J. W. Crowfoot, when he was acting as Director of Antiquities in the Sudan, noted a small church at Figiranton NUBIAN CHURCH CONSTRUCTION 13 about fifteen miles south of Wady Haifa, and his plan, which he has kindly granted permission Variations of ^Lss0fiitci to reproduce, shows a passage behind the Haikal. The plan, but for thia one point, is very pia^. similar to the central domed church at Serreh which is shown on PI. 30, Fig. a. The foregoing brief summary of the characteristics of the Nubian churches and their con- struction is sufficient to show that there is much in common in the examples quoted. Not only have the materials and the climate tended to bring about this uniformity, but the ritual must certainly have had a great influence in standardizing the arrangement. / CHAPTER III THE CHURCH NEAR DEBEREH The first church which was excavated and cleared for study stands on the left bank of the river opposite the centre of the modem village of Debereh, some nine miles north of the railway terminus at Haifa. It has been chosen as the first example for description because the plan embodies all the features common to the larger churches in the district, and sufficient of the structure remains to show the original design of the building. From the photographs of the interior a good impression may be obtained of the general arrangement of all the dromic churches in Nubia. The Site. The situation of the church is curious, for there are now no habitations near it, nor does it seem possible that the country for two miles in either direction along the river bank could ever have supported a community however small. But it is possible that the river may have shifted its course and come nearer to the site, sweeping away the foreshore of rich mud deposit and building up fresh land on the opposite bank. Such changes are of constant occurrence throughout the Nile Valley, and in greater or lesser degree occur with each annual flood, so that not infrequently what was last year a fertile bank will this year be a navigable channel. The church stands just at the mouth of a slight depression which stretches back from the river through an extensive plateau of sandstone. The general level of the plateau is about twenty metres above the average high level of the river, and it is at this point over a mile wide from the bank to the rugged hills which skirt the great Western Desert. This plain is continuous through- out the district, diminishing to nothing at the second cataract on the south and at the hills of Wiss, between Faras and Abu Simbel, on the north. The ruin is barely two hundred metres from the river and is built on the north side of the depression, which was doubtless the course of some stream, long since dry, caused by heavy rains in the hills. Between the church and the river the old watercourse splays out to a greater width, and on either side of it and near to the river there are some fallen crude brick structures — probably dwelling houses contemporary with the church. Close to these are two or three tamarisk cltunps and mounds formed of sand and tamarisk peat. To the north of the site in two or three clearly defined groups are numerous graves, and much scattered pottery of Christian date. About a mile and a half down stream from the church, there is the ruin of a structure of contemporary or sHghtly earlier date, which is too dilapidated in condition for its use to be conjectured, though it may be noted that a staircase stands up prominently at the southwestern angle. The ruin is situated almost on the bank of the river, and is surrounded by an extensive group of tamarisk mounds. Orientation The axis of the church was set out roughly at right angles to the line of the river bank, and of Church. actual magnetic direction of the south arcade was 134° when the notes were made in February, 1908. As most of the churches seem to have been built with such rough and ready orientation, it is obvious that, owing to the winding of the foreshore, the axis is often far from being east and west; but for purposes of description it is sufficiently accurate to refer to the sanctuarv' as being at the east end of the building and to the other parts in accordance. The church at present under consideration forms approximately a rectangle which measures (14) THE CHURCH NEAR DEBEREH 15 16.50 m. by 12.00 m. Its external walls are built of small blocks of sandstone in regular courses Orientation to a height of about 4.25 m. on the north and west sides and 2.75 on the east. The south wall of Church. is almost razed to the ground, but it must have been similar to that on the north side. Above the stonework, which was laid in mud mortar, the walls were carried up in crude brick, a slight external offset marking the change of material. The only entrances to the church were the two small doors on the north and south sides which opened into the aisles opposite the western bay of the arcades. A reference to the plan on PI. 8 will give a clear idea of the arrangement of the church, and Composition. the curious contrivance by which the internal apse is obtained without excessive waste of material can be seen. The church is composed of Haikal, Nave and Aisles, two sacristies, and the usual western bay to which reference has been made in Chapter II, which leads to the staircase at the southwest corner of the building and to the chamber at the northwest comer. The clearly defined side chapels, which are so common in the churches of Cairo and North Egypt, are entirely lacking. The Haikal is about 3.75 m. wide and 4 m. in greatest length. The floor was the jhe natural rock, but levelled and raised in places by a sort of concrete consisting of pebbles and Sanctuary. mud. The apsidal end only approximates to the semi-circle and must have been set out alm.ost entirely by eye. The walls of the Haikal, as in the other parts of the building, were carried up in coursed rubble and mud mor- tar for some considerable height. At 3.40 m. above the floor there is a course of header bricks laid projecting about a centimetre beyond the face of the wall and from this course the domical vault springs, which was started against the east wall with a ring of bricks consisting of five units rising about 0.50 m. and span- ning about a metre. Each con- secutive ring added during con- struction naturally had a wider span, and in consequence rose to a greater height, since the area to be vaulted was semi-circular, though in actual practice the ratio of span to rise was not kept constant and the vault was depressed; thus the height was prevented from becoming excessive at the start, and so the disaster which would naturally occur unless the lower end of the vault was heavily loaded was obviated. Two narrow doors with arched heads lead into the sacristies, but that on the north side has been walled up to a height of i.io m., forming a sort of hatchway. Just to the west of these doors on either side an arched opening leads into the eastern end of the aisles. A Tribune occupies the circular part of the Haikal to the east of the sacristy doors. This is The Tribune built up in crude brick and plastered with mud, and it consists of five steps rising to i.io m. above the floor with a raised central seat 0.02 m. above the top step. Above the tribune are three niches, stone lintels forming the heads, arranged symmetrically, The use of these niches has been made clear, since in one of the churches at Faras (F. 2) a crude form of stand for a lamp made of mud was found in one of them and the lintel above was smoke blackened. It has been suggested that the three niches were symbolic of the Trinity, and the constant occurrence of the three is in favour of the theory. Apse, of Jmmtt.ircv/*r /o»" Construction of Apse Vault. i6 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Eastern End. Nave. Piers and Walls. The Nave Vault. Arch of Triumph. Capitals. The Screen Wall. Pulpit. The photograph of the interior (PL 4, Fig. b) shows the arrangement of the east end very clearly, but might give the impression that an east window existed over the central niche. A careful examination proves that this was not the case, but that the lintel of the niche gave way or was removed, and in consequence the wall above it fell out. There is no evidence of an east window, or indeed of any direct light into any part of the nave or sanctuan^ in any of the churches studied, with the exception of those which have domes supported on drums. The nave is about 8.25 m. long and 3.75 m. wide, but it is far from being rectangular for there is nearly half a metre variation between the two diagonals. The arcade walls separating the nave from the aisles are i.iom. thick on the north side and 1.15m. on the south side, and the arched openings are considerably less in width than the piers; but the design, which appears at first sight to be excessively clumsy, is not altogether out of proportion to the necessity, for the weight of the superimposed walls and vaults is considerable and the mate^rials are. not suitable to economic construction. The piers, which measure roughly i.io m. by 1.35 m., are built of rough sandstone carefully coursed to a height of 1.80 m., and at this level the arches spring. The arches are built skew in the usual manner and rise to a height of 2.30 m. above the floor. At 2.85 m. above the floor the stone walling leaves of? and above this point the walls are carried up in brick for six courses. A course of headers projecting about a centimetre, similar to that in the Haikal, accentuates the fact that the wall above oversails for the eight next courses in order to reduce the span of the main vault. Nothing is left of the nave vault but the indication of its springing, and that only for a short distance. Three openings on each side of the nave communicated with the upper stories over the aisles. These windows can have been little else than peep-holes and, in spite of the deeply splayed sills, very little view of the nave can have been obtained through them. The nave was separated from the Haikal by an arched wall which w^as further marked by columns set in reveals. This structure is generally called the Arch of Triumph, and is to be found in all the larger churches. The columns to this arch were monoliths of red sandstone worked to a fine surface by hand, and the part towards the angle of the reveal was not finished to a fine surface. Parts of them were found in the church, but much has been destroyed; the largest piece, which is 1.75 m. long and 0.34 m. diameter, was found in the south aisle. The base upon which the column on the north side rested remains in position; it is worked only on the two sides showing, which are 0.37 m. wide and about 0.25 m. high. Above the square part a circular disc 0.35 m. diameter and 0.02 m. high is worked to receive the foot of the coliimn. The capitals of these columns are both remaining, though one, which was to fit a column 0.25m. diameter at the necking, is in a very battered condition. The one illustrated (PI. 6, Fig. a) is of good if rather simple design. The departure from the Classic design is very marked, for the treatment is more suggestive of Western Romanesque work than Byzantine. It is 0.31 m. in diameter at the necking, and about 0.45 m. in height. Between the columns there was a low wall of crude brick 0.70 m. high with an opening 0.62 m. wide in the centre. This wall apparently formed the base for the screen, which must have stretched from column to column. The colimms were too much damaged to ascertain the height of the screen, though on one of the pieces a sinking is evident in which a beam had rested. Advantage was taken of the uneven surface of the rock to obtain a rise in floor level by a step 0.08 m. high, which was made up with brick and mud mortar, from the nave into the Haikal. Placed against the eastern pier of the north arcade there is a small platform built of crude brick 0.78 m. high and about 0.90 m. square, and along the east side of it a low parapet wall runs with a short return on the south. This parapet is only two or three centimetres high, but it may have stood to a greater height or may have formed a seating for a wooden rail. The plat- form is approached by three brick steps on the western side, making four risers in all of about THE CHURCH NEAR DEBEREH 17 0.20 m. each. This structure forms a sort of ambo or pulpit, but it looks like an inversion of the ordinan,^ pulpit of European Christendom and is more like the mimbar used in Mohammedan mosques. The western bay opening out of the nave isabout 1.90 m. wide and 2.50 m. long. An arched The Western dooHA^ay with reveals opens on to the staircase on the south and a similar doorway on the other side leads to the western chamber. The actual measurements of the latter are 0.82 m. wide, 1.80 m. floor to spring and 2.12 m. to the underside of the arch. There are three square-headed niches in this bay, each about i.o m. high and i.io m. from the ground, one in the centre of the west wall and one next to the door in each side wall. The actual springing of the vault to the bay is 2.25 m. above the floor and rises to a height of 3.15 m., but there are three oversailing courses below the springing. The west wall of the nave was carried across the bay directly on the vault, but owing to the large opening in the wall above very little weight was thrown on the vault, and further to relieve the crown a small relieving arch of seven bricks was built in the thickness of the wall under the window, thus distributmg the load on to the haunches of the vault. A single window 0.58 m. wide and 2.60 m. above the floor occupied the upper part of the west wall of the bay over the niche, but it had been bricked up at an early date. This seems to have been the only means of admitting direct light into the body of the church. The south aisle is so ruinous in condition that little remains to be noted beyond the fact ji^g Aisles. that its outer walls and general arrangement are the same as in the case of the north aisle, which is fairly intact. The total length of the north aisle is 8.70 m., and it is thus longer than the nave by the one bay which leads from the Haikal. The vault, which spans the width of about 1.70 m., springs 2.65 m. above the floor and rises to an average height of 3.48 m. A low brick wall 0.70 m. high cuts off the eastern part of the aisle, leaving a passage only 0.40 m. wide on the south side. This wall is in line with the main screen and suggests that the eastern part of the aisle was screened off as a side chapel, but the space so reserved is but 1.15 m. by 1.60 m. and in consequence would allow but little space for an altar. The two entrances to the church are situated at the western ends of the aisles, close to the Entrances. main west wall of the nave. Both of these doorways are broken down, but the northern is in the best state of preservation. It is 0.90 m. wide and has external reveals about 0.25 m. each way into which flat pilaster strips of finely dressed sandstone were set. These pilas- ters are 0.26 m. wide and c.15 m. deep and were so set as to narrow the doorway to 0.75 m. wide. The stone lintel with an intricate cross design carved on it which was found lying across the sill, must have been supported on these pilasters. The dimensions of this stone are 1.21 m. by 0.42 m. bv 0.18 m. The two sacristies are slightly different in actual arrangement, but are of about the same size. Sacristies. The northern measures 2.40 m. by 1.80 m. and the southern 2.40 m. by 1.90 m. on an average. A door in each case leads from the aisle into the sacristy and there are also openings from the Haikal to w^hich reference has already been made. The northern of these two doors from the sanctuar}' has been bricked up to a height of about i.iom. from the floor, leaving a sort of hatchway above. Inside this sacristy and against its south wall there is a curious arrangement of low brick and mud benches. The lowest of these is 0.06 m. high and the others rise o.io m. and 0.12 m. above it. A return bench against the west wall is 0.04 m. high. The bottom of the niche in the south wall is i.o m. above the floor and its height to the head, which is formed by a single slab of stone, is i.io m. } /^^^^^ 1^ Lintel to North Door. i8 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA The South Sacristy. Northwest Chamber. Staircase. The Upper Story. Date. The vault over the sacristy, which was built leaning against the sanctuary wall, sprang from a height of 2.70 m. from the floor, and it rose to a total height of 3.65 m. The south sacristy is similar to the former, but it lacks the benches. The niche which has a vaulted head is 1.55 m. high and is i.o m. above the floor. A low parapet wall at its edge is 0.16 wide and 0.04 high. This is the only chamber on the ground floor of the church which has any direct light. Although the outer walls are destroyed to a greater extent than in the case of the north sacristy, there are the lower parts of two window openings still showing, one in the centre of each wall. The sill on the south side is 1.35 m. above the ground and the width of the window was 0.60 m. The sill of the east window is 1.15 m. above the floor, and the width was 0.57 m. The chamber was vaulted at 2.68 m. above the floor, and its roof rose to a total height of 3.62 m. The northwest chamber of the church is almost entirely plain. It measures about 2.0 m. by 3.20 m. Its floor is 0.06 m. above the level of the western bay, and a step about 0.15 m. above this level forms a wide sill. The springing line on the east wall at 2.30 m. above the floor is the only remains of the vault. In the west wall there are two niches, but the wall is broken down a little way above their sills, which are x.15 m. above the floor. The staircase which balances the last mentioned chamber has been much destroyed. A single step 0.20 m. high leads up through a doorway into the stairway itself, which turns contrary to the sun round a central pier. The steps were built up solid for about the first metre of rise, and then were carried on raking vaults. Two narrow windows in the west wall lighted the lower part of the staircase. The central pier is standing almost the whole height of the building, but the steps have mostly disappeared; though enough remains to show that the ascent must have been very steep. The upper story seems to have been divided into separate chambers with communicating doors corresponding to the divisions of the lower floor. There was a gallery over the western bay with a wide opening into the upper part of the nave, which has been previously mentioned. The other walls separating the nave from the upper chambers were pierced by mere slits, three on either side, which had deeply splayed sills. Doors at the end of both aisles led into chambers over the sacristies, and from these were openings communicating with a passage which passed over the eastern part of the apse. The vaults of the galleries followed on the lines of the lower vaults, but they had wider spans owing to the method of construction adopted in which the walls were narrowed down above the springing of the lower vaults by the width of the seating of the vaulting bricks. In the upper aisles the span was slightly reduced by three oversailing courses immediately below the springing level. Very httle headroom was allowed in the galleries, for the springing level averages about 4.80 m. above the general ground floor, and the first floor is 3.65 m. above, which only leaves a height of 1. 15 m. from floor to springing, and the actual height of vertical wall, owing to the oversaiUng, is but 0.85 m. Allowing for the vault being of normal rise, the height at the centre would be about 2.25 m. at the centre of the vault. The remains of the upper stor\- are insufficient to show the methods of lighting throughout the gallery, but in the north wall of the church there are three windows about 0.60 m. wide opening into the upper north aisle and their sills are about 0.75 m. above the floor level. A similar treatment was probably employed on all sides of the building. Had it not been for the discovery of the stele, which is mentioned in the next paragraph, it would have been difficult to assign an exact date to this building, for as yet little is known of the Nubian Church, and the objects found are of little help owing to the fact that Coptic potterv^ has never been studied. Ancient Egyptian cemeteries are often dated on the evidence of a few sherds to within the limits of a dynasty or a reign, but archaeologists in Egypt too often neglect THE CHURCH NEAR DEBEREH 19 those places which are scattered with slip-ware painted with fish and crosses, and are content to assign them to a "Coptic Period, " in which they refuse to be interested. This stele was found lying face upwards in the centre of the Haikal. Its situation, as The Stele. shown on the plan, suggests that, if that was the original position of the stone, it had actually formed part of the altar. But in such a position the inscription would not be legible, and it seems more reasonable to suppose that the stele was inserted in the front of the altar. Mr. W. E. Crum has been kind enough to study a photograph of the stone and has made the transcription which, together with his translation, is published below. It will be seen that the date given is 745 "from the Martyrs,"* which corresponds with the year 1029 of onv era. As it seems clear that the church had not been many generations in use, the date of its construction may confidently be assigned to the Tenth Century. "Jesus Christ, Light of Life. " "Through the providence of God, the governor (817 /noupyd?) of the whole (world), He that said unto Adam, the first man, 'Earth thou art, to earth again shalt thou return,' — even thus did the deceased (/xa/^<^J^ ^/»<— T-OVj) <>'-£k ( Co c A/\^eyi^b^ <0a^ X N^-rpg'^ c«-o-r^*^ N~T~e'C/*A.M yv>./v^^K2>j; i »v. fc-T-/«^ A^frr^i -ruJ — rc~/ yc-* -roy ^l^tuj Or./ 1 ^/y^/ i0.i>-^( S €n c -royc >.( -r-t-/ <\/ ^1 i^ry .... Krr-^.<^ . . . . n Y A' niches 0.50 m. wide and i .0 m. high, placed 0.20 m. above the upper step. The centre niche is 0.40 m. deep, but the other two run further into the heavy masonry at the sides of the apse, viz., 0.76 m. on the north side and c.65 m. on the south. All the niches have flat lintels of sandstone. Arched openings on either side of the sanctuary communicate with the sacristies and aisles. A small niche on the east side of the north pier of the Arch of Triumph had constantly contained a lamp, for the masonry below was almost saturated with oil which was still undried. The floor of the Haikal appears to have been the solid rock, levelled perhaps by a layer of beaten mud. There is no evidence of a step between the nave and sanctuary, though there . may have been one of beaten mud if the flooring of the Haikal was up above the level of the rock. The position of the altar is clearly marked on the rock by mud mortar which had evidently The Altar. . formed part of the plastering of the brickwork of which the altar had been built. Traces of this mortar exist at the northwest angle of the structure and along the eastern side. The nave is about 9.0 metres long and 4.0 m. wide and is nearly rectangvilar, for the difference The Nave. between the diagonals is but 0.12 m. The walls separating the nave from the aisles are i.io m. thick on the north side and 1.15 m. on the south. They can hardly be called arcades, for the arched openings, three in each case, are only about half as wide as the piers separating them. The openings are 1.45 m. wide and the piers 2.35 m. on an average. The piers are built of sandstone blocks laid in mud mortar, but the openings have a brick lining 0.30 m. thick carried up to take the skew arch. The arches in the south wall spring at an average level of 1.20 m. above the floor and rise to a height of 2.00 m. (27) 28 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA The Nave. The Arch of Triumph. The Pulpit. Bay and Aisles. Entrances. The North Sacristy. A course of headers was placed over the skew arch forming a true arch over it and above the crown the wall was carried up in brick. The level of the springing of the nave vault is not deter- minable as the original wall does not stand to any great height above the arches, though a part, which is comparatively modem, has been carried up in rough rubble for some considerable distance. This evidently formed the north wall of a dwelling made in the western part of the south aisle, the beaten mud floor of which was found over the fallen vault. The wall of the Arch of Triumph is not standing to any great height and little of it remains but the reveals and the base of the north column. The latter consists of a square member 0.35 m. wide and 0.15 m. high and a drum above it 0.33 m. diameter and 0.30 m. high with a groove about 0.0 1 m. deep worked round it. The pulpit occupies the usual position against the eastern pier of the north arcade, but it projects almost half across the eastern arch. It consists of steps of five risers leading up to a small platform about 0.80 m. square, round the edges of which extended a low parapet 0.05 m. high and o.io m. wide. The total length of the pulpit is 1.90 m. and the height of the platform from the ground 1.05 m. The western bay opening out of the nave is 2.15 m. wide and 3.48 m. long. It has onlv one doorway opening out of it and this leads to the staircase. A single niche occupies the west wall and this is 0.45 m. wide by i.o m. high and is 1.12 m. from the ground. The north aisle is 10.55 loi^g ^.nd 2.00 m. wide. The walls have been much ruined, but it corresponds to the south aisle in most of its features. The south aisle is 10.80 m. long and 1.90 m. wide and the vault spanning it springs at a height of 2.50 m. from the floor and about 0.50 m. above the level of the intrados of the arches of the arcade. There are three niches in the south wall; they are square headed and about 0.55 m. wide and 0.90 m. high and are about i.oo m. from the ground. The heads are formed of slabs of carefully dressed sandstone about o.io m. thick. The north aisle is similar in arrangement but the walls and piers are much ruined. The outer doors occupy the usual positions. The southern one is i.i8m. wide, and has reveals on the outer side. On either side of this entrance there are rough brick walls which had been altered and rebuilt in more recent years. These had in all likelihood formed a porch or entrance chamber of some sort. A more perfect example can be seen at the other church near by (see PI. 17 and Chapter VI). Built into this wall on the west of the doorw'ay is a large capital, but it is utterly defaced. This porch and the western part of the south aisle had a floor of beaten mud above the fallen rubbish, and the ruined walls of the church had been roughly patched and heightened. At this floor level a quantity of date stones were found and a fragment of a wooden kohlpot painted with a black design on a yellow ground. These indications suggest that this part of the building had been used for dwelling purposes long after the church had been destroyed. Of the north door the western jambs alone remain, for the western part of the outer wall of the aisle has disappeared. The only entrance to the north sacristy is through the doorway from the Haikal. This doorway has a flat stone lintel 1.90 m. above the sill and over the reveal on the inner side there had been a skew arch. Across the springing of this arch a wooden beam had been laid, perhaps for the purpose of hanging a curtain. The floor of the sacristy is some five centimetres below the level of the Haikal. A brick and mud bench 0.30 m. wide and 0.20 m. high which has a short return on either side is built against the east wall. On the south return of the bench there is a circular pottery jar 0.20 m. diameter sunk into the brickwork. There are two niches 0.90 m. high and i.io m. above the floor of the room which meast:res 2.06 m. from east to west and 2.43 m. from north to FARAS 29 south. The walls are broken down below the lev^el of the vault for the most part, but the springing line can be distinguished at 2.75 m. above the floor on the west wall. The south sacristy measures 2.50 m. from north to south and 1.92 m. from east to west. The South It has two entrances, one from the Haikal, square headed, and one from the south aisle which Sacristy. has reveals and is treated with the usual lintel and arch. There is a recess in the south wall covered by a skew arch and a niche with a semi-circular head in the east wall. The vault springs at 2.70 m. from the floor on the east and west walls and rose originally to a height of about 3.50 m. The north wall of the chamber is covered with inscriptions cut in the mud plaster but they are extremely difficult to read, as the white ants have almost honeycombed the plaster. The two most noticeable are ten lines over the door head and a lengthv inscription of about fifteen lines at a lower level commemorating visitors to the church. Mr. W. E. Crum studied the rough copies of this latter made by the author but was able to decipher little beyond the fact that it begins with the formula ANOK TIETP . . . and that the last three lines finish with the following words: MHNA "/eNoyeoc ap man ye icoy monaxuc e>4>q"3 Reference is here made to **t ENOT0OC the archimandrite, the son (i. e. spiritual son) of ICOT the monk, and a date follows which appears to read 597 of the Martyrs (881 a.d.). Mr. Crum was at first of the opinion that the famous archimandrite Shenoute of the White Monastery was intended, the writer being the spiritual son of the bishop Jesu, whose stele has recently been published, but he has pointed out that such a supposition is not in accordance with the date, which is some 200 years before the bishop's death. A door at the west end of the north aisle leads into the customary northwest chamber, a room Northwest 2.75 m. from east to west and 3.00 m. from north to south, which has most irregular angles. There is a niche in each wall at i.io m. above the ground. The vault springs on the east and west walls at 2.35 m. above the floor. The staircase is of about the same size as the latter chamber. The stair rises in the reverse Staircase. direction to that which is customan.^ and the steps are approached by a short passage. Under the staircase there is a small cupboard with a low doorway leading to it close to the entrance to the staircase. Whilst the exterior of the church was being cleared for measurement, the entrance to a tomb The Tomb. was found opposite the centre of the east end. The opening was covered by stone slabs and when these were removed a shaft 1.45 m. deep and 0.70 m. square was disclosed, cut through the rock. From this opening a semi-circular-headed tunnel, gradually diminishing in height and width, leads under the church for a distance of 1.70 m. The entrance to this gallery is marked by a flat fillet 0.07 m. wide in flat rehef as an architrave, over which is a cross 0.23 m. high and 0.12 m. wide. The entrance to the tomb is shown on PI. 13, Fig. a. Inside the tomb were the bones of five or six persons in confusion. If the evidence of the date given in the inscription in the sacristy is correct, the church must Date^ have been built about 150 years before the stele was placed in the church at Debereh and in that case the marked similarity of the two plans is worthy of note. There is no difference noticeable in the methods of construction employed, but the heaviness of the piers and the small area of the openings in the church at Faras certainly suggest an earl}' date and imply that the builders were as yet uncertain in designing. 30 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA LIST OF OBJECTS FOUND IN THE CHURCH In the Haikal. 1. Fragment of a bowl 0.09 m. high and 0.12 m. diameter. Red slip ware with painted design in black. 2. Two rough circular pottery lamps. 3. Portion of red pottery flat dish with turned up edge. In the North Sacristy. 4. A small inscribed stele of sandstone. The inscription is almost obliterated. 5. A plain circular burnt clay lamp o.ii m. diameter. 6. Several fragments of glass of a light green tint. 7. Several discoid jar sealings. 8. The stems of two cups of red slip ware, pebble polished, similar to that found in F2. (See p. 35 ; also PI. ig, Fig. a.) 9. Part of a large burnt clay box with rough painted decoration in red ochre and yellow. (Cf. Debereh, p. 20; see No. 11.) In the Nave. 10. A roughly made sandstone pipe bowl, similar to the pipes in use at Malta. In the Staircase Passage. 11. Part of a rough pottery box 0.35 m. high, 0.35 m. wide and about 0.50 m. long. It has a band of applied ornament near the top consisting of a semi-circular strip with incised cuts on it. Below this there is a trellis design painted in red ochre and yellow. (Cf. No. 9.) 12. A plain red slip bowl 0.205 ™- diameter and 0.08 m. high with base ring. (See PI. 19, Fig. b.) 13. A buff slip bowl with a painted design inside in purple black, diameter 0.18 m., height 0.0575 m. Base ring. (See PI. 19, Figs. a and b.) These two bowls were placed one inside the other and inverted over about two dozen small spherical ferruginous sandstone nod- ules on the floor of the passage. CHAPTER VI THE SOUTHERN CHURCH AT FARAS (F2) The second of the churches excavated in this district lies to the southwest of the former and Position and but 168 m. distant from it. The two buildings are not parallel, and the difference between the Orientation. orientation of the naves Is 8 degrees 30 minutes. In the present example the axis of the nave is 127 degrees 30 minutes (Mag.) whereas the centre line of the nave of the former church is 136 degrees (Mag.). Owing to the rhomboidal shape of the plan of this second church, however, the eastern walls are approximately parallel on the exterior. The outline of the plan has features of mathematical interest. In spite of its unsymmetrical angles the opposite sides of the building are almost exactly equal, the dimensions being: — Breadth of east end 12.80 m. Breadth of west end 12.75 Length of north side 22.95 Length of south side 22.92 m. These variations are extremely slight, especially when the nature of the material is taken into consideration ; indeed the ver\^ roughness of such sandstone blocks as were used in the construc- tion of this church may well account for an odd centimetre of difference. In view of such accuracy in the lineal measurements it is extremely surprising to notice the Setting out apparent carelessness with which the angles of the building were set out. The properties of a '^^ P^<^^- right angled triangle would appear to have been realized, in part at least, b}^ builders of all nations from remote antiquity, but the Nubians seem to have ignored their practical application. A friend of the author, who has been engaged in the study of many mediaeval buildings, suggested that the designers of this church were aware of the customary rule for getting out a right angle by means of a triangle whose sides are in the ratio of 3, 4, 5, but that they had forgotten the actual figures and used instead a triangle with sides in the ratio of 4, 5, 6, or some other miscalculation. However this may be, it is a noticeable fact that if measurements be taken from one of the acute angles four units along one side and five along the other, the distance between the two points thus determined will be found to measure exactly 6 of the same units. It may be merely a coincidence that it should be so, and that other reasons may have determined the extraordinary skew of the plan, but there are no natural features in the ground which could influence the setting out. When the work of clearing was commenced the church was much encumbered by sand and Peculiarities rubbish, but it was noticeable from the start of the excavations that it possessed unusual features. °f Pl<^^- PI. 16, Fig. a shows the condition of the north side of the nave before the work was started. The sand lay on this side to a depth of less than a metre, but on the south side the sand and rubbish was piled up against the arcade wall to a height of over two metres and the south aisle was filled with rubbish to an equal height. The arrangement of the west end of the church was seen to be unusual and when it had been cleared the design was found to be more complex than in the former examples. Another unique feature of the plan is the staircase at the east end of the building in place of the customary sacristy chamber. (31) 32 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA The Haikal. Tombs. In the eastern part of the church there are three shaft tombs and one shallow grave. The latter (a), which is in the north aisle, and the shaft (y8) near it were opened, but owing to the fact that this work involved much labour and that no objects seem to have been Vjuried in the tombs, further exploration of the shafts was not attempted. The eastern part of the church was the first to be excavated, and it was soon apparent that the structure below the sand was in an excellent state of preserva- tion. The tribune was found to be almost perfect and even the surface of lime-white remained over the greater part of it. The steps rise in three equal tiers to a height of 0.90 m., above which is a further step 0.20 m. high, and the central seat has an additional height of 0.15 m. The greatest width of the Haikal is 4.38 m. and its length is about 3.70 m. The arrangement of openings to the aisles and sacristies is normal, but the door to the south sacristy has been bricked up flush. The three niches occupy their usual positions. In the southern of these there is a rough circular pedestal about 0.12 m. in diameter at the base built up of mud to a height of about 0.17 m. It had evidently been used as a support for a lamp from which the oil running down had reduced the mud to a consistency resembling rubber. THE SOUTHERN CHURCH AT FARAS 33 Against the northern pier of the Arch of Triumph there stands a base probably taken from The Haikal. some column. The circular member is 0.22 m. in upper diameter and the square member has sides of 0.30 m. In total height it is 0.16 m. Nearly in the centre of the upper surface there is a rebate or sinking o. 10 m. *- ^'^ =? ^- square which must have received the base of a timber post, for ii fragments of the wood still adhere. While the tribune was being cleared part of the broken The Alu sandstone slab of the altar was discovered resting upon a brick pier. As soon as the excavation had gone deeper the whole altar was disclosed with the exception of the remaining part of the stone slab. Soon after the rubbish had been taken away the brickwork showed a tendency to crumble under the weight of the stone, which was therefore removed. In the photograph of the interior looking east (PI. 16, Fig. b) the stone is shown lying on the ground at the side of the altar. The altar was built of burnt bricks measuring 0.32 m. by 0.18 m. by 0.08 m. and each angle was strengthened by a Base from Haikal. square pilaster of fine sandstone o.i i m. wide on each face. Its average dimensions are 0.90 m. from north to south, 0.75 m. from east to west and 0.90 m. in height. In the centre, under the stone top, there seems to have been a niche or recess, perhaps used as a reliquary. The brickwork showed traces of mud plaster and whitewash and upon the pilaster was noticeable whitewash and the remains of two vertical and two diagonal lines of red paint. A sinking in the floor to the north of the altar and partly beneath it marks the position of a shaft tomb and there is also the beginning of another shaft in front of the altar which was not completed. The nave is 11.85 m. long and 4.08 m. wide, and is separated from the aisles by arcades of The Nave. five bays. The piers are i.iom. thick, and they are 1.60 m. wide. Although as usual the arched openings are less in width than the intervening piers the impression gained from a view of the arcades is one of lightness when compared with the former examples and of greater length, owing, no doubt, to the number and good proportion of the openings. The piers and walls are built of sandstone to a height of 3.10 m. from the floor, but the arches are of brick and are built skew. Above the stonework the walls are carried up in brick and after four vertical courses they oversail in the usual manner for an additional nine courses to the springing of the vault. In the nave walls the usual openings from the upper aisles were formed, two of which can be seen on the north side. There were four of these on each side, those which at present exist are over the two western piers of the arcade, and there would naturally be similar openings over the other two" piers. Little remains of the Arch of Triumph except the lower part of the shafts set in the customary jiig j^fch of reveals. The shafts were of close-grained red sandstone 0.37 m. diameter, finely worked and Triumph. finished on plain square bases 0.25 m. high. About o.iom. above the base there is a groove cut round the shaft. Part of the square base of each column has been cut out to receive a beam, evidently the sill piece for a screen. There is no defined step to the Haikal, but any change in level of the floor may have been made up in flooring against the sill. The pulpit, which can be seen in the photograph b, on PI. 16, has been badly damaged by The Pulpit. falling masonry. It is 1.55 m. long and 0.60 m. wide, and consists of steps of four rises and a small platform 0.72 m. long. The total height to the latter is 0.60 m. The two aisles are similar in plan, but, as can be seen in the cross section on PI. 18, the The Aisles. southern is in the better state of preservation, and from it alone can the construction be noted. 3 34 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA The Aisles. The South Sacristy. Northeast Staircase. The Western Chambers. Dating. The total length of this aisle is 13.80 m. and its width is 2.05 m. Towards its eastern end a portion of the vault was found, springing at a level 3.15 m. above the ground, but shortly after the rubbish was removed the brickwork fell. In the south wall there are three niches each 0.60 m. wide, i.oo m. high, 0.38 m. deep and 1.15 m. above the ground. In line with the piers supporting the Arch of Triumph there is a crude brick screen wall, projecting from the outer wall of the south aisle for a distance of 1.20 m. with a return of the thickness of a brick towards the east, thus leaving a passage 0.80 m. wide against the pier. The screen is only 0.20 m. thick but is 1.30 m. high. On the top of the screen there are two small circular pedestals for such mud lamps as that which was foimd in the niche in the Haikal. The door leading from the Haikal to the south sacristy has been bricked up by a thin wall and the only entrance to the chamber is from the aisle. The walls are much dilapidated, especially towards the southeast angle. In the north wall there is a niche 0.60 m. wide and 0.55 m. deep, and the bricked-up doorway to the Haikal forms another recess on that side. The floor had been made up in this space to a height of about o.io m. with mud, in which there is a circular depression which perhaps marks the position of the stand for a water-jar or filter. Against the south wall there is a bench 0.22 m. high, which returns along half the length of the east wall; and at the end of this return there stands part of a granite column bedded in the floor. The column has an average diameter of 0.22 m. and is i.oo m. high. The position usually allotted to the north sacristy is occupied by a staircase which is entered from the Haikal. The steps originally led up on the right of the doorway, but a thin wall formed of stone slabs was afterwards constructed to close the lower end of the stairway, and the space above this was found to be filled with rubbish and broken potterv- among which were many fragments of interest. The plan of the western chambers shows a marked departure from the stereotyped arrange- ment. The bay opening from the nave is shallow and the staircase is placed behind it instead of at the end of the south aisle as in the other examples noted. An additional chamber is thus formed in the position usually occupied by the staircase. The western bay itself is but 1.45 m. deep. The bench which is placed against its west and north walls is 0.38 m. high and is formed of finely dressed sandstone slabs resting upon a low brick and stone wall. There is a niche in the north wall which is 1.13 m. above the ground and its floor was covered with soft red tiles about 0.12 m square and 0.015 thick. A doorway on the south side of the bay leads to the passage commimicating with the staircase and the room at the west end of the south aisle. Part of the space under the stairs has been screened off by stone slabs on edge, but there is a small opening close to the ground through this partition. The chamber at the west end of the south aisle has no distinctive features beyond the three niches shown on the plan: two in the south wall and one in the east. The northwest chamber, which is entered from the north aisle, is similar, but possesses only the one niche in the south wall. There were but few objects found which would give any clue to the date of the build- ing; indeed the only dateable material consists of a fragment of parchment and a few odd scraps found in the southwest chamber of the church. Mr. Crum states that these show remnants of Saidic texts, written in good, Inscription on Corner Stone. small uncials, of about the sixth or seventh century. At the northeast angle of the church there is a quoin close to the ground, which has the remains of a badly cut inscription upon its eastern face. This, which is reproduced above, is almost unreadable, and the little which can be deciphered is apparently meaningless. THE SOUTHERN CHURCH AT FARAS 35 LIST OF OBJECTS FOUND IN THE CHURCH AT FARAS (F2) In the Southwest Chamber. 1. Some fragments of parchment manuscript. 2. Fragments of a rough baked clay jar with four mouths round the sides and a neck at the top. 3. Fragments of a baked clay grille. 4. Many chips and splinters of sandalwood. A t the back of the Staircase. 5. A small fragment of a carved stone grille with floral design of Romano-Nubian type. 6. Many fragments of sandalwood, some of which had formed part of turned balusters. U nder the Stairs. 7. A spherical quartz "rubber" or "pounder" about 0.05 m. in diameter. 8. Many clay jar sealings about ten of which were stamped, red ochre showing on the impres- sion. 8. Clay Sealings. 35. Clay Sealings from S. E. Chamber. Part of a red slip ware bowl 0.20 m. diameter, 0.07 m. high, with a base ring 0.09 m. diam- eter. Part of a flat baked clay dish about 0.36 m. diameter, with rough cross design on it made by three fingers across the wet clay. 11. Part of a large bowl 0.43 m. diameter, of black pottery with a moulded rim and incised design. 12. Many fragments of rough pottery and pieces of sandalwood. In the Nave. 13. Two hand-made whitish slip bowls 0.14 m. in diameter and 0.05 m. deep, with designs painted on the interior in purple, black, orange and red, were found, one inside the other, inverted over about a dozen and a half of ironstone nodules, on the floor just at the re-entrant angle of the bench at the western end. (See PI. 19, Fig. d.) In the North Aisle. 14. A small shallow dish with base ring o.io m. diameter, of dark orange slip ware, with design or inscription painted in centre KO pKO ni r ni In the Northwest Chamber. 15. A broken circular pottery lamp. 16. A fragment of a white glass vessel showing a base ring. 17. A small fragment of parchment manuscript. In the Northeast Staircase. 18. A large jar, in many fragments, of light buff slip ware about 0.50 m high. It had a short neck and two handles and on the shoulders there was painted on the one side an eagle with displayed wings and on the other a complicated cross design. 19. A bowl 0.14 m. diameter, of hard black ware with base ring, a small five-leafed flower stamped in the centre inside. 20. Fourteen circular pottery lamps. 21. A red ware bowl 0.12 m. diameter, with base ring which had been used to contain oil. 22. The cover of a thurible of brass with circular pierced holes. 23. A small pottery oil vessel 0.06 m. diameter at base 0.05 m. high, with straight sides sloping outward to an upper diameter of 0.08 m. 24. Fragment of pale green glass; the handle of a cup or lamp. 2 5 . Many fragments of rough pottery. / n the Southeast Chamber. 26. A cup or chalice on a stem 0.14 m. high, 0.10 m. greatest diameter. The pottery is fine and finished with a red slip pebble polished. (See PI. 19, Fig. a and Chapter 9. P- 53 ) 36 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA 27. Fragment of the stem of a cup similar to the above. 28. Two cups of orange slip ware o. 10 m. diameter and 0.06 m. high. On one of them a few Greek characters have been roughly painted but they are undecipherable. 29. A circular pottery lamp with a handle. 30. Fragment of a cup of very fine ware with painted wavy design. , ^ . xn©i 31. An ostrakon bearmg the inscription CIOXC MHNAI 32. Part. of an iron hinge 0.13 m. long. 33. Part of a vessel in plain red ware of spherical form 0.23 m. diameter with a short neck 0.14 m. diameter. 34. Half of a shallow bowl 0.20 m. diameter, of plain red ware; no base ring. 35. A number of clay sealings some stamped; three designs. 36. A large ostrakon (c. 0.12 m. by o.iom.) of fifteen lines. (See below.) Ostrakon found in the South Sacristy. The Ostrakon found in the south sacristy seems to consist of incipits or first lines of Greek hymns or anthems, separated by / or \ . Unfortunately it has been rubbed by drift- ing sand and is quite illegible in the central portion. The following are the words which can be read: AT re ho c//nA" • • FtC€N ^Cd^Tf .... ^f H . . . . Line 5. 6 A/ e)y'6C HMOO H • • • • ♦ t • Line 10. e ne^yAV HO « « t Line 15. ^^OOPHCAC ^ AyctOn H C UP . . . ^ Canon F. E. Brightman is of the opinion that this inscription is of the same nature as Crum's Ostraka 517, 518: — i. e., that it contains proper anthems for some festival, and he has kindly made the following notes: Line 2. cf. Ps. xciv. (xcv). i. AtvTC ayaWLaacofieOa tq5 Kvplo) Line 3. cf. Ps. xcv (xcvi). "Acrare tw KvpLa> aafia kulvov, acrare t(o KvpL(o -q yrj. Line 5. Thi. looks like Ps. lxxx (Lxxxi). [XaXmcraTe eV veofXTjvLa adXTnyyi] iv ivarjfjict) rj[ficpa iopTr)*; r^fiwv]. Line 6. It is difficult to see to what peaev can belong except -qpeaev. Line 7. ? crowv^'^Loiv. Line 8. i^avrXel seems to be the only possible interpretation of €^avT€€L. Line 9. ? pvtrai. CHAPTER VII THE TWO CHURCHES NEAR ADDENDAN The Northern Church (E i) The northern of the two churches which He on the east bank of the river opposite the village Condition of of Faras, was in an excellent state of preservation when it was visited in the spring of 1908. Church. Unfortunately the turbulent weather of the following summer caused much destruction and when the building was revisited for the purpose of making a detailed study in March, 1909, its condition was much less perfect. The south column of the Arch of Triumph had fallen and was in frag- ments, nearly half of the remaining portion of the vault to the south sacristy had fallen and many minor portions of the structure had suffered from disintegration. The ruin was in a precarious condition and much of the upper part in imminent danger of falling. The position of the church is shown on the map of Faras (PL 10). It stands on a ledge of Situation of sandstone at the northern end of the rocky hill, locally called Gebel Sahaba, and some 150 m. Church. from the water's edge. At this point has been fixed the boundary between Egypt and the Sudan, the actual line of which seems to have been arranged to cross the river from the north to the south in order to avoid dividing either of the villages of Faras and Addendan into two parts for purposes of administration. The general arrangement of the plan is normal, but the strvicture has several points of interest Arrange- which will be described in detail. The church is one of the largest that we studied; it measures 22.80 m. long and 12.60 m. wide. The opposite sides are exactly parallel, but the angles are far from true right angles, though the outline of the plan does not deviate from the rectangular to so great an extent as that of the southern church on the opposite bank (F2). The photographs and drawings of the building afford a far better idea of the church than any written description, but there are some points which cannot be illustrated. The tribune occupies the greater part of the sanctuary with the result that the altar has been The Haikal. placed more to the west than is usual. It is doubtful if this was the original arrangement, for the doors to the sacristies are almost meaningless at the present time as they are blocked up for nearly half their height by the brickwork of the tribune. The altar, which was built of crude brick (not of burnt brick as in the other examples) , stands between the piers of the Arch of Triumph. This position would not allow of a screen between the columns, yet that a screen existed at some period is almost certain, for there is a rough seating for a beam cut in each column a little below the necking. The columns are fine monoliths of sandstone 4.07 m. long. The base consists of a square The Arch of member 0.50 m. high, above which there are four fillets separated by V-shaped mouldings worked ^"^^^M- round the column, all of which is worked on the one stone. Both the capitals from these columns are in the church, but one is very much battered. They are almost identical in design with that found in the church at Debereh, but perhaps rather more crude in execution. (PI. 26, Fig. a.) The nave, which is separated from the aisles by arcades of four arches, is exceptionally long The Nave. in proportion to its width. It is only 3.75 m. wide and it is 1 2.65 m. long, but yet in spite of this proportion there are only four arches in each arcade. The walls are of rubble to the level of one course above the brick arches; over which they are of brick treated in the usual manner with oversailing courses below the spring of the vault. There were four openings from the upper aisles on either side. (37) 38 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA The Pulpit. Sacristies. The Aisles. The Western Chambers. The Upper Story. The base of a pulpit of crude brick stands against the centre pier on the north side of the nave. This is an unusual position, as in the other examples the pulpit was always found against the pier nearest to the Arch of Triumph. The theory of a rearrangement of the fittings may well account for its situation. The enlargement of the tribune caused the altar to be built under the Arch of Triumph, thus necessitating the removal of the screen. If a screen was considered essential the obvious position would have been between the two next piers to the west of the original sanctuary and if it was fixed in that position the pulpit would naturally have been removed to its present site. The two sacristies are very similar in proportion, but the southern is slightly larger than the other owing to the irregularity of the plan. There are no niches in either chamber, but in each there are two narrow windows placed high up in the outer walls. Besides the openings to the apse each sacristy has a door communicating with the aisle. The outer wall of the north aisle has been destroyed for the greater part of its height, and there is nothing to show the disposition of the niches, but it was obviously similar to the south wall of the church. The south aisle is in a very perfect state of preservation as the photograph of the interior on PI. 21 shows. The breadth is 2.14 m. and the length 14.45 m. The vault springs 2.60 m. above the ground and rises to a total height of 4.01 m. There are five large niches in the outer wall, and at a level o.io m. above the springing there are four windows about 0.20 m. wide and 0.70 m. high cut through the vault. These windows rake up through the wall so that on the outside they are at a level 0.55 m. higher than on the inside. Between each of these windows there is a niche or recess of similar dimensions on the outer face of the wall (see PI. 21, Fig. a). The western chambers of the church, which are badly damaged inside, possess no unusual features. The staircase is entered from the south side of the western bay and the steps lead up on the right in a contrary direction to the sun. The northwest chamber is entered from the north aisle and not from the western bay. There are but few indications of the arrangement of the upper story. The openings from the upper aisles through the nave wall have already been mentioned and besides these the only evidence is given by the outer wall of the south side of the church which has seven window openings. To the east of the south door and about a metre from the south wall of the church there is the foundation of a crude brick wall setting ofF at right angles to the axis of the building. This was probably the east wall of a porch, similar to that which was found at the southern of the two churches at Faras (F2), but no further evidence of it could be discovered. The Domed Church near Addendan {E 2) Position of The smaller church on the east bank of the river in this district stands almost out of sight the Church. ^£ ^j^^ river behind the sandstone hill. It is a thousand metres distant from the former church and nine hundred metres from the river, and is surrounded by a bare plain of undulating sand with occasional outcrops of sandstone. Condition of Parts of the structure are standing to a considerable height, but the interior has been very the Building. \^^^\y damaged and appears to have been intentionally wrecked. It was quite impossible to comprehend the plan of the church from those parts which were standing above the fallen brick and silted sand, and it was not until the upper level of the rubbish had been removed that the theory already advanced, of its having been a domed church, was confirmed. Large fragments of the crude brick dome were found just as they had fallen in the centre of the church, and the lower parts of the piers which had supported the central dome were seen underneath. The Plan. The plan thus disclosed is quite exceptional. The nave had a central dome 2.00 m. in diameter, and a vaulted aisle 1.55 m. wide and 6.65 m. long was built on each side of it. Beyond the aisles THE TWO CHURCHES NEAR ADDENDAN 39 on either side there are two other long vaulted chambers, but these do not form part of the body The Plan. of the church as they only communicate with it by a single small door in each case placed towards the western end and they were also thrown open to the air on the outer side by two wide arched openings. The Haikal is 2.15 m. long and about 2.40 m. wide and is square ended though probably it had an apsidal vault over it carried on flagstones over the angles as in the case of the other small churches. On either side of the Haikal there is a narrow sacristy divided by an arch into two parts and over the compartment furthest from the sanctuary there was built a dome supported on a high drum. At the western end of the church the disposition of the chambers was designed to balance the eastern end, for on the north side of the customary bay out of the nave there is a chamber similar in proportion to the sacristies and which also shows evidence of a dome over its northern half. The staircase which balances this room on plan must have been roofed in a similar manner though there is no trace of the dome or vault left as conclusive evidence. The existence of the staircase would imply that there had been an upper story, but it is difficult to explain exactly how much of the building was carried up. That there were no rooms over the outer aisles is evident from the fact that there was no sign that a vault at the upper level had scribed against the drums of the angle domes and that there was not sufficient debris to account for two vaults and the necessary walls. The section of the walls between the aisles is quite insufficient to carry a vault, for as may be seen on PI. 28, the wall above the springing of the vault is but one brick thick. There are but two possible explanations of the staircase: either it led to a chamber over the western bay or else to a flat roof. There are a few other points of interest in the church which are worth noting and first among Paintings in these is the large fragment of a painting on plaster on the east wall of the Haikal. Several ^^'^ Haikal. persons are represented, but unfortunately only the lower parts of the figures are left and the effect is that of a confusion of feet and the skirts of robes. It is probable that the painting portrayed a number of saints, for the costumes are of all types. Some show priestly robes with stoles of dark red, while one at least represents a soldier whose feet and legs are encased in armour. The limitation of time prevented a detailed study of this interesting relic, but it would undoubtedly repay any attention that might be devoted to it. Before the building was left a heap of rubbish was piled against the wall to guard the colours from exposure to the sun. In the northeast comer of the Haikal there were thirteen jars of rough pottery, five of which were of barrel form and the remainder of the ordinary water-jar type with two ears. On the south side of the Haikal there is a screen wall projecting into the nave and returning towards the north. In the north sacristy a portion of the floor was paved with red burnt bricks measuring 0.24 m. The by 0.1 1 m. by 0.035 i^-- ^^id in a herring-bone pattern, and a small fragment of similar paving was ^^'^^^^"■S- uncovered in the south aisle close to the door to the outer aisle. During the excavation a number of these bricks were found in the rubbish in the nave ; a fact which suggests that the whole church had been paved in this manner. The true arch, which must have been turned upon centring, was largely used in this building, Arches. of which the most striking example now standing is the arch between the nave and the western bay which has a span of 2.42 m. The use of the true arch is so unusual that its employment would of itself mark a building as noteworthy, but in this example there are other features of special interest. The complication of the plan and the ambitiousness of the structure suggest a late development of the art, and in support of such a supposition we have the burnt brick paving and the technical skill displayed in the structure. CHAPTER VIII THE ANCIENT FORTRESS AND CHURCHES AT SERREH Situation. The principal village of Serreh (Serreh el Gharb) is on the west bank of the Nile about fifteen miles north of Haifa, and adjoins the village of Aksheh. The east bank is almost destitute of vegetation, but there is a small amount of cultivation towards the northern part of the district and a fertile slope is usually available at low Nile. On the east bank opposite the centre of Serreh el Gharb there is a ruined town enclosed bv a crude brick wall standing close to the river's edge, and on a sUght rocky eminence. Many of the houses are still comparatively intact, but most have crumbled and fallen, and the whole forms a jumbled mass of cavernous vaults huddled together in meaningless confusion. One of the most prominent features of the town is the small church which is near the centre of the ruins and has a diminutive dome standing well above the surrounding buildings. The Ancient A study of the wall revealed the fact that it was not similar in character to the other buildings Fortress. ^.j^g gj^g ^j^^^ been ruined prior to the building of the Christian town. In parts where it had entirely fallen away it had been patched with work of different type and in other places the houses had been built partly over the wall. The photograph on PI. 32 shows the type of work distinctly and also some of the later walling. In the spring of 1908 Mr. Alan Gardiner advanced a suggestion to the writer that the wall had originally been built as a fortress by Egyptians of the Middle or New Empire, and together we studied its structure. The wall is about 80 m. long on the east side but there is a large gap in which it is entirely missing. At each end of this wall there are angle buttresses, and return walls run off towards the river for a distance of about 50 m. and there are indications that they were formerly continued for a further distance of about 60 m. to the water's edge (PI. 30, Fig. b). In line with the south wall of the fort there is a piece of strong stone walling which was laid bare by the flood of 1909. This piece of masonn^ consists of a skin of ashlar, filled with rubble, about 10 m. wide on the river face and running back into the sloping bank. It seems to have been the base of a wall and probably marked the western limit of the south wall of the fortress. There is no evidence to prove the existence of a wall along the river bank, though one may have existed and in that case the ashlar pier would have formed a breakwater to prevent the stream from undermining the fortress wall. The parts of the enclosure wall which are now standing are in a very dilapidated condition, and no detailed measurements of them can be taken until extensive clearing has been made. A thickness of nearly four metres still shows in places above the rubbish, but that this does not represent the original strength of the wall is evident from the battered and pitted condition of the surfaces. The ground on which the fortress was biiilt is sloping and irregular, and the highest level of the ground is at the eastern side. A portion of both the north and south walls was built with the brick courses sloping to follow the fall in the ground. This is indicated on the plan by hatching at a different angle to the rest of the walling. The bricks were all laid as headers and large timbers running right through the thickness of the wall were used at intervals to prevent the wall bursting. The holes that these timbers occupied can be seen clearly, but very little of the wood remains owing to the ravages of the white ants. At every nine or ten courses in height mats of halfa grass were laid through the thickness of the wall, apparently for the purpose of (40) ANCIENT FORTRESS AND CHURCHES AT SERREH 41 equalizing the pressure. The wide joints caused by these mats can be seen in the photograph The Ancient (PI. 32, Fig. b). Fortress. Round the eastern part of the fort, where the rock upon which it was built rises, there is a ditch with battering sides cut in the sandstone, which, of course, dies out as it returns along the north and south sides of the enclosure, as the rock falls away. The ditch is about 4 m. wide at the bottom and its greatest depth is about 3 m. From tlie north return of the ditch there are two branches, one running at an acute angle towards the wall and one leading away from the wall and rising in level until it dies away. The whole fort is Egyptian in character and from the marked similarity of its brickwork to that of the great Twelfth Dynasty fortress at Mirgisseh it seems more than probable that it is of the same date. The Christians utilized this ancient structure and repaired the wall where it was badly Christian damaged. The small houses are built in a cluster without any apparent attempt at symmetrical arrangement and are principally grouped in the eastern part of the fortress, but some, probably of later date, have spread through a gap in the centre of the east wall and over to the line of the ditch. The photographs on PI. 29 show the mass of buildings piled up in apparent confusion. The whole of the area is scattered with broken pottery, amongst which many fine painted fragments can be seen. Besides the Central Church, two other little churches stand prominent. They are just out- side the walls, one to the north and one to the south of the fortress. At the back of the southern of these two there are the remains of yet another church, but it is in a far more ruinous condition than are the others. Very little indeed can be seen of its general arrangement, but it is of about the same size as its neighbour. The Central Church. The little Central Church is pecuUar, for, in spite of its small dimensions, it has almost all the The Plan. component parts of the larger dromic type. It is only 6.30 m. wide and 9.10 m. along its longest side externally, and yet it consists of Haikal, two sacristies, nave, and aisles, and has a staircase leading to an upper stor>'. The plan on PI. 30 shows the arrangement. The Haikal, which is square ended, measures about 2.00 m. long and 1.33 m. wide. It is The Haikal. roofed with an apsidal vault and the curved end is carried over the angles on flagstones. A narrow door close against the sanctuary arch leads into the north sacristy. The nave consists of two parts, of which the western is 2.45 m. long and has an average width The Nave. of 1.35 m. This bay is vaulted in the usual manner. A wide arched opening communicates with the north aisle and a small door on the south side leads to the staircase. The eastern bay of the nave consists of a rectangle 1.75 m. long and about 1.65 m. wide. Arches on all four sides support walls which are carried up above the general level, culminating in a dome which is carried on roughly formed oversailing courses of pendentive form. The photographs on PI. 31 show the construction of the church very clearly. The curiously misshapen arch leading from the domed space into the Haikal can be, seen in the first photograph. The small square-headed aperture over the arch also opens into the Haikal. These two openings were the only means of obtaining natural light in the sanctuary, and this must have been very small in amount, for as can be seen from the photographs, the upper story obscured the direct light which at present pours through the openings at the base of the dome. The two aisles are of different shape, owing to the lack of the customary arrangement The Aisles. of chambers at the west end of the church, and a portion of the south aisle has been cut off for the staircase. The south aisle is 1.60 m. wide and 2.70 m. long, and has an external door on the south side near its western end. A door 0.50 m. wide leads from this aisle into the south 42 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA sacristy, a low unlighted chamber 1.65 m. wide and 1.90 m. long. The north aisle is 1.70 m. wide and 4.85 m. long. The north entrance is situated a little to the west of the centre of this aisle. The north sacristy, like that on the south, is absolutely unlighted. Its average dimensions are 1.75 m. wide and 2.10 m. long. There are two niches in it, one in the north wall and one in the west. The Upper The arrangement of the upper story is unusual, as the arrangement of the vaults does not Story. coincide with that of the lower story. It can be seen in the photograph of the dome from the south that the chamber over the south aisle is vaulted across the wider span. A similar vault existed on the north side and the gallery over the north aisle was divided into two chambers. No further evidence is obtainable of the structure of the upper part without considerable studv; but the author was prevented by circumstances from devoting more time to this building, though in regard to construction it certainly deserves more detailed consideration. The other two domed churches in the neighbourhood and the remains of a large dromic church, some 1,500 metres south from the fortress, have been thoroughly cleared and measured. The North Domed Church. Situation and Plan. The Baikal. Sacristies. The Nave. The North Domed Church stands nearly 30 m. from the line of the fortress wall upon a bluff of rock and about 40 m. from the river. It is in a good state of preservation except that most of the vaults have fallen. This church is almost the same size as the little domed church in the centre of the town, but it is less complicated in plan and in section, for there is no upper story. The outside dimensions are about 8.30 m. long by 7.45 m. extreme width. The Haikal and sacristies are separated from the rest of the church by a cross wall with but two openings in it, a small door between the south sacristy and the aisle, and a narrow arched opening between the nave and Haikal. The Haikal is 1.70 m. wide and 2.10 m. long, and as in the former church is square-ended. It was covered by an apsidal vault which sprung at a height of 1.95 m. from the floor and rose to a total height inside of 3.05 m. Two narrow doorways 0.55 m. wide close against the division wall, one on either side of the sanctuary, lead into the sacristies. The north sacristy is 1.80 m. wide and 2.15 m. long. The vault sprung at 2.00 m. from the groimd and rose to 2.90 m. There are two niches in this chamber. The one in the north wall is 0.48 m. wide and 0.45 m. deep; it has a roughly arched head formed of three bricks making a total height of opening 0.67 m. The other niche, which is in the west wall of the chamber, is a small square-headed opening 0.35 m. wide and 0.27 m. high. The south sacristy is similar to the other in dimensions and the vault springs at the same level. It is 1.90 m. wide and 2.10 m. long. There are no niches showing in this chamber, unless the sill in the east wall is the remains of one, for although it at present forms an opening through the wall, the thickness shown does not represent the original depth of the brickwork, as the outer face of the wall has perished. There is a table of solid brickwork built against the east wall of this sacristy. It is 0.40 m. wide, 0.63 m. long and i.oo m. high. The nave, which is 5.05 m. long and has an average width of 1.65 m., consists of two bays. The real distinction between these bays is marked by the roofing. The western bay is vaulted at a mean springing level of 2.10 m. and the eastern part of the nave is carried up to a greater height, and was roofed by a small dome, 1.70 m. diameter, supported on a drum. Perhaps one of the most interesting features of the building is the ingenious method of relieving the nave vault from the weight of the brickwork forming the drum. A reference to the cross section on PI. 35 shows this clearly. A rough relieving arch was built outside over the vault, but, lest this should not sufifice, the builders arranged the height of the four windows in the drum so that the one over the ANCIENT FORTRESS AND CHURCHES AT SERREH 43 vault should cut down to the level of the voussoirs. The crown of the vault is thus unloaded. Tlie Nave. It is perhaps a theoretically doubtful construction to leave it so, as the haunches are somewhat heavily loaded, but this remains the best preserved part of the roofing. Above the level of the nave vault the drum is reduced from the square to the circular form by squinch arches. The opening between the nave and the Haikal has an irregular arched head and is of a peculiar shouldered form as the arch spreads wider than the vertical jambs. That opening is roughly walled up with stones and mud. The aisles are similar to each other in arrangement but are not of equal width. The north The Aisles. aisle has an average width of 1.55 m. while the south aisle is on an average 1.75 m. wide. In the north aisle there are two small windows but in the south aisle there is only one. The narrow communicating door 0.60 m. wide, between the south aisle and the sacristy, is against the south wall. Under the north arch supporting the dome, there is a low brick platform 0.70 m. wide and The Pulpit. T .00 m. long placed against the sanctuar>' wall. From the proportion of the structure it is natural to assume that it indicates the position of a pulpit similar to those customary in the larger churches. The church was constructed of crude brick throughout, and although it was plastered inter- General nally with a fine mixture of gypsum and crushed sandstone upon which traces of paintings show, ■^'^'^^"''^■s- externally it does not seem that the brickwork was plastered. Above the level of the window heads a horizontal band of bricks on edge was carried round the building and at the west end there are three or four more of these bands spaced four courses apart. The bricks average 0.39 m. by 0.19 m. by 0.075 For purposes of comparison the plan and sections of this church have been placed on the plates with the plan and sections of the South Domed Church. It would be well before considering the other example, to emphasize one point which is common to the three domed churches at Serreh. They maintain the 'dromic' idea of all the Nubian churches. At first glance the plans of these buildings showing a central dome suggest a cruciform arrangement. The sections and construction show that no such idea was adopted, and it can clearly be seen that the domes merely form an incident in the roofing. There was not a deep accumulation of rubbish in the church, thus 4 \k Objects it was improbable that many objects of interest should remain in J[J^^ found. the building. Only three objects of any sort were found: 1. In the north sacristy there was a small bronze ornament, perhaps the handle of a brush or similar article. It is 0.035 m. high and 0.025 ^\'ide. The design is best shown in the cut. < • ozST 7 2. In the sanctuary a fragment of an incised leather book cover Bronze Ornament was lying against the door to the north sacristy. Part of a single parchment leaf was attached upon which there are two or three Greek letters, but it is too much worm-eaten to distinguish whether the language is Coptic or Nubian. 3. In the south aisle a pair of plain iron tweezers and two plain iron pointed needles, all three on a small ring. The South Domed Church. This little building stands some seventeen metres to the south of the fortress and opposite Situation. the centre of the original wall. The site is very nearly level, but the steep slope of the river bank is only about fourteen metres in from the front of the church. 44 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Condttton. The outside dimensions of the church are slightly greater than in the former example, the length being 9.10 m. and the breadth 7.25 m. The general arrangement is like that of the former example, and there are only two minor points of difference; the sole access to the sacristies is through the Haikal, and the space under the domed bay is defined from the rest of the nave by an arch. A large part of the walling at the southwest has entirely disappeared but the actual line of the brickwork can be traced. It is shown clearly in the photograph (PI. 33, Fig. c) taken from outside, and from this view a good impression of the construction can be obtained. The Haikal. The Haikal is square-ended and measures 1.60 m. wide and 2.10 m. long. Its south wall has completely disappeared and all the adjacent walls are endangered owing to the deep excava- tions made by the sebakh diggers inside the building. The customan^ apsidal vault springs at 1.60 m. above the floor level and rose to a height of 2.80 m. It was carried over the eastern angles of the chamber on sandstone flags and was plastered with a mixture of gypsum and crushed sandstone of a reddish hue on which traces of painting are visible. Sacristies. A doorway 0.50 m. wide leads into the north sacristy, a rectangular chamber which measures 1.80 m. by 2.10 m. The vault springs at 2.60 m. and rises to 3.52 m. There are three small windows in this room, two in the north wall 0.65 m. high the heads placed close up to the spring of the vault, and one at the same level in the east wall. The inner sills of these windows are cut down lower than on the outside to form niches, and those to the north windows are made slightly wider than the window opening. There are two other niches with arched heads, one in the east and one in the north wall. Of the south sacristy very little remains except the outer walls. There is a single window in each of these and the lower part of a niche shows in the east wall. The indications of the spring of the vault show that it was similar to the roof of the other sacristy. The Nave. The total length of the nave is 5.60 m. and it is 1.60 m. wide. The eastern bay, over which the dome is built, is 1.90 m. long so that the actual dome is oval and not circular. The angles of the rectangle are gathered over by pendentives, but it could not be ascertained whether any attempt was made to build them carefully, for they are thickly coated with plaster and access is impossible. The openings through the walls supporting the dome have semi-circular true arched heads. On the ground level these are four in number. The eastern one forms the entrance to the Haikal. On the other three sides there are lunettes cut through the walls just above the lower order of arches, which relieve the latter of much of the superincimibent weight. This double arched construction is to be seen in the photograph of the church from the south- west (PI. 33, Fig. c). The lunettes on the north and south sides of the dome do not open into the aisles but are walled up with a single thickness of brick. Above the crown of the vaults there is a window with an arched head in each face of the drum, which, unlike the former example, is carried up rectangular both inside and out to the springing of the dome. The western part of the nave is covered by a vault which follows the line of the lunette in the eastern wall; it springs at a level 2.40 m. above the floor and rises to a height of 3.60 m. There is an opening with a semi-circular true arch 1.35 m. wide leading to the north aisle. The south wall of this part of the nave is entirely destroyed. The Aisles. The north aisle is 1.58 m. wide and 5.55 m. long. It is covered by a vault similar to that over the western part of the nave. There are two narrow windows towards the eastern end of the aisle and one towards the west, which is bricked up on the inner face. High up in the west wall there are two others. .All these windows have square heads formed of bricks on edge. The north door is near the centre of the aisle. It is built with internal reveals but now shows an arched reveal in the head on the outside. The view of this doorway (PI. 33, a) shows this curious arrangement and also the sunk Latin cross above the arch. A close examination of both ANCIENT FORTRESS AND CHURCHES AT SERREH 45 the cross and the arch showed that a filling of red burnt bricks had been used, but now only a few The Aisles. fragments adhere. I here are many fragments of these bricks lying about. The lintels over the small windows are also of red brick. The south aisle was almost a replica of the north, but its outer wall is standing for only half its length. The two western windows are in existence and also one jamb of the south door. There is no evidence of any means of access to the roof, which seems to have been made up to a level floor. In one place between the vaults to the nave and north aisle there is a "sleeper wall" of a triangular shape which, it is natural to suppose, served to stiffen the floor. (PI. 33, Figs, b and c.) There is a low brick platform at the north end of the west wall of the church ; it is irregular in shape and is not level. The greatest height is four courses. Just to the west of the north door a brick wall 0.42 m. thick and about 0.60 m. high at its present highest point, extends for a distance of 1.40 m. from the church. No objects were found during the clearing, but there is a large block of red granite lying in the church which is of interest. It is 1.28 m. long, 0.80 m. wide and 0.43 m. high. On the upper face there is a rectangular sinking 0.94 m. long, 0.47 m. wide and o.ii m. deep. The whole of the top and the sides are very finely worked, but the lower part of the stone is left rough. The stone is now lying skewed across the arch leading to the sanctuary, obviously not in its original position for it is partly in the excavation made by the sebakh diggers. There is no mark to show for what purpose it was used, but it may have served as an altar in the church and it was probably taken from some ancient Egyptian building. Ancient Granite Block. FLAN Granite Block. The Southern Church. Some fifteen hundred metres south of the fortress there is a hummock of rock close to the Situation water's edge and upon this a few fragments of wallins: mark the position of a church of the standard ^'"^ ,. . ^, , ■ , , , , f 1 • Conditton dromic type. The buildmg has been very largely destroyed and the process 01 cleanng was much impeded by the mass of fallen brickwork which had become almost as solid as concrete. A large part of the western end of the nave has been razed to the ground and the rock is denuded of all brickwork, but the eastern part of the building was piled high with rubbish. In view of these circumstances it was found to be impossible to make a complete plan of the church and impracticable to make an exhaustive excavation of the interior. The plan (PI. 36) shows the general arrangement, which is the same as the standard example at Debereh. Unlike any of the other large churches, this one is built of brick throughout and no stone is used for walling. The Haikal is 3.35 m. wide and 4.30 m. long. The apsidal end was set out carefully and forms The Haikal. a true semi-circle on plan. The lower parts of the usual three niches show in the wall, but there is no trace left of the tribune. The base of the altar was found in the position shown on the plan. It is built of burnt bricks 0.30 m. by 0.18 m. by 0.075 m. On either side of the sanctuary doorways lead into the sacristies. The northern of these two openings has been bricked up for part of its height as was the case at Debereh. The floor of the Haikal appears to have been the solid rock, for it has been worked to a true surface. 46 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Sacristies. The north sacristy is 2.80 m. long from east to west and 2.60 m. wide. Besides the bricked opening communicating with the Haikal it has a narrow doorway 0.50 m. wide leading into the end of the north aisle. A rough capital of light red granite was lying on the floor of the room. Its upper part is 0.32 m. square, and below a vertical face o.io m. deep the stone is gathered to the circular form. The lower diameter is 0.28 m. and the total height of the stone is 0.23 m. The south sacristy is very similar but is slightly smaller and lacks the wide recess in the west wall. It measures 2.76 m. east to west, and 2.45 m. north to south. Arch of Ven- little of the nave and arcades remains, but there is sufficient to show that the width Triumph. between the arcades was about 3.60 m. and that there were five arches on either side. The Arch of Triumph was of the usual form with circular shafts set in reveals. The northern reveal has a base still in position, consisting of a square measuring 0.46 m. on its sides and 0.12 m. Granite Capital. Base of Column. high, above which is a circular member of conical form 0.18 m. high and 0.36 m. in upper diameter. On the south side a large piece of the base has been roughly cut away, probably to receive the base of a post to a screen. The other base was found near its original position and it is similar in form, but slightly larger. Its upper diameter is 0.42 m. and the square member has sides 0.50 m. long. The height is the same as the other example. There were three fragments of the sandstone columns lying in the nave, of which the longest measures 1,75 m. It is of oval section 0.34 m. and 0.27 m. in diameter and has a V-shaped necking groove 0.02 m. wide worked round it about 0.16 m. from its broken end. One part of the column which came against the wall has been left in the rough. On the other side a rough groove extends the length of the shaft, apparently the housing for the screen. One of the other ANCIENT FORTRESS AND CHURCHES AT SERREH 47 Aisles and Doors. fragments has exactly the same features but is 1.02 m. long and 0.33 m. and 0.32 m. in diameter. Arch of The third fragment shows both ends broken. It is 0.80 m. long and 0.36 m. at its greatest diameter. About the centre a very roughly scratched inscription is to be seen consisting of five or six characters with a horizontal contraction over and just below four characters which are probably ICOY. The pulpit occupies the usual position, and it is in fair preservation, though the upper The Pulpit. part has been much battered. The three steps now standing represent a total height of 0.60 m., but it is probable that originally the platform was one step higher. The north aisle is 2.00 m. wide and 15.45 m. long. The outer wall is missing for the greater part of its length, but it stands about i.oo m. high at the eastern end. Near the pier of the Arch of Triumph is a low brick screen wall running out from the north wall and finishing in a short return eastwards. It leaves a passage 0.57 m. wide between the return and the pier. The north doorway was discovered amid a heap of rubbish. It is i.oom. wide and has external reveals in which the stumps of sandstone pilasters were found. Owing to the fall in the ground there are two steps in place of the cus- tomary low stone sill. A grey granite coltunn was found among the rubbish about a metre and a half outside the door. It is 1.38 m. long and has an average diameter of 0.21 m. The illustration shows its form, which is Hke that of the example found in the church at Faras, F2. Of the south aisle very little remains but the south wall, in which there are six niches. The wall is not standing to any great height at any part of its length and towards the west at the jambs of the south door it has almost disappeared. The arrangement of the south door appears to have been the same as the other, but the bare jambs alone are left. The base of the staircase stands at the western end of the south aisle in the usual position. Only part of the west wall is in existence and there is but a bare indication of the chamber at the west end of the north aisle. The extreme dimensions of the building are 22.50 m. long and 1 1.56 m. wide. * ii - Granite Col- umn from Doorway. CHAPTER IX THE CHURCH NEAR WADY HALF A Situation. The Plan. Position of Sanctuary of Late Period. The Earlier Church. The tem])les at the ancient Egyptian town of Behen, which stands on the west bank of the river about three miles south of the railway terminus of Haifa, are well known to all travellers who have visited the district. The town itself and the adjacent cemeteries cover a large area on the edge of the sandstone plain which skirts the river. A few hundred yards south of the girdle wall of the ancient fortress a mass of brickwork was noticed in the spring of 190Q. As extensive excavations were in progress at the cemeteries and the town under the direction of Dr. Randall-Maclver, a gang of men was detailed to this site. The potsherds turned up at the start of the work were of Christian date, and it soon became evident that a church had stood at this point. The walls and piers that were first revealed were exceptionally confusing and the variety of floor levels tended to make the elucidation of the plan even yet more difficult. The first measurements which were taken showed no clear arrangement and a reference to the plan on PI. 37 will give some idea of the difficulty of appreciating the meaning of the piers. At this period of the work only the outline of the unsymmetrical piers was visible and the two low walls marked F and G on the plan were still covered. The pier marked D was also still below the level of the excavations, but a continuation of the wall which lies to the east of it was standing, as shown by the dotted lines. It was evident that this plan was a reconstruction of an earlier building and that the old piers and walls had been buttressed by additional brick walls (shown by black hatching and a black outline) while other piers had been added of rough stonework (shown by light hatching). The floor of this upper stnicture which fell sharply towards the east failed before the apse was reached and the walls, which in no places stood to any great height, were not above the floor level at this point. This fact confirmed the writer in the opinion that the sanctuary, at the time of the reconstruction, was moved further towards the west and that the site of the earlier apse was either unused or put to some other purpose. The division between the Haikal and the nave of the latest structure is clearly marked by the low parapet marked E on plan, which rakes across from the pier C to the brick construction marked H. This latter does not seem to have been a structural pier and in all probability formed the pulpit. It has a small niche in its base opening towards the south. The wall which adjoins the pulpit on the east was standing to a greater height. A square pier t.6o m. to the east of the low screen wall marked the position of the altar. Part of a finely worked slab of sandstone which had probably formed the altar top was in the rubbish at the foot. Slightly deeper excavation at this point brought to light another floor of beaten mud about 0.60 m. below the first level, and another low screen wall, marked F on plan, was dibclosed beneath the later altar. When the remainder of the site was cleared to this level it was found that the additional piers of brick and stone did not continue to the floor and that only those brick piers and walls which are marked in black on the plan remained part of the structure. (48) THE CHURCH NEAR WADY HALFA 49 It will be seen that the plan thus disclosed is more homogeneous, but even this must have been far from the original arrangement. The keynote of the design is to be found in the relationship of the three L-shaped piers The Compo- marked A, B and C. These must have formed three of four piers arranged in a square to carry q^j^"^,.^^ a dome and thus we see an arrangement not unlike that in the domed church at Addendan. The other brick piers in the centre part of the building represent alterations carried out at some later date. In other respects the general arrangement of the chambers is normal, but there are one or two points worthy of note. The apsidal end is of unusual form; it is slightly horse-shoed and is cut off fiat on the east. Hatkal. Of the tribune nothing remained but the facing to the west and the rubbish filling upon which the steps had been formed. The floor level of the north sacristy is considerably below the general level of the aisle owing Sacristies, to an increase in the slope of the ground and access to it is given by well-built stone steps, there being four risers in all. There is a low bench formed of mud along the south side of the chamber with a return along the west wall. It is probable that some similar access existed to the south sacristy, but no trace now remains and the heavy west wall which divides the north sacristy from the aisle is not duplicated in the case of the southern chamber. At this lower level of the church it was noted that there were further walls extending from An Earlier the church on the northwest, the ^vest and the south sides, and that the buildings on the south side extend for some twenty metres. Study of the adjacent walls showed that they ran under the church and formed a number of chambers which do not coincide with the upper structure. A portion of this lower building was cleared and sufficient indications were found to prove that it was of Christian date and the potsherds were not unlike those found in the church. No further excavations were made owing to lack of time and it was useless under the circum- stances to make any study of the lower building. Indeed it would be impossible without an expen- diture of much labour and time. It is hoped to make a complete excavation of this site at a later date, but the church forms, for purposes of this publication, a separate entity. It was extremely difficult to make sure to which period of the structure each object belonged which was found in the church, but every care was taken to ensure accuracy in this respect. The list of objects given at the end of the chapter is arranged as far as possible in three groups, i. e., those found in the two levels of the church and those found below the floor of the earlier church. Some of the objects indicate the original foimdation of the church to have been of early date Painted and are therefore of peculiar interest. The small painting on wood which was found in the rubbish Panel. filling of the tribune is a specimen of great interest as it is of early type and probably dates from the seventh century. A careful copy of it, made by Mr. H. R. Mileham, is produced as a frontispiece to this volume. We are indebted to him also for the following notes on the subject: "The fragmentary state of the painting leaves room for doubt whether the figure was repre- sented as standing or seated. In the latter case the figure would have been of a tolerably elegant proportion, similar to that of the large painted figures in a fragmentary condition on the walls of the church at Addendan, and, like these, not distantly related to the figures in the sixth century mosaic ceiling of the Oratory of S. Maria in Cosmedin at Ravenna. "On the other hand, it has been objected that the seated position is not commonly given to apostles in Byzantine art as it is to Christ or the Virgin, and it must be allowed that what in one case would stand for the line of the left knee, is much like the indication in Byzantine work of a hand veiled in the mantle holding a book, as in the case of the painted portrait of Pope Cornelius from the Catacomb on the Appian Way, as well as in some of the Ravenna figures: it must further 5° CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Painted Panel from Early Church. be admitted that, in our example, indication of a left hand is wanting, where alternatively it might be expected, viz., on the extreme right of the panel overlapping the book. It is possible however that the subject may have carried over on to a neighbouring board. The fragment of a foot suggests a right foot where the left is expected; but that is probably due to care- less draughtsmanship. Such folds of the drapery as remain do not imply that the legs were crossed, although this attitude does occur in certain late Roman work, notably in the seated figures of S. Peter and S. Paul on a gilded glass in the British Musevmi, which is probably of the fourth century. While the possible influence of Egyptian art which so constantly treated the seated figure need not be ignored and it may be remembered that the seats in the tribune of Coptic churches attest the orthodoxy of the seated posture in Church dignitaries; yet without corroboration by contemporary and kindred work it were rash to pronounce this as other than a standing figure, and impossible effectively to defend it from the charge of faulty proportion. "Unless it is an error of the draughts- man the right hand, through the absence of a thumb towards the left, is showing the palm in the act of blessing or expounding. "As regards the workmanship of the panel. The paint is not applied over a gold ground, as is the case with much Byzantine work, but applied in body colour on a white priming of some thin plaster laid on the wood panel. The gold, which only occurs in the halo, seems to have been laid when the painting was complete except for the black line. "The method of painting would appear to be first a coat of red to the background, or possibly to the whole surface of the panel. Certainly the red is apparent under the gold of the halo and appears at the shoulders inside the boundary line. A flat tint of red and white was applied to flesh parts, probably to the whole area of the head. The beard and hair were then picked out with touches of white as also the eyes and the bridge of the nose. The features and hair were then freely drawn in brown touches of somewhat transparent colour and the accent of the black line was added last and just subsequently to the gold. The drapery similarly seems to have been commenced by its half tone as a flat coat, the high lights being superimposed in thicker and whiter colour. A little of the brown line occurs on the draper}^ The blue strokes are undoubtedly formed of a mixture of black and white. The drapery tint appears under the flesh colour in the fingers, from which the hand would seem to have been painted over the drapery. The white encircling the gold of the halo was laid in two or at the most three strokes and was of pure white. "It is doubtful if there was any glazing with transparent colour; the richness of tone is probably due to the action of time. Most probably egg was the medium used with the colours. The pigment is of a very firm substance and together with the plaster ground (as seen in certain odd fragments) is about one-fortieth of an inch thick. Restorations of Paintings. THE CHURCH NEAR WADY HALFA 51 "The figure is doubtless intended to represent an apostle or evangelist. No Pallium is shown nor stole on the undergarment, though stoles appear on the Addendan fragments very similar to those on the Ravenna figures. " This painting is now in the Museum at Khartimi. The scraps of parchment found in the north aisle form one fairly large fragment. Mr. Parchment Crum has studied this and has kindly added the following transcription and notes. from^Eart^ Three pieces forming one fragment. Church. e-r^l ka^. AYO^fJv-^-r n^ir'j [wiA^oy r|] ervz-Tis.^ c o rvr-rv ^l"- • - .^n xa; «^a* ^ Parchment Fragments from Church at Haifa. / 52 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA Parchment "It is impossible to say which side of this fragment is the recto, which the verso. The rem- from^Early^ nants of a title, at the foot of fol. b, might be either the heading or the final subscription of a Church. text. It does not seem possible to read in this the word ivayydXtov or KadokiKov, but one is tempted to complete the second word as 'Ict/c&j^o?, translating 'of James.' What the bearing of such a title may have upon the text I leave others to judge. /'The intelligible phrases on fol. a are: — '. . . .which shall die and shall wither and shall .... It is not I that do sign {(T(f)payit,eLv) thee (fern.) but the hand of the Father that signeth thee (Jem.). The fingers of the Son, it is, do sign thee; the fingers of the Holy Ghost, it is, do take away . . . . ' "And on fol. b: — ' that did create [man in His] image & likeness He that did affix the [nails?] the (?) cross ??).... the light them that sit in darkness and the shadow of Death. He that hath created us ,. fashioned us with His hands.' "It need scarcely be said that much even of the above is uncertain in reading and meaning. On fol. a a woman appears certainly to be addressed — which makes any relation, even homiletic, with a baptismal liturgy improbable. One might however suppose it a magical text, connected with some form of exorcism, applied to a woman. What remains on fol. b consists, on the other hand, of commonplaces such as might be met in countless homiletic or liturgical texts. "The date of this MS. would be very difficult to fix; the limits of the eighth and twelfth centuries might perhaps suffice to include it. " OBJECTS FOUND IN UPPER LEVEL OF THE CHURCH. In Sanctuary. 1. Fragment of white marble, with inscription in letters 0.02 m. high. In North Aisle. 2. A small iron arrow head by the north door. 3. Several small fragments of bone cut to flat surfaces. In Nave. 4. A fragment of carved ivory. 5. Many fragments of mud plastering with a whitewash surface upon which an inscrip- tion had been painted in Coptic characters with some black pigment. The average height of letters is 0.0 1 m. high. 6. Close to the pier marked C there were found the fragments of a cup or chalice of fine red hagmatitic ware, not unlike the one found at Faras (see Chapter VI, p. 35, and PI. 19a). At the rim there is a narrow band of purple black both inside and out, and a similar Une of pigment was applied to the base. The total height of the cup is 0.13 m., the upper diameter 0.12 m., and the diam- eter at the base 0.07 m. 4. Ivory Carving. THE CHURCH NEAR WADY HALFA 53 7. Bowl. 6. Chalice. A broken flat bowl or dish of the same ware as the cup was found with it. Its diameter is 0.15 m., and its total height 0.0475 ^• In South Aisle. 8 A plain flat bowl 0.115 m. diameter with straight sloping sides, which had been used for oil. g. A sherd of yellow slip ware with a design of a brown wavy line between two straight lines and a red dot at each bend. In the Northwest Chamber. 10. A double circular stone stamp 0.065 diameter and 0.025 m. thick. 1 1 . A flat iron key for a lock of Roman pattern with a loose ring on the handle. Its total length is 0.325 m. 10. Stone Stamp. 32f ■* II. Flat Roman Key. 54 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA OBJECTS FOUND IN LOWER LEVEL OF THE CHURCH. In Sanctuary. The following objects were found in the rubbish of which the body of the tribune was formed : 12. The small painting on wood 0.117 m. high and 0.039 m. wide (see frontispiece and page 49 sup.). This may have been an ikon, or perhaps formed part of a panel in a screen. 13. Five small iron crosses. The cross pieces are fixed by single rivets and the uprights are turned over to form a hook (see PI. 38, Fig. b). The dimensions of the crosses are: o.io m. by 0.06 m. 0.0975 m. by 0.05s ni. 0.085 0 05 rn- 0.075 by 0 045 0.065 by ° o5 ™- The hooks suggest that the crosses were intended to hang on a vestment or perhaps on a string in front of an ikon. The latter custom is common in modem Greek churches. 14. Lamp with Loop Handle. 14. A broken lamp with loop handle, 0.09 m. diameter. In North Sacristy. 15. A roughly woven white garment folded to fourteen thicknesses was found lying on the bench. It was bady damaged by termites, and no conclusion as to its shape could be made. 16. A wrought iron key with a wooden handle and iron ferrule. 1 7 . Jar Sealing. In South Sacristy. 1 7. A jar sealing of fine gray clay with five impres- sions of a saint on horseback treading on a beast. 18. Fragment of a light iron strap hinge. The strap diminishing and terminating in a heart shape. Fragment 0.13 m. long. 19. Seven-wicked Lamp. 19. A broken lamp for seven wicks of rough red ware. 20. Fragment of plain circular lamp, red ware. 2 1 . Some small fragments of parchment, inscribed. 16. Key with Wooden Handle. THE CHURCH NEAR WADY HALFA 55 In North Aisle. 22. Several small fragments of parchment. (See note by Mr. W. E. Crum.) 23. A few yellow and green opaque glass beads of hemispherical form. 24. A rough sandstone stamp near north door. 24. Rough Stone Stamp. In Nave. 25. A plain circular lamp of rough red ware o.io m. diameter. 26. A large sherd of dull 'red slip with a simple design of black horizontal lines with three short vertical lines above and swags. 27. Lid of Jar. In South Aisle. 27. A broken fragment of the lid of some vessel in fine white well burned ware. It has an incised design of circular form and an indi- cation of an inscription. The circular design is 0.065 ™- diameter. In Northwest Chamber. 28. A damaged lamp, with an incised decoration, of fine red ware highly polished. (See PI. 20c.) In Staircase. 29. In the space under the stairs was found a steatite ferrule for a staff similar to the Early Dynastic mace head in form. It is 0.065 ™- ill diameter and 0.04 m. high. .066 29. Steatite Ferrule. 30. A small jug with handle, lip and base ring, in a rough light red ware poorly burnt. It is 0.10 m. high and the base ring 0.05 m. in diameter. 30- Jug- 31. Forty-one brass bells were found in a heap on the floor of the space under the staircase. Several of them were badly damaged. They are all about 0.035 ™- to 0.04 m. high and are formed of two equal pieces soldered together. To the top a flat ring is attached and at the bottom there is a cut through the metal. A small piece of rough iron inside formed the striker. A photograph of a selection of these bells is shown on PI. 38a. OUTSIDE THE CHURCH. Outside the Walls at the East End. 32. Part of an iron escutcheon 0.04 m. radius. 33. Some fragments of parchment. 56 CHURCHES IN LOWER NUBIA IN THE CHAMBERS BELOW THE CHURCH. U nder the Sanctuary. 34. A well worked granite bowl 0.06 m. high and 0.155111. diameter with four projections from the rim. (See photo. 000, PI. t,2>c.) Under the Nave. 35. A broken cup of plain red haematitic slip ware 0.12 m. diameter and 0.08 m. high. Under Northwest Chamber. 36. A large rough jar of coarse red ware 0.60 m. high, 0.30 m. upper diameter and 0.60 m. at its greatest diameter. 37. A small fragment of papyrus with six charac- ters upon it, probably Greek. Lock Escutcheon. INDEX Abu-jeras. 6 Abu Simbel, 5, 12 Adda, see Kelaa-t-Adda Addendan, 5, 22, 37-39 Adwa, 3 Aksheh, 22. 40 Alwah, 3 Aswan, i, 2 Basilica, 11 Batn-el-Hagar, 3 Bawsaka, 6. 26 Begrash, 3, 4 5, 26 Behen, 24, 48 Bells, 55 Bishoprics, 6 Blemyes, 2, 5, 24 Bowl, 20 Brickwork, 8 Brightman, Canon F. E., 36 Bucoras, 6 Butler, A. J., i Byzantine work, 7, 8, 25 Cairene churches, i. 12, 15 Capitals, 5, 16, 37, 46 Cataracts, 2, 3, 5 Chalices, 35, 52, 53 Choisy, M., 8 Christianization of Nubia, 2 Columns, 5, 16, 25, 33, 37, 46, 47 Coxe, Eckley B., Jr., 2 Crosses, 54 Crowfoot, Mr. J. W., 12 Crum, Mr. W. E., 19, 29, 34, 51 Daira, 6, 26 Dating, 19, 29, 34, 49, 52 Debereh, 14-21 Diocletian, 7, 19 Doll. 23 Domed Churches, 38, 39, 41-44 Dongola, 6 Dromic Churches, 11, etc., etc. Eirpanome, 2 Faras, 5, 6, 15, 22-36 Figiranton, 12, 13 Fortress, Blemyan Fortress, Egyptian, .[O 41 Gardiner, Mr. A. H.. 40 Glass. 19, 20, 30, 55 Glendinning, Mr. P.. 12 . Graves, 14, 23, 25, 29, 32 Haifa, 48-56 Ibrim, see Kasr Ibrim Inscriptions, 34 and see Stelae Ivory, 52 Jacobites. 2, 3 Jesu, Bishop, 29 Justinian, 2 Karanog, 24 Kasr, Al, 2, 3 Kasr Ibrim, 4, 6, 7, 12 Kelaa-t-Adda, 5 Keys, 53, 54 Khartum, 3 Korta, 6, 19 Lamps, 19. 27, 32, 34, 35, 54, 55 Mahaffy, Prof. J. P., 23 Makorrah, 2, 5, 6 Maks, 3 Maris, 3, 5 Martyrs, Era of, 19, 29 Meilnarti, 5 Mileham, Mr. H. R., 49 Monophysites, 2 Natron Valley, i, 12 Nubia, Geography, 2. 3, 7 Paintings, 24, 39. 49. 50 Parchments, 20, 34, 35. 43. SL 54 Petronius, 4 Pottery, 19, 20, 30, 35, 36, 52-56 Quatremere, E., 2, 5, 26 Sai, 6 Sandalwood, 35 Sandstone stamp, 20 Sayce, Prof. A. H., 23 Sealings, 35, 54 Shenoute, 29 Serreh, 40-47 Silko, 2 Steindorff, 19 Stelae, 19, 21, 29 Suenkur. 6 Temples, ancient, 24 Termus, 6 Theodora, Empress, 2, 7 Vaulting, methods of, 8, 9. 10 Wady Haifa, Haifa Wiss, 6, 14 Painting on Wood from Church at Haifa. Original Size. Nubian Churches. PLATE 2 (c) Kasr Ibrim : View of the interior of the church, looking east. Nubian Churches. PLATE 3. W'kss; The princiiial Imililiii.i; Iri nn the east Nubian Churches. PLATE 4. J (a) View from the north. (6) Interior looking east. THE CHURCH OPPOSITE DEBEREH. Nubian Churches. PLATE 5. (a) View from the souin (6) View from the northwest. THE CHURCH OPPOSITE DEBEREH Nubian Churches. (c) Interior looking west. THE CHURCH OPPOSITE DEBEREH. Nubian Churches. PLATE 7. Stela found in Haikal. THE CHURCH OPPOSITE DEBEREH. Nubian Churches. PLATE Scale I loo. THE CHURCH OPPOSITE DEBEREH. THE CHURCH OPPOSITE DEBEREH. Nubian Churches. PLATE 10. SKETCH MAP OF THE DISTRICT OF FARAS. Nubian Churches. PLATE 11. (a) The central building from the north. (b) The central building from the .southwest. (c) The fortress wall and central building from the west. FARAS, THE FORTRESS. Nubian Churches. PLATE (6) The gate in the fortress wall. r- F. I. (c) General view of Faras from the west, F. 2. FARAS. Nubian Churches. PLATE 13. Nubian Churches. PLATE 15. Nubian Churches. PLATE 16. (a) Interior looking west, before excavation. (b) Interior looking east, showing Tribune, altar and pulpit. FARAS, THE SOUTHERN CHURCH. Nubian Churches. PLATE 17. FARAS, THE SOUTHERN CHURCH. Nubian Churches. PLATE. 18. Nubian Churches. PLATE 19. FARAS— POTTERY FROM THE CHURCHES. (a) From south church at Faras (F. 2.) From tomb in south church, Faras. (F. 2.) (c) From church near Haifa. (H. C.) (d) Lamps from Faras and Haifa. {e) Lamps from south church at Faras. (F. 2.) POTTERY LAMPS. Nubian Churches. PLATE 21 {b) Interior looking east. THE NORTHERN CHURCH NEAR ADDENDAN. Nubian Churches. PLATE 22. THE NORTHERN CHURCH NEAR ADDENDAN. Nubian Churches. PLATE 23. THE NORTHERN CHURCH NEAR ADDENDAN. Nubian Churches. PLATE 24. Nubian Churches. PLATE 25. (a) View from southwest. (b) Sketch of church (restored) from the southeast. THE DOMED CHURCH NEAR ADDENDAN. Nubian Churches. PLATE 26. (a) Capital from the north church. (b) The duined church, interior looking we.st. ADDENDAN. Nubian Churches. PLATE 28. CROSS SECTION. j ■ ■ ■■ I ELEVATION jro^ NORTH. SECTION. DETAIL of BRICKWORK , N, AISLE WALL ■ ^ • to 30 4« «r