Identifier: antiquitiesofori00reddrich (find matches)
Title: Antiquities of the Orient unveiled, containing a concise description of the remarkable ruins of King Solomon's temple, and store cities ,together with those of all the most ancient and renowned cities of the East, including Babylon, Nineveh, Damascus, and Shushan
Year: 1875 (1870s)
Authors: Redding, M. W. (Moses Wolcott) Guide to Mount Moriah, Author of
Subjects: Bible Middle East -- Antiquities
Publisher: New York, Temple Publishing Union
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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lt sideways into the walls, and alsosome remains of inscriptions. Patches of fresco arealso to be seen on the walls, ))ut all in a state of decay.In addition to the above, there are long ranges ofstructures like casemates, barracks, and magazines;story above story, and solidly vaulted. These wereoriginally four or five stories high; but the upperportions are now much ruined. There were severalgateways on the side of the town with the necessarydefenses; these still remain in a fair state of preser-vation. Under the great crypts are numerous vaultedreservoirs, capable of containing an ample supply ofwater for a long siege; and there are also several deepwells sunk in the castle. Between the two greatfortifications of Kerak there is a subterranean com-munication, but of which little is known. The most noted ruin of Kerak is a ruined mosk;which was once a basilica. The roof is gone, but theliars and arches remain. The doorway is pointed, Saracenic, and the upper part of the arch is filled
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M in with masonry, wliich was once covered with Chris-tian symbols. Another highly interesting relic is a portion of abeautiful tesselated pavement of marble quite per-fect, also some marble bases of ancient columns stillin their places at the edge of the pavement. Thisbeautiful pavement, that had doubtless once doneservice in a splendid temple, or other grand edifice,was now the floor of a miserable hovel, but onlythe centre of the pattern had been broken up tomake a place for the hearth. Ancient Koman lampsare found here, also ancient gold and silver coin. Altogether the great castle of Kerak is the grandestand most complete monument of military engiueer-ing and energy left by the Crusaders. It was builtby a predecessor of Eaynald, about A. D. 1131, andafterwards strengthened, so that in 11S3 it completelybaffled the fierce assaults of Saladin.

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