PLATFORM ENCLOSURE
THIS enclosure is on the north side of the Western Temple, and immediately at the foot of the stairs leading up the north-west side of The Platform. The east side is 46 ft. long, and is formed by a wall 19 ft. high and 7 ft. wide at 5 ft. above the present level of the interior. The north wall is 33 ft. along its face, and including a rounded corner at the north-east. It is 3 ft. wide at its present reduced height, which averages from 2 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. above the rock floor. The north wall is built upon the edge of a high boulder, which boulder forms the floor of the enclosure on its north side. From north to north-west is an open space enclosed by a Makalanga-built wall which is carried across and blocks up an ancient entrance. From north-west to south the wall is 51 ft. long, and forms part of the north wall of the Western Temple. It is 4 ft. 6 in. wide on its present reduced summit, which is very dilapidated, its length including a wide gap. The extreme south-eastern side is formed by the walls supporting the steps from this enclosure to the summit of The Platform.
In the south-east corner of this enclosure is a passage leading into the Cleft Rock Enclosure. This passage is 10 ft. long, the walls on either side are 6 ft. in height, and the width varies from 2 ft. to 4 ft. 10 in. This passage was only discovered in July, 1902, when it was found to contain a Makalanga grave apparently about twenty years old. The remains were removed and re-interred at the right side of the entrance to the Cleft Rock Enclosure. There were traces of steps in this passage, but these had been destroyed by masses of falling débris.
On the east side and at 21 ft. from this passage is a large squared entrance, also leading into Cleft Rock Enclosure. This appears to be a reconstruction of an older entrance or a late construction altogether, or possibly a new entrance through an old wall. The entrance is 6 ft. high, 2 ft. 6 in. wide, 7 ft. long, and has squared walls. Most probably this entrance was originally covered, for the remains of slate lintels can be seen on either side in the wall above it, and quantities of long pieces of fractured slate beams were found on its floor.
The area of this enclosure is divided into different levels. The floor on the south-west side for 28 ft. by 14 ft. is formed by the top of a huge flat-topped boulder. The floor at the extreme north is also formed by the top of a boulder. The middle portion between these two floors consists of a depression of some 10 ft. to 14 ft. lower than the rock floors on either side, the lowest portion being at the north-west end.
In this depression, and running from the north-west toward the squared entrance in the east wall, is a deep and narrow passage, the wall of which on the south-west side is the retaining wall for the higher floor on that side. The north-east wall of the passage appears to have been a Makalanga reconstruction of an ancient wall, especially as several of the walls in the immediate vicinity are undoubtedly Makalanga, and claimed by them as such, and, moreover, Makalanga articles were found at the base of its foundation. Still, the wall is so dilapidated that it is difficult to state one’s opinion as to its age. This passage runs west for 72 ft. throughout the length of this enclosure, and passes out on to the Western Parapet, which runs along the west base of the west wall of the Western Temple. The width of the passage varies from 2 ft. to 4 ft., and with side walls averaging in height 5 ft. to 14 ft. on the south side, and 4 ft. to 7 ft. on the north side. In the description of the newly discovered North-West Ancient Ascent, it will be seen that this passage forms an important section in that ascent.
At the south-east corner of the enclosure, and extending for 6 ft. from the east wall, is a small wall of three different faces at different levels all facing north. It was evidently intended to act as a buttress to the steps from The Platform down into the narrow passage between the two side floors of this enclosure.