WESTERN ENTRANCE

This is the second largest entrance to the temple, and would appear to have been of some importance. It is by the West Entrance that visitors now usually enter the building. The gateway opens directly into No. 5 Enclosure.

The entrance is situated between [827 ft. 9 in.] and [831 ft. 9 in.] on the line of the measurement of the circumference of the exterior of the building, which starts on the south side of the entrance, and between (763 ft. 6 in.) and (766 ft. 6 in.) on the line of the measurement of the circumference of the interior of the main wall, which also starts on the south side of this entrance. (See Main Wall.)

SUMMIT OF SOUTH-EAST MAIN WALL, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE

WEST ENTRANCE FROM INTERIOR, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE

The south side is formed by the boldly rounded end of the main wall, which is here reduced in height to 7 ft. 6 in., or including foundations to 11 ft. The reduced summit is 6 ft. 6 in. wide, and has a batter of 8 in. At 10 ft. from the side wall the main wall rises abruptly from 7 ft. to 22 ft.

The north side is formed by the main wall, which has a rounded end. Its height is 8 ft., but rises sharply to 20 ft. The reduced summit is 6 ft. wide, and there is a batter of 10 in. on the face of the side wall.

The passage-way is 4 ft. 2 in. wide between the rounded ends of the two walls, and it has a total length of 20 ft. 6 in., 9 ft. 6 in. being over the foundation and 11 ft. over the semi-circular platform, which supports the two rounded buttresses on the inner side of the entrance. Unlike the Main Entrance this passage passes through the wall at right angles.

The semi-circular platform projects into No. 5 Enclosure for 11 ft., and upon it, and on either side of the entrance, are two buttresses, that on the south side being 9 ft. high and 10 ft. wide at the back; the one on the south side being very much dilapidated is now only 6 ft. high on the north side and 6 ft. wide at back. These buttresses and the platform are one structure, the courses in the buttresses are carried across the passage in a semi-circular form, thus forming steps.

The problem as to the entrance having ever been covered over is at present an open one, and there is much to be said on either side. The old men of the Amangwa state that it once had wooden beams across, and that the entrance was blocked up with stones. The North-West Entrance was in 1891 found by Bent, who reopened it, to have also been built up at a very late date, and so completely blocked. (See Entrances, Chapter VII.)

On the exterior, and on either side of the entrance, stood, till 1903, very large débris heaps, each of which was at least 8 ft. high and many yards in circumference. These on being removed were found to represent several distinct occupations of the temple, and two-thirds of their height was accounted for by native occupations and the removal by explorers of débris from the interior of the building. The native portion contained ashes and bones in large quantities, iron assegai heads, hoes, brass and iron wire bangles, clay whorls, and ordinary native pottery. Some few small relics were found in the soil which had been taken from the temple. In the lowest portion, which was not thicker than 18 in., were found phalli, splinters of soapstone beams, excellent pottery, gold crucibles, beaten gold and gold wire. There were several layers of ashes, but very few animal bones. The two heaps had been piled up against the main wall.


CHAPTER XI
THE ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
(Continued)

Enclosures Nos. 1 to 7