With reference to the cross-sections, it now becomes possible to approximate the total number of chambers, apartments, or cells, contained in the entire building; a point impossible even to estimate from the ground-plan alone.

Leaving aside the northern appendix, about whose elevation I have not even means of conjecture, it becomes evident that the section whose four corners are marked respectively a, c, d, d, had the following number of compartments, starting with the lowest story, and remembering that, as above stated, one longitudinal row had six, and the other five, rooms:—

Lowest story5
Second story5
Third story. 3 × 6 + 523
Fourth story. 3 × 618
Total51rooms.

[p. 54]

Brought forward51 rooms.
The sectiond d e e had probably the same arrangement, and therefore, there being but two transverse rows, it contained in all 18
Sectione e f f contained on lower story4
Second Story. 5 × 420
Third Story. 4 × 46
Fourth Story. 3 × 412
52
Sectionf f g g:—4
Lower Story. 22 × 6132
Second Story. 22 × 5110
Third Story. 22 × 488
Fourth Story. 22 × 366
396
Total number of rooms contained in building B517

These rooms are very nearly of equal size, the largest one being III. 2.85 m. × 4.78 m.—9 ft. × 16 ft.—on one side, and 3.71 m.—12 ft-on the other, with an entering angle; the smallest room adjoining to it measuring 2.25 m. × 2.70 m.—7 ft. × 9 ft. The entire structure, therefore, presents the appearance of a honeycomb, or rather of a bee-hive, and perfectly illustrates, among the lower degrees of culture of mankind, the prevailing principle of communism in living, which finds its parallel in the lower classes of animals. Tradition, historical relation, and analogy, tell us that this house was used as a dwelling,[105] and that consequently it was, to all intents and purposes, a communal house.

[p. 55]

The height of the various stories it is almost impossible to determine. I have measured walls which appeared to be perfect, and they gave me an average of 2.28 m.—7 ft. 6 in.—elevation. Should such be the rule, the western wall of the building, at its greatest height south, would have risen about 11 m.—36 ft.

The northern appendix I have ignored in the above computation, because its whole appearance gives no ground for definitive statements. It seems really to be an annex, and in fact the whole building seems to have progressed, in its construction, from south to north, in point of date and time.