WEST ENTRANCE TO PARALLEL PASSAGE, WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS
BUTTRESS PASSAGE, ACROPOLIS
D. A large wall stands at 9 ft. 6 in. from the west wall at a point 42 ft. north from the south end of that wall. It has an abrupt and unfinished end facing south, from which end it rounds boldly towards the east, where it appears to terminate in a bank of soil debris. The quality of material and workmanship displayed in this wall are very similar to those of the west wall. Its height is 9 ft. where it faces the south, but where it faces west is a portion of wall 6 ft. high erected on its summit, and this upper wall is 6 ft. long and 4 ft. wide, being rounded at its end facing west. The sides of the upper and lower walls are flush to each other.
E. At the foot of the boulder over which the north wall is carried is a trench, and at a depth of 4 ft. below the present level of the interior of the temple is a very strong cemented floor, on which stands about 4 sq. ft. of the rounded end of a cement wall of most excellent material and make. These are believed to be ancient, and if such be the case, then no antiquity could be claimed for walls B and C, which are built upon the filled-in soil of a higher level. The remains of a rounded stone buttress are also to be seen in this trench. This trench was sunk through the red clay of a Makalanga threshing-floor.
Sections of floors.—Three sections of what are believed to be ancient floors can be seen in the cutting at the angle formed by the north and west walls. At 5 ft. below the present surface of the temple is an ancient floor of strong yellow granite cement 1 ft. 4 in. thick; above this is a red cement floor 1 ft. thick; above this is another red cement floor 1 ft. 2 in. thick; while the top floor is made of ordinary Makalanga clay. A red cement bed lies under the lowest floor.
CHAPTER XVI
THE ACROPOLIS RUINS
(Continued)
Platform Enclosure—Cleft Rock Enclosure—The Platform—Balcony Wall—Little Enclosure—The Winding Stairs—Upper Passage—East Passage—Buttress Passage—South Enclosures A, B, and C—South Cave—South Passage—Central Passage.