On the north side of The Platform is a flight of stairs, now considerably ruined by roots of trees forcing out the steps. This flight ascends from the granite rock floor of the Platform Enclosure from between two rounded buttresses. Half-way up the steps pass between two small, low walls, the space between them being 2 ft. These walls are parallel for a few feet, but as the steps descend they round off on each side away from the steps. This flight of stairs is the last and highest section of the North-West Ancient Ascent from the valley where are the large water-holes or dongas (see North-West Ancient Ascent).
At the top of these steps and on the east side of The Platform is the celebrated Dentelle Pattern.
This ancient wall decoration is the sixth yet discovered in Rhodesia, and until more is known of the similar pattern at Matendele Ruins, it can be tentatively concluded that this pattern on The Platform is by far the best and the most complete specimen extant in Rhodesia.
Its present dimensions are 3 ft. 6 in. wide and 3 ft. 6 in. high, and it consists of four columns of small, shallow blocks laid flat, with corners outwards, and flush with each other, each block thus showing two faces, the whole enclosed on top, bottom, and south sides by an angular frame of large blocks. The north side of the frame has disappeared. It is probable that this pattern once possessed a fifth column of dentelle blocks, as the foundations, providing sufficient space for another column, still remain, and there are more of these small blocks lying in the débris below, each with two faces, generally time-worn. This pattern faces west, but very slightly to the south of west. In the summer of the Southern Hemisphere it exactly faces the setting sun, the great slanting monolith then being between it and the setting sun.
The other special features of The Platform are the Monoliths.
Two tall and flat-faced granite monoliths are still standing on The Platform, while one slate monolith lies prone on the south floor of The Platform, with a few feet of its length projecting over the temple wall. This last monolith is 10 ft. long, and at its centre part is 2 ft. 2 in. in circumference. This monolith is intact.
VIEW OF THE PLATFORM AT WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS, FROM MAIN WEST WALL
DENTELLE PATTERN ON PLATFORM, WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS