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
NO. 1 ENCLOSURE
THIS enclosure is on the north side of the temple, the outer face of its north-eastern wall being 18 ft. south-west of the North Entrance. This is the most perfect of all the enclosures. It is roughly circular, and there are no angular features in the body of the wall, though both entrances have their outer corners squared. The area is: north to south 56 ft. 6 in., and east to west 55 ft. 6 in.
The average height of the walls all round the enclosure is 7 ft. above the present surface of the filled-in area. At the north-east end the summit of the wall is 11 ft. above the bottom of an old hole excavated at that point, and in the hole the foundation is exposed. On the north-west side the summit of the wall is 9 ft. above the red cemented floor of an old Makalanga hut which had solid clay sides.
The walls are very substantial, being 5 ft. 6 in. wide and 4 ft. and 5 ft. above the surface of the area, as it was before clearing operations were commenced.