Round this older Kisu, which exactly follows the outer lines of the
temple with all its projections, there runs a later one, which has only
large tower projections in some places. It is built with
Nebuchadnezzar’s bricks, and its foundations are not so deep as those of
its predecessor. Towards the south there appear to be remains of a third
Kisu of still shallower foundation.
In the south behind the temple, as low down as the ancient Kisu, are
buildings of mud brick which we have not sought further. They show that
the Citadel square was formerly occupied by buildings of a private
character.
To whom the two upper pavements which still remain in the entrance
doorway may be ascribed cannot be stated with certainty. In this case we
cannot place much reliance on the Nebuchadnezzar stamps. On the upper
pavement stood an entirely unimportant construction of Nabonidus bricks.
This building in later years was demolished and levelled above the upper
pavement, and on it was erected a building of mud brick on the lines,
however, of the ancient temple. So little of it now remains that it is
impossible to make out its purpose with any certainty.
In order to secure more strength for the building, wooden clamps were
inserted about half-way between the bottom of the foundations and the
main flooring, which reached from the outer walls to those opposite. We
found the holes left by them in the walls of the north-east room, and in
chamber W 2.
At about each 8th course there is a thick layer of reeds laid crossways
over each other, which have now rotted to a white powder. They were
certainly intended in some way to strengthen the walls, but it is now
difficult to estimate the length of time for which they served this
purpose.
The angles of the walls at the gates were secured by the insertion of
pieces of wood washed over with tar. A plank of wood, the height of a
brick course, lay in the jamb, and another, one course higher on each
side, thus forming a frame, which probably also served as an attachment
for the door or door casing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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