Letter S

313. Ṣā’d, north | صعد الشمالي

al-Mafraq Governorate

Masjid

JADIS no. 2419006

MEGA no. 17685

Coordinates: 32°20'29.7"N 35°58'49.3"E

32.341583, 35.980361

 

 

Plan: rectangular, with entrance in the N facing miḥrāb in S wall incorporated into the masonry; to the left of the entrance small rectangular cavities of missing stones recess at the W side of the S wall at the floor level. In front of the N wall runs a narrow terrace (ziyādeh) over the full width. To the N of it extends a courtyard with slightly curved N retaining wall. Adjacent to the SE exterior wall was a square platform which has been interpreted by Rajub-Housan (2013) as the foundation of a minaret.

Measurements: 51.2 m2

Exterior: 8.20 m x 11.80 m.

Interior: 5.00 m x 10.3 m.

Building Materials: local brownish to grey-white limestone and chert, carefully cut in blocks of considerable sizes in the N and S long walls; unworked fieldstones in the shorter E and W walls. In the interior SE corner the stone masonry has collapsed and was dug up by treasure hunters. In the soil profile of this hole appears the thin floor (ca. 3-5 cm thick) consisting of light yellowish mud mortar over a thicker package of dark grey ashy earth (fig. 313.11). This earth layer carried a pavement of irregular flag stones (fig. 313.5.8). On the interior walls remain some patches of white-washed plaster. In the exterior S wall the joints of the blocks have recently been consolidated with yellow sand-concrete.

Construction details: The S (1.60 m) and N (1.30m) walls are considerably thicker than the shorter walls (E 0.90 m - W. ca. 0.80 m). Both long and the E walls have been carefully constructed out of older reused massive blocks in horizontal courses without use of mortar in the joints. The masonry has in general two faces filled with earth and flaked rubble. The W wall consists of uncoursed random rubble masonry probably due to recent repair. The technical properties of the reinforced long walls indicate a roofing by an elongated barrel vault in E-W orientation.

Preservation: ruined, not in use for Muslim prayer.

Inscription(s): none known.

Date(s): Umayyad or Mamluk.

Traveler Reports: none known.

Bibliography: Steuernagel 1927, A. 369; Mittmann 1970, 119 no. 310; Muheisen - Turshan 1991, 19; Michel 2001, 222-234; Rjoub – Housan 2013, 477 no. 22. (confuses the information and pictures of the two mosques at the site).

 
Fig. 313.1 Sketch ground plan NJ).
Fig. 313.2 View on slope from S. mosque in red circle (Steuernagel 1927).
Fig. 313.3 Total view from N (TMW-K 2019).
Fig. 313.4 Exterior S wall elevation (TMW-K 2019).
Fig. 313.5 Interior view of S wall with miḥrāb and irregular flagstine floor pavement (NAt).
Fig. 313.6 Exterior W wall elevation (TMW-K 2019).
Fig. 313.7 Total view from E (TMW-K 2019).
Fig. 313.8 Prayer hall from NW with irregular flagstone pavement (Rjoub - Housan 2013).
Fig. 313.9 Entrance in N wall seen from interior of prayer hall (TMWK 2019).
Fig. 313.10 Interior of prayer hall, S wall with miḥrāb, view from NE (TMW-K 2019).
Fig. 313.11 Interior of prayer hall, foundation profile with layer of mortar for the floor pavement (TMW-K 2019).

Figures

[Fig. 313.1 ]
Sketch ground plan NJ).

[Fig. 313.2 ]
View on slope from S. mosque in red circle (Steuernagel 1927).

[Fig. 313.3 ]
Total view from N (TMW-K 2019).

[Fig. 313.4 ]
Exterior S wall elevation (TMW-K 2019).

[Fig. 313.5 ]
Interior view of S wall with miḥrāb and irregular flagstine floor pavement (NAt).

[Fig. 313.6 ]
Exterior W wall elevation (TMW-K 2019).

[Fig. 313.7 ]
Total view from E (TMW-K 2019).

[Fig. 313.8 ]
Prayer hall from NW with irregular flagstone pavement (Rjoub - Housan 2013).

[Fig. 313.9 ]
Entrance in N wall seen from interior of prayer hall (TMWK 2019).

[Fig. 313.10 ]
Interior of prayer hall, S wall with miḥrāb, view from NE (TMW-K 2019).

[Fig. 313.11 ]
Interior of prayer hall, foundation profile with layer of mortar for the floor pavement (TMW-K 2019).