188 HEJAZ. 



Nearly in the middle of the court stands the 

 Kaaba, the " navel of the world," as Ibn Haukal 

 calls it, the most remarkable building about the 

 mosque, and the only part which lays claim to high 

 antiquity. It is an oblong massive structure, the 

 sides and angles of which are unequal, so that its 

 plan forms a trapezium ; but the flat roof, the size 

 of the edifice, and the black cloth covering, give it 

 the appearance of a perfect cube. It is constructed 

 of the gray Mecca stone, in large unpolished blocks 

 of different sizes, and remains as it was when rebuilt 

 in 1627. The length, according to Burckhardt, is 

 eighteen paces, the breadth fourteen, and the height 

 from thirty-five to forty feet. The only entrance 

 is by a door on the north side, which is opened but 

 two or three times in the year, and elevated about 

 seven feet above the ground. In entering it a 

 wooden staircase is used, mounted on six large rol- 

 lers of bronze, with hand-railings on each side, and 

 broad enough to admit four persons abreast. It con- 

 sists of ten steps, and is moved to the wall when 

 visiters ascend. The present door, which was sent 

 from Constantinople in 1633, is wholly coated with 

 silver, and fastened with an enormous padlock of 

 the same metal. It has several gilt ornaments ; 

 and upon the threshold are placed every night va- 

 rious small lighted wax-candles, and perfuming-pans 

 filled with musk, aloes-wood, and other aromatics. 



On the western side projects tlie myzab or water- 

 spout, through which the rain collected on the roof 

 is discharged. It is about four feet in length, and 

 reported to be of pure gold, but is more probably of 

 gilt bronze. The water falls on two large slabs of 

 fine verde antique, which are said to mark the spot 

 where Ishmael and his mother Hagar were buried. 

 This is enclosed by a semicircular wall (called El 

 Hatim) about three or four feet from the side of 

 the Kaaba. It is built of solid stone, five feet in 

 height and four thick, cased all over with white 



