ARCHITECTURE. 133 
number of small vaults placed over one another. The latter is the construc- 
tion usually employed by the Arabians. The corner pillars are connected 
in pairs by large semicircular arches, whose archivolts support the circle 
forming the foot of the dome. The pillars and vaults are covered with 
painting and mosaic, and in important churches they are frequently faced 
with marble like the walls. In smaller churches the domes are sometimes 
placed on marble columns instead of pillars; the former are, however, not 
calculated to sustain the weight of large cupolas. 
The altar of the Byzantine churches is a cube or a cylinder of marble, or 
some other stone, and has no substructure like the Romanesque. Its perpen- 
dicular sides are covered with drapery, embroidered with the Gtecian cross 
and the symbol of trinity. The ciborium is like the Romanesque, being a 
cupola resting on four columns and four arches. In front of the altar is a 
sacred inclosure, having two door wings with the sign of the cross. 
The details in the Byzantine buildings are in a great measure borrowed 
from the ancient Greek architecture. The basilicas therefore contain 
numerous columns of marble, Greek or Roman capitals, architraves, and 
cornices, bearing evidence of the Athenian or Ephesian sculptor. But when 
available fragments became scarce the Byzantine artists were compelled to. 
produce original works in accordance with the massive forms of their 
basilicas. They then made their own heavy capital, which resembles the 
Corinthian divested of its foliated ornaments, and with its cup pressed into 
quadrangular shape. This nearly cubic mass received only a few ornaments 
in raised foliation. PU. 30, jig. 14, a capital, and jig. 23, base, from 
St. Vital in Ravenna; jigs. 21, 22, base and cap from the Turkish baths in 
Constantinople, from which is also the capital, pl. 28, jig. 19; pl. 30, jigs. 
19, 20, base and cap from St. Miniato in France; jig. 18, a, 6, base and cap 
from St. Michael’s in Pavia, exhibiting fantastic figures in place of foliated 
work, are examples of Byzantine details, which were much imitated in Italy, 
on the Rhine, in Normandy, and in England, where they were frequently 
employed in the 11th century. The decorations on the Corinthian entabla- 
ture and cornice underwent similar changes, the mouldings being replaced 
by a few inclined planes, which were embellished with sculptures, painting, 
or mosaic ( pl. 28, fig. 13, cornice from the Panhagia Nicodimo, in Athens). 
The sculptures on the Byzantine ornamental work are broad and heavy, 
exhibiting frequently strings of pearls and festoons apparently set with 
precious stones. The foliated work is very boldly profiled, the leaves 
generally terminating in points (jig. 14). 
The first church executed in this style was the church of the Holy 
Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which is described in the historical part of this 
work, and illustrated in Plates, Division IV., pl. 39, figs. 4-6, where we 
have also mentioned St. Mary’s church on Mount Moriah, and the church 
of Bethlehem (jigs. 1, 2). Byzantine architecture was therefore first 
‘introduced into Palestine in the middle of the fourth century. 
When the old church of St. Sophia in Constantinople was destroyed 
during a riot, Justinian resolved to replace it by a new edifice intended to 
exceed all existing churches in size, boldness, and splendor. This work was 
133 
