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Upon the northern side are five small houses, which 
have each a portico of three very little arches. They 
serve as a dwelling for the poor students, who lead there 
a very retired life, being continually occupied in read- 
ing and meditating. 
Upon the eastern side are some water-closets, and 
along the remainder of the platform are the brims of 
several cisterns. 
I have already remarked that there are eight stair- 
cases, which lead to the platform of the Sahhara. The 
upper part of each of the two staircases on the south 
side, is crowned with an isolated frontispiece of four 
arches, resting upon pillars and columns. The frontis- 
piece of the eastern staircase is supported by five arches. 
The two staircases upon the northern side are crowned 
with three arches each. Two of those upon the western 
side have four arches each: and the third upon the same 
side, which is near the oil magazine, has no ornament. 
They believe that the frontispiece composed of four 
arches, which crowns the principal staircase leading 
from the aksa, is the place where ElMizan, or the eter- 
nal balance is situated invisibly, in which they think the 
good and bad actions of men will be weighed at the day 
of judgment. 
The whole of the platform of the Sahhara is sur- 
rounded with a small balustrade. 
On the exterior of the north and west sides, there 
are several small houses contiguous to the platform. 
They serve for habitations to those employed about the 
temple. 
Other Buildings of the Temple. 
On the eastern side of the great court of the temple, 
is a hall built against the middle of the city wall, which 
