Numerous tumbled-down houses, of average size, that had mostly been built in earlier times from regularly cut stones, nearly all of which enclosed a cave drilled out of the rockface; cisterns lay around on all sides, and there was a pool (''birket'') dug partially from the rock, and partially built from stone, measuring 20 by 17 paces. There were also traces of an ancient mosque, constructed, particularly in its corners, with magnificent masonry that had no doubt been harvested from a Christian basilica〔Conder and Kitchener: 'These ruins seem probably of Byzantine period, but there are remains of a village probably destroyed in recent times.' p.411.〕 ... Not to be overlooked also were the remains of a small freestone structure, with all the appearance of a sanctuary, perhaps a mausoleum dating back to the Roman period. All that survives of it is a section of wall rising from the bedrock and embellished with two pilasters〔Conder and Kitchener corrected this later: 'The wall of a building is standing in a line 15° west of north. It has five pilasters, which stand on a podium or stylobate, and project 1 inch. Their shafts are 17 inches broad. The total length of the wall is 23 feet. It appears to be the entire length of one side of a monument. .Three courses of the wall are standing throughout; and in part towards the north five. Between the second and third pilasters from the north there is a niche in the wall with a domed roof, ornamented with a cockle-shell pattern. The niche is 19 inches wide, 8 inches deep, and 2 feet 4 inches high inside. The bottom is on the top of the third course of stones; the niche faced east approximately. The masonry is of well-cut ashlar, of square proportions, and not drafted.' p.410〕 between which one can see a vaulted niche touched off with elegant mouldings and probably designed to house a small statue.〔Guérin, 1869, p. (200 )〕