their utmost perfection, and the proportions of the cruciform mosque most admirably displayed. The sanctuary of a mosque, or liwân, is on the Mecca side of the building, and its most important parts are: (1) The mihrab, which indicates the kiblah or direction of Mecca towards which the Muḥammadans pray; (2) the mimbar, or pulpit, from which the weekly address on Friday is delivered; (2) the dikka, or tribune, from which the prayers and the chapters of the Kur'ân are read; and (4) a seat for the shêkh. Lamps are suspended from Section of the Mosque of Kâ'it Bey. the roofs, the walls are ornamented with passages from the Kur'ân, and outside, but quite near the mosque, is a fountain. The following are the principal mosques which still exist in Mosque and Tomb-Mosque of Ghôrîyah ... 1503 The houses of Egypt and Syria consist of series of rooms which are built in two or three storeys round a rectangular courtyard; the greater number of the windows in each storey look into the courtyard, and every window, whether it looks into the courtyard or into the street, is provided with high *See Lane-Poole, Art of the Saracens, p. 86. blinds of lattice work. The Arab in his house loves privacy, and he spares no pains in building passages with sharp bends in them to prevent the prying of inquisitive eyes, and he endeavours to prevent the women and girls in his house both from seeing strangers and being seen by them. The projecting windows which form such an important characteristic of Arab houses have their openings carefully covered over with wooden shutters and with blinds made of wood, and if they are glazed the glass is either painted or allowed to become so dirty that it is almost impossible to obtain a clear view of what is going on in the street through it. Speaking generally, the outer walls of the house are not ornamented, but the layers of stone in the lower courses are often coloured red and white alternately. Plan of a House in Cairo First Floor. (After Ebers and Poole.) A. Servants' Room. B. Store closet. C. Space over Rooms. D. Men's Rooms. E. Reception Room. F. Space over Reception Room. The doors of the houses which were built from 70 to 100 years ago are often beautifully ornamented, and the stone arches above them are frequently carved with intricate and delicate designs. A short passage leads the visitor into the courtyard of the house, where there is often a tree by the side of a well, or even several trees. The rooms which are on the ground. floor are devoted chiefly to the servants and the male occupants of the house, and among them is the chamber in which male visitors are received. The floor of one portion of this room is higher than the rest, and on it are laid carpets and cushions or mattresses on which the visitors are expected to sit crosslegged. Sometimes long, low, wooden benches, with arms and backs, are arranged along each side of this room, and on |