The Monticellonian., 1916-10-26

only by ring of pedimented facades. In the next stage these facadeS further shrink into q mere arcading. and then the kumbet type is complete. Inter- nally these buildings contain two cham bers one above another. The lower is the tomb chamber; the upper is access sible by one or four doors, which it re- quired Il ladder to reach.
 About mile away, and nearer the shore q far more beautiful kumbet ex= ists, the finest example of Armenian art as modified by Mussulman builders. Once there were two near together here, also. but one of them collapsed about twenty years ago. Tradition, says Lynch, "relateS that these compan- ion tombs are the burial places of two brothers, and the work of Il single architect For the elder brother WAS designed the structure which has now fallen, and is said to have been greatly inferior to that which stands. This in dividual lived to see the more finished monument erected, and to brood over the inVidi0uS contrast between his own and his brothers tomb. His anger was visited upon the daring architect, who was condemned to lose his right hand. The fallen tomb was made for 'the great and noble emir, Shadi Agha," who died in 1273 The standing kumbet is nameess It is not large each side of its base measures only 30 feet. None of the great monuments of the world Ia t5ix 1Nr poverty of design in monumental archi- lecture OF sculpture. But this nameless tomb by the shores of Van is of tery perfect quality-admirable in propor= tionS. fine i'll finish, and its restricted ornament very beautiful and very elab crate.
 One wonders how such buildings come to fall. They are formed solid ly of stone and the masonry seems of good quality. The domed area inside is small and the walls thick enough to carry the weight and bear the thrust. one would suppose. forever. Probably the mortar is poor, and then there are earthquakes which shiver them from time to time. All my photographs of kumbets show suggestive cracks, and those taken of the same building after few years interval indicate that the cracks are widening and multiplying.
 Built of Pink Stone.
 The Akhlat monuments owe some thing to the pink volcanic stone of which they are built. Seen against q clear blue sky on a day of sunshine with the calm waters of the lake spreading away beyond them to far distant hills. their solitary stateli- ness commands the attention and re- tains it. A glance shows the perfec- ton of the best of them. Like all fine Mussulman buildings it produces it's full effect at a Gothic cathedral, to realize it's excellence. You do not even need to walk round it. It is the same from every point of view-al- ways satisfying, always complete, al ways faultless.
 One other kumbet deserves to be mentioned. It is situated close to the south shore of he lake, a days ride from the city of Van. The gardens of Vostan stretch up behind it over the lower slopes of the Ardos hills and not far away is that holy island of Akhthamar mentioned before. The date of this also is recorded 0332), showing it to be half q century later than the isolated tomb at Akhlat. It is obviously initiated from that, with changes which are not improvements. The circle has gone back to polygon. The characteristic Armenian inches are multiplied and set in small panels.