ABSTRACT
The carved stonework appears in many forms: there is interlocking stalactite vaulting - muqarnas work - in the niches of the west and south porches, as well as on the impost blocks, cornices and capitals of the west and north porches (Fig. 48). Joggled masonry is used on the tympanum of the north porch (Figs 9 and 54). All three porches have geometric or floral interlace carvings, either in large plaques and roundels or on a smaller scale on the facets of the muqarnas work. Eleven roundels and plaques survive, but there is evidence that two more were carved on the west porch. At some later stage these were hacked off to level the surface of the porch (Fig. 49). This was most probably done either to prepare the exterior of the porch for plastering, or because these plaques contained symbols which were no longer considered acceptable.1 The south porch also has an elaborate hood moulding of grapevines (Fig. 39).
