Colonnaded courtyard in the Herodium.

This large rectangular area was surrounded by a double row of columns supporting a broad covered porch. This would have provided cool shade from the heat of the Judean wilderness. The columns and walls of this portico were originally covered with smooth plaster. The walls were most likely decorated with bright frescoes like those at Masada, while the pillars may have been made to resemble more expensive marble.

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