They began piling up the ashes on top of the mound. A mound was in the center of the Altar; at times there were something like three hundred kor [of ashes] on it. And on the festivals they would not remove the ashes [from the Altar] because it was an adornment for the Altar. And in its days the Kohen was never lax in taking out the ashes.

They began bringing up logs to arrange the fire of the pyre. But are all the woods valid for the pyre? Yes! All the woods are valid for the pyre, except for that of an olive [tree] and of a vine. However, with these [woods] they were accustomed: with branches of a fig [tree], and of a nut [tree] and of an oil tree.

[The Kohen] arranged the large pyre to-ward the east, and [the pyre’s] “face” [was] toward the east; and the heads of the inner logs would touch the mound; and there was space between the logs, for they would kindle the chips from there.

They selected from there fine wood of a fig [tree] to arrange the second pyre, for the incense, opposite the southwest corner, drawn four amos northward from the corner, an estimated five se’ahs [of] coals. And on the Sabbath, an estimated eight se’ahs [of] coals, for there they would place the two spoonfuls of frankincense of the Show Bread. The limbs and the fats that were not consumed during the night, [the Kohanim] return them to the pyre. They kindled the two pyres with fire, and [the Kohanim] descended and came to the Chamber of Hewn Stone.