Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke.
- Thomas Dudley Fosbroke
- Date:
- 1828
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![the pillars facing the mountain, and which are at a small distance from the rest, seem to have been intended for a portico, or entrance from the east. They are all of a dif- ferent style of architecture (p. 229—231). r « Sir Robert Kerr Porter has been very successful in his elucidations 01 rersepohs. By whatever name, he says, it was then known, it may reasonably be supposed to have existed many generations before the son of Cambyses and Mandana became its sovereign. Tlie date of the first origin of Persepolis is not to be ascertained. The ChehelmiTiav or forty columns very much resemble en masse, and in detail, the architectural taste of Ecn-pt.^ The description of Diodorus is this. A triple wall encircled the palace. The first was sixteen coiides in height, defended by parapets, arid flanked by towers. Ihe second wall was in form like the first, but of twice its elevation. 1 hese walls were probably built out pretty far in the plain, but not a trace of thern remains The third wall is a square, and cut in the mountain, being sixty coudes in height, his defended by pallisades of copper, and has doors of the same of 20 coudes height. The first wall is to inspire awe, the second for strength, and the last for defence of the palace, lo the east of this, but 400 feet distant, is the spot called the Holy Mountain, containirig the tombs of the kings. Here the rock is hollowed out into several chambers ; to gam the entrance to which the coffins are hoisted up by machinery. No other w^y of ascending to them exists. On reaching the platform, the first objects which strike the traveller, are the lofty sides of an enormous portal. The interior faces of its walls are sculptured into the forms of two immense quadrupeds, which, on near approach, are found to represent two colossal bulls [engraved, pi. 31, P- 585]- Proceeding onward to the east, at the distance of 24 feet in a direct line from the portal once stood four magnificent columns [two only remain] : then comes a second portal, the inner sidp of which have winged bulls with human faces, the only specimen known to exist m , probably in- On turning le magnificent Persia wliere the human and the bestial form are conjoined [pi. 32, 33, tended to represent Cyrus himself. [See Ezek. i. 7> 9>'0. Uan. vii. 4._ to the right of the portal, at) expanse of 162 feet lies between it and t terrace which supports the multitude of columns from whence it takes its name. A conspicuous cistern, hewn out of the solid rock, interrupts the attention. Subterrane- ous aqueducts filled it with water. The superb approach consists of a double staircase proielimr considerably before the northern face of the terrace, the whole length of which is212 feet, and at each extremity, east and west, rises another range ol steps; acraiti about the middle, projecting from it iB feet, appear two similar flights rising from the same points. Here the extent of the range inclose a landing place of 20 feet Each flight contains only thirty low steps, none exceeding four inches in height, 4 inches broad, and 16 feet long. The whole front of the advancing range is covered with sculpture. The bas-reliefs [engraved, p. 59S show the ancient method of string- Tng tl e bow, and the manner of attaching it without cover to the quiver, which pro- ects he fea hers of the arrow from damp. No sword or dagger appear in any one of he,etmed figures. The uniforms and similarity of the armed figures show that they wTre drbtfes^fthe Doryphores or Body-guards. [See pi 36.] The chariots drawn Vx K n tbp bulls &c the led horse for sacrifice to the Sun; the spearmen, &c. ie by bulls the tne le^a ^ ornamented ball](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22012035_0300.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
