'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎292] (401/496)

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inscriptions of Persepolis, of Hamadan, and of Yan,have already awakened
tlie intellectual repose of enlightened orientalists, and will shortly incite,
through the talents and acumen of my fellow traveller, an additional
interest over the whole of the European world. This locality, indeed,
though comprising but a comparatively small portion of the large expanse
now open to research, offers in itself many powerful stimuli to engage
the active mind of the antiquarian and geographer.
Our stay at Kirmanshah was felt as a seasonable relief after the fatigues
of the late journey, and while Major Rawlinson’s time was devoted to
official pursuits, mine was sufficiently occupied in the prosecution of the
duties of the surveyor. Our little chronometer, indeed, required all my
care, for it now begins to be sensibly affected by the change of tempera
ture, and the perturbations that it had sustained during the last few days
of mountain travelling. This, however, is of no consequence, as we are
compelled to remain in this vicinity until communications be received
from Teheran. In the interval, a new rate will be obtained, and a visit
to Behistan, and return to this place again, will afford a triple test of its
performances. The detail of the journey hitherto has been daily added
a woman—and moreover a woman of rank, for the face had been originally covered
with a gold mask. The upper part of the tomb was very ruinous, and this may
account for the other parts of the body having mouldered away. It was built of
brick, with a cupola-shaped roof. A part of a coffin, elaborately painted, but too
much disfigured to distinguish any device, with some shreds of apparel, were
obtained, in addition to the mask of gold. This latter was of the purest metal,
pliable, and as clean as on the day it was first devoted to the service of the dead.
It was impressed with the features of the deceased, and weighed, if I remember
right, about forty ghaze,-—a gold sum equivalent to SjG sterling, but its real value,
from its purity, may have been about one-fourth more. I cannot find any notice of
this custom as pertaining to the burial rites of any of the nations of antiquity, and
accordingly presume that it may have represented, or was substituted for, the
AavaKrj of the Greeks, and destined as a votive offering for the guardians of the
Acheron and Styx. It is now, I believe, in the possession of the East India Com
pany. I he body had evidently undergone the usual preparations previous to
inteiment, which the ancient authors describe as in vogue among the Egyptians.
The nails and cuticle of the extremities were perfect, and a bituminous substance
was observed on fragments of the swathing : its peculiar odour was also manifest.
On opening the tomb, three other sepulchres of similar construction stood at ashoit
distance from the spot on which this monument is erected. Time, or the deseciat-
ing. hand of the Arab, had already despoiled these previous to our visit. Tue
natives, however, informed us that a jewelled dagger was found on a body excavatec
from one of them a few years ago. The spot is one of much interest as connecte .
with Tadmor or Palmyra. The construction of the fortresses of Halebi and Ze ibi
(their present names) has been assigned to the Palmyrean Queen Zenobia, w m,
after her defeat by Aurelian, is represented to have fled to this spot, and to have
been captured while crossing the Euphrates.
^ le J e f° r fc r 6sses, erected on either hand of the Euphrates, command thegm*^®
lough which the river forces itself in its descent to the alluvial plains of J