'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎274] (305/582)

274
VISIT TO THE RUINS OF PERSEPOLIS.
form on the south-east, which, with the natural rock, is here at
an elevation of at least thirty feet from the ground.
Beyond this to the eastward, on a lower platform, is the square
of another similar sanctuary, formed of doors and open and closed
windows or recesses : these., however, -are not monoliths like the
others, the sides and architraves being separate pieces, and now
half buried in earth.
To the north-east of this, and on a higher level, is a part of
the frame of a larger but similar sanctuary, in the middle of
which were columns. Three of the gates of this are all that now
remain, but these are finer than any before described. Their
inner portals are sculptured with representations of priests, some
standing with umbrellas held over them, and others sitting on
chairs, their feet on footstools, with rows of slaves beneath, sup
porting the throne on which they sit, as found in the tombs of the
Persian kings. Behind the chair is sometimes seen an attendant
holding a full-blown lotus flower. Above the head of the priest
is the winged globe, perfectly well delineated, over a curtain of
fringe between two lines of open flowers ; and above all is a
circle, with two wings descending, one on each side, and a
feathered tail, as of a bird, with a man standing in the centre of
the circle, extending the palm of the right hand, and holding
in the left a ring.
To the north-east of this, a few paces, is the largest sanctuary
of all, but exactly similar to the others in design. The inner
portals of the great gate to the west are particularly fine. There
are seen five or six rows of warriors, with spears, shields, arrows,
quivers, and helmets or dresses of different forms. # A priest sits
in a chair above, and holds a lotus flower in one hand, and a long
staff m the other, while his foot is placed on a footstool. Before
him are two altars of fire, with extinguishers fastened by chains;
a man with a round helmet and a short sword addresses the
* Herodotus mentions (§ 10^) that the ancient Persians were armed like the Egyptians.