'Narrative of a Residence in Koordistan, and on the Site of Ancient Nineveh; with Journal of a Voyage down the Tigris to Bagdad and an Account of a Visit to Shirauz and Persepolis.' [‎119] (152/450)

CH. XVII.] DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH.
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great door of the sanctuary was surrounded by a
border of carved marble work, containing certain
figures of Christ and the Twelve Apostles in medal
lions, with twisted scroll-work, which had a barbarous
but rather curious appearance. The church is
divided into three parts, a centre and two aisles, by
three heavy pointed but obtuse arches, supported by
octagonal piers. In one aisle near the upper end,
my attention was called to a carved stone filling a
niche, before which hung a curtain, and which was
an object of veneration to the congregation, they
scarcely knew why, except that, from its antiquity,
they supposed it to have some reference to the
Christian religion. They had found it among rubbish
in repairing the church, and placed it in its present
situation. Upon examination I found very clearly
and legibly written around it in flowered Arabic
letters, between Cufic and the modern character of
the age of the Sahibs, the very chapter of the Koran
peculiarly directed against the Christians.
So here had these poor people been devoutly rub
bing their foreheads against a monument, of which,
had they known its import, they would have had the
greatest horror and detestation. I believe the arch
bishop gave orders for its removal from its present
place.
The lower part of the church is railed in for the
accommodation of the women. It is manifestly ancient,
and at the time of Tamerlane's irruption was, the