نسخة مذيلة من "بلاد فارس والشأن الفارسي" بقلم جورج كرزون، مع أوراق مدرجة [ظ‎‎٥‎٥‎٦] (١٨١٤/١١٢٥)

1:28
PERSIA
a considerable height from the ground. 1 Flandin and Coste speak of
this supplemental tablet as a discovery on their part, apparently
unconscious that it had been described both by Morier and Ouseley
thirty years before.
By far the best-preserved of the trio, although the faces in it have
been hacked to pieces, is the concluding panel, on the left-hand side of
the recess. 2 Its dimensions are also greater, being 23
tablet : feet in length by 14^ feet in breadth. Shapur I.
Shapurand r ^ es upon the scene, followed by nine of his princi-
bodyguaid ^ bodyguard, whose pose and stature are accommodated to
the configuration of the rock. The perspective is extremely faulty,
and there are the errors of disproportion so universal in the Sassanian
sculptures \ y^t for a certain solemn dignity, and also as a likeness of
contemporary dress and arms, this panel has a peculiar value. The
king wears the globular crown, the curled hair, the tunic fastened with
a clasp on the left breast, the clinging jersey, and the streaming shulwctjrs,
with which we are now so familiar. The charger is lifelike, and its
trappings are carefully executed. His followers, with one exception,
wear high round-topped caps or tiaras, upon which are symbols, supposed
to be indicative of rank. Three are on foot, and stand leaning upon
their long, straight swords ; the rest are mounted. The identity of the
main figure is left in no doubt by an inscription, inPehlevi and Greek,
first deciphered by He Sacy, upon the chest of the kings horse, 0 theie
being another inscription close by, on the smooth rock. It runs as
follows
This is the image of the Ormuzd-worshipper, the god, Shapur, King of kings
Arian and non-Arian, of the race of the gods, son of the Ormuzd-worshipper, the
God, Artakshatr (Ardeshir), King of kings Arian, of the race of the gods, the
offspring of the god, Papak, the king.
Before taking final leave of the Sassanian sculptures of Naksh-i-
Rustam and Naksh-i-Rejeb, let us endeavour to sum up our
impressions upon the phase of art which they represent. Its
Cuticism c | e £ ects 0 f proportion, design, and treatment are on the
surface, and are very apparent. There are a clumsiness and a ponder
ous solidity about the forms and movements, except in the panels of
equestrian combat, that produce a sense of fatigue ; and a want of
that higher imagination that at once idealises and impresses. Yet, for
all that we may observe in the work of the Sassanian artists a decided
originality of conception,. and a consciousness of the dignity of art.
1 Texier, vol. ii. pi. 142 ; Flandin and Coste, vol. iv. pi. 190 ; Stolze, vol. n.
pi 104 * Thomas, Early Sassanian Inscriptions, pp. 30-1.
P ' 2 Texier, vol. ii. pi. 139 ; Flandin and Coste, vol. iv. pi. 191; Stolze, vol. in
pi 102 (very unsuccessful); Dieulafoy, pt. v. pi. 17.
' 3 gtolze, vol. ii. pi. 103 ; Thomas, Early Sassanian Inscriptions.