Eastward of this hall, and towards the mountainous side of the platform is situate a large mass of ruins, consisting of portals, passages, &c., the plot of ground on which they stand is about 95 paces from east to west. and 125 paces from north to south. In the centre are scattered fragments of columns and usher stones, and in the interior there seems to have been a group columns.
To the south-west of the hall of Forty Columns, is a building elevated on a platform about feet above the plane of the colonnades, which measures l'70 feet front north to south, and 95 from east to west. it is approached from the west by a double flight of steps, which appear to have been enriched with sculpture similar to those of the great platform; another flight on the south extends the whole width of the terrace, the landing place of which is 4S feet long by 10 wide : the east side is bu•icd in fallen ruins. The platform outside the building is occupied with fragments of portals, colossal statuary, &..c. " From the western landing-place • two portals lead into a room 48 feet square ; it has two doors on the north, two to the west, one to the south, and, urigi litany, two to the east. On three sides of the room are several square-headed niches, each excavated in one solid stone to a depth of 3 5 feet high, and 6 feet wide; they appear to have been exquisitely polished within, while upright lines of cuneititrni characters run along their edges. Four windows 10 feet high, open to the south. There is another apartment of the same building 30 feet by 48. open to the south." South-east of this building is another large edifice covering a space of 160 feet from mirth to south, and 190 feet front east to west ; the plan seems to have been very regular. and consists of a poll sty lar hall 436 colanins, arranged in 6 rows of 6 each, surrounded with no less than 10 The ground is covered with fragments, and beneath the pavement has been discovered it subterraneous aqueduct. To the west of this, and 100 feet south of the previous building, have been found traces of columns belonging to a smaller st rue ture, and amongst them Le Bruyn discovered a staircase leading to a subterranean apartment.
The above are the principal edifices of Persepolis ; there are some others of smaller size, which we do not think neces sary to describe ; the entire area too. which> is equal to nearly thirty acres, is covered with innumerable fragments of various descriptions. Excavated out of the rock at the east side of the platform are two tombs, which are probably of the same date as the structures we have been describing ; they are about 400 yards apart, and each contains a chamber 30 feet w ide, 18 deep. and 10 ur 12 high ; the façades are richly sculptured in kith eases.
Akita four miles from this place are the sculptured tomb•, called by the natives Naksh-i-llustam, the entrances to which are Dearly 6(1 feet above the general surface of the ground.
One of the tombs consists of a chamber 35 feet long, '7 broad at each end, and S in the middle; in the side.; are three arched recesses eta out of the rock, and measuring 9 feet. in length, by 5,t in breadth. The roof of the chamber is arched, mud its height measures 10 feet at the highest point. Oppo site these tombs is a symre building about 24 feet wide, and 35 high, constructed of white marble. At about 1 L feet above the ground is a small doorway, which gives access to a chamber about 12 feet square, and 20 feet high, the roof being composed of two immense slabs of marble, On the outside the walls are varied with many oblong recesses, and are surmounted by a cornice enriched with dentils, that on the north side being funned of a single slab 22 feet 6 inches in length.
A building somewhat resembling a pyramid exists amongst the ruins of Pasa•gadtc. and is thus described by Mr. Morier : It rests upon a square base of large blocks of marble, which rise in seven layers pyramidieally. It is in the form of a parallelogram. the lowest range of the foundation is 43 by 37; and the edifice itself, which crowns the summit, diminishes to 21 feet by 16 feet 5 inches. It is covered with a shelving root; built of the same massy stone as its base and sides, which are all fixed together by clamps of iron. Around it, besides a great profusion of broken marbles. are the shafts of 14 columns, once, perhaps, it colonnade, but now arranged in the square wall of mud which surrounds the whole remains." This monument contains a small and plain chamber; it is considered by some to be the tomb of Cyrus, but the Mohammedan writers call it the tomb of the mother of Solomon.
The fire-altars, w hich are of not tinfrevent occurrence, consist often of a single upright stone about 12 feet high, and 3 or 4 feet square at the bottom, being slightly pyrami dial], and therefore of somewhat smaller dimensions at the top, in which there is a deep hollow to receive the fire.
A rule, 10W w:111 of large stones forms an enclosure round the altar, haying an entrance in one of its sides. Sir \V. mseley obs•i ved several structures resembling those of the 1)ruids in our own country ; he mentions one at Darabgerd, oil of an irregular cluster of rude stories, sortie of wore till to .-25 feet in height. One. taller than the test. stood in the centre. and another towards a table 4,1' altar, being flat at the top; and under two or three Others were recesses or small caverns.
It would be useless to attempt any description of the detail: of the sty le, with such slender information ; some idea May be funned from the above &set iptions, and for further information we must refer the reader to the writings of those travellers: who have visited the spot, animwst w bout we may mention Porter, Ouseley, `]wrier, Bich, Niebuhr, Le Brun, and Yhardin.