PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE. The architecture of Persia is of considerable interest, both on its own account and ,as supplementary to and explanatory of that of Assyria, which, together with the similar edifices in Egypt, is the earliest architecture of which we have any knowledge. The buildings of Persia and Assyria closely resemble one another, and, owing to the mode and the materials in which they were constructed, their remains serve to illustrate and complete each other's history. In Assyria, where no solid building-materials exist, the walls are composed of masses of sun-dried brickwork, lined on the inside, to a certain height from the floor, with large sculptured slabs of alabaster. These have been preserved to us by the falling in of the heavy earthen roofs, with which, as the later Persian buildings explain to us, the Assyrian palaces-were cov ered. The explorations of Layard and Botts, and the specimens brought home by the former, and now in the British museum, have made these sculptures familiar to us. The subjects usually arc large bulls with human or lions' heads; priests with human bodies, and eagles' or lions' heads, performing religions service before the "sacred tree." The Assyrian remains are all of palace-temples, buildings somewhat resembling the Egyptian temples (which were also palaces); and many of the sculptures represent the exploits of the king in war and in peace. The palaces are always raised ou lofty artifi cial mounds, and approached by magnificent flights of steps.
The buildings of Assyria extend over a very long period, the oldest at Nimrond being from 1300 to 800 n.c., and the more recent at Khorsabad and Koyunjik from 800, to 600 II.C. To these succeeded Babylon in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, and the Birs Nim rola]; but these are mere masses of decomposed brickwork, without any sculptures of harder material.
After Babylon came Pasargadte—where the splendid palaces of Cyrus and Cambyses still exist in ruins—and Persepolis, the capital of Darius and Xerxes (560-23 ao.), and some remains are still to be found at Susa, Ecbatana, and Teheran. At Persepolis we
find the very parts preserved which at Nimroud and Khorsabad are wanting; for here there is abundance of stone, and the pillars, walls, doorways, etc. (which, in the early examples, were no doubt of wood, and have decayed) being of stone, are still preserved. Thiii has enabled Mr. Fergusson to " restore" these buildings, and to produce most inter esting designs, showing not only how the palaces of Persia were constructed and liKhted, but from them to suggest how the arrangements of all the ancient architecture of Egypt and Syria must have been designed.
The halls at Persepolis were square in plan, having an equal number of pillars in each direction for the support of the roof, which was flat. In the center a portion was left open for the admission of light, and sheltered by another roof raised upon pillars.
The great hall of Xerxes is the most splendid building whose remains exist in this part of the world. The remains of the 72 columns with which it was adorned, are still extant.
The ball had 36 columns, six on each side, and on three sides had an external portico, each with two rows of six columns. These columns had capitals, composed of bulls' heads and shoulders (Fig. 1), between which the beams of the roof rested; while others were ornamented with scrolls like the Ionic order (Fig. 2). The bases are also suggestive of the origin of that Greek style. This ball was 350 ft. by 300, and covered more ground than any similar buildings of antiquity, or any medieval cathedral except that of Milan.
The palaces of Persepolis stand on lofty plat forms, built with walls of Cyclopean and approached by magnificent flights ot stairs, adorned, like the palaces, with Feld; tures somewhat similar to those of Assyria.
The interiors were ornamented with paintings.
The use of the arch was known in Assyria, as has been shown by the subterranean arched conduits discovered by Layard,.and the gates of Kliorsabad discovered by M. Place. The arches of the latter spring from the backs of sculptured hulls, and are beautifully ornamented with enameled bricks.