. Architecture, classic and early Christian . breadth fromeast to west about 938 ft., is approached from the plainby a magnificent double staircase of black marble, of veryeasy rise, not more than 4 in. each step. Its generallieight above the level of the plain was originally34 ft. 9 in. The retaining Avall of the platform is notstraight, but has in it 40 breaks or set-ofis of unequaldimensions. At the top of the staircase are the remains ofa building Avith four columns in the centre and with largeportals both back and front, each of which is adorned Avithgigantic bulls, strikingly resembling
. Architecture, classic and early Christian . breadth fromeast to west about 938 ft., is approached from the plainby a magnificent double staircase of black marble, of veryeasy rise, not more than 4 in. each step. Its generallieight above the level of the plain was originally34 ft. 9 in. The retaining Avall of the platform is notstraight, but has in it 40 breaks or set-ofis of unequaldimensions. At the top of the staircase are the remains ofa building Avith four columns in the centre and with largeportals both back and front, each of which is adorned Avithgigantic bulls, strikingly resembling those found at Khorsa-bad. Those in the front have no Avings, but those in therear have Avings and human heads. It has been suggestedthat these are the ruins of one of those large coA^ered gates 5G ANCIENT ARCmTECTURE. frequently mentioned in the Bible, under the shelter of?which business was transacted, and which probably formedthe entrance to the whole range of courts and buildini, passing through this gateway and turning south- I. -General Plah of the Bcildirgs at Persepolis. wards, at a distance of 177 feet from it, another terraceis reached, 9 ft. 2 in. higher than the first one. This ter-race also is approached by four flights of steps profuselydecorated wuth sculptured bas-reliefs, and on it are theremains of the Cheliil Miuar, tlie grand hexastyle Hall of PERSIAN. 57 Xerxes, wliicli must have been one of the most magnificenthuildings of ancient times. This building is marked A onthe general plan. It consisted of a central court, contain-ing thirty-six columns, the distance from centre to centreof the outside columns being 142 ft. 8 in. This court wassurrounded by walls, of wliich nothing now remains butthe jambs of three of the doorways. On three sides ofthis court, to the north, east and west, were porticoes oftwelve columns each, precisely in a line witli those of thecentral court, the distance from centre to centre of thecolumns being 28 ft. 6 in. These column
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidarchitecture, bookyear1888
