Page:History of Art in Persia.djvu/189

 178 History of Art in Antiquity. employs none but lintels and platbands ; a return to the hypostyle hall was just as impossible as a revival of the superannuated sculptural forms once created by Chaldaea and Assyria. Strange though the bas-reliefs of Shapiir may at first sight appear, as soon as we look well into them we recognize that the artists who carved them were widely influenced by the Western masters that had worked for those emperors whom the kings of Persia fought with stubborn implacability. Sassanid art is an art of decadence and transition, which, despite its exotic appearance and whimsicality of headgear and costume, in many respects recalls that of th6 Antonines and Severuses, whilst now and again we already scent mediaeval times. On the other hand, we are conscious of efforts made to connect the present with the past of Perria, in the character, at least, of certain details. Thus, at Shapur, near which are still seen a number of quaint bas-reliefs carved in honour of the prince who has given the name to the place, there is an almost square chamber, whose walls consist of a core of broken stone' and casings of well-dressed units put together without cement (Figs. 89-91).* Internally, towards the upper part of the walls, animals, now in a very poor condition, were distributed at a distance of two metres from each other. Nevertheless, it is not difficult "to recognize in them rough imitations of the kneeling bulls of the Persepo- litan capitals,*" As at the Takht-i-Jamshid, here also, their function was to uphold architraves or floors, but they lag far behind their models in point of execution. 1 he fact that they are still in place is due, no doubt, to their elevated situation, which has saved and saves them from ruthless hands. Had the stone surface been embellished with sculpture, details would still be visible ; but the blocks seem to have received no other care, beyond a rude hasty chamfering. Each bull occupied two slabs or courses ; on the one was the head, and the shoulder on the other (see Fig. 91).' Had the architects of old likewise assigned the function of Fig. 89. — Shajjur. Monu- ineni in the centre of the ruins. Plan. Fi.aniun and Costs, Ptrse an- eietme, Pkte XLVII. ' The long side of the hall is iS m. 38 c, and the short side 17 ro. 30 c. I m. 26 c. Digitized by Google
 * Flandin and Coste, Z« Ferse, etc., p. 49. The height of the semMniUs is
 * The bull of our illustration is restored, and is too well restored.