Page:History of Art in Persia.djvu/278

 RovAL Buildings at Pasargad^. ' 369 into four aisles by two ranges of pillars which supported the ceiling. M. Diculafoy, in his restored plan, puts a second porch with its annexes, and a colonnade of pillars along the main sides (Fig. 131); he warns us, however, that the completion of the edifice is conjectural and rests on feeble data enough.* Be that as it may, there is naught in it to remind us of a tomb or temple whilst it offers a remarkable analogy with those edifices on the PersepoHtan level which are universally ac- knowledged as royal residences. What may be guessed of the decoration about the principal openings in- creases still further the re- semblance. Of their jambs nothing remains but the lower portion, broken off almost flush with the ground, yet on these tiny fragments vestiges of the bas-reliefs which adorned the door-frame may still be distinguished ; their themes were seemingly akin to those that occupy the same position at Persepolis. On one of these slabs appear five human feet, the sole relics of the traditional group, perhaps, of the king and two attendants. Another stone shows two birds' claws and an equal number of human fi^t ; they bring to mind another common device, the combat of a king with one of those monsters Persian sculptors delighted to represent FiC. 131.— Polace of Cyrus. Plan n-siore l. DiBVLAfOV, L'Arl iiutii/uc, toin. i. I'lale XVIII. Diyiii^ed by Google
 * DiBULAroY, HArt oMtiqtu, etc, UHn. i. p. 31.