37* Anttquittes, 



of the Perfepolitan Tnfcriptions, The author thoufrht it ne- 

 ceffary to prefix to this memoir an explanation of other larger 

 inicriptions, in order th it an opinion may be eaficr formed of 

 it. In the firfl place, the alphabet of the wedge-form writing 

 of the firft fort has two fimdatnental (Irokes, which may be 

 called the bow and the arrow, or rather the chifel and the 

 rule. It appears to have been invented chiefly for lapidary 

 inlcriptions. It has no round ftrokes, and is not only very 

 convenient for that purpofe, but very beautiful, on account 

 of its fimple and regular eompf)fition. The author mentions 

 as particular properties of this alphabet: id, The principal 

 flrokes of the letters are perjiendicular; the horizontal are 

 the accenbry flrokes. The latter are^always on one fide, or 

 over the fornjcr; only in the letter g, there are at the top two 

 wedges which erofs each other, ad, The points of the ar- 

 rows, or wedges, are always turned to the bottom or to the 

 right, when the characters are written proceeding from the 

 left. This pofition is natural, 3d, Each letter has no more 

 than three wedges, or two angles, as principal ftrokes, and at 

 m. ft three acceOory flrokes; however, when an angle forms 

 tlie principal firokc, there is at times an aceeflbryTtroke on 

 the other fide, ^fh, The angles and principal wedges are all 

 of an equal height, only that in two letters, m aiid 0, the 

 middle wedge is fliorter, in order to prevent their being con- 

 founded v\'iih the / and the a, which are finiilar, In'i-egard 

 to the tranfverfc, or aeccfl:()ry ftrokes, one of them is often 

 Ihortened ; or one ftroke, which ought to be at the top, is often 

 placed at the fide for want of rooni. 5th, In letters which 

 have only one principal (troke, the tranfverfe (irokes are always 

 on one fide; where there are two principal firokes, the tranf- 

 verfe tlrokes are in peuera! at the top; where there are three, 

 thefe acceflbrv ftrokes are alfo on the fide. 6th, When fe- 

 vcral tranfverfc (trokes are over oncor X.\\o principal ftrokes, 

 the latter are fl;ortened that the letter may not pafs tlie line. 

 The alphabet iifelf is reprcfentcd under a double point of 

 view ; firft, according to the conijiofition of the firokes, where 

 they begin \w the fimpleft figns, the wedge with ojie or two 

 accclTory ftrokes; and then according to the order of the let- 

 ters of the Zendic alphabet. In the iaft table of Anquetil 

 the author obfei ved letters which he tiiiuks defcftive, accord- 

 ing to a comparifon with the plates of Bruvn and Niebuhr. 

 In the Iaft place, the author remarks, that ihis wedge alpha- 

 bet has no rcfemblancc to anv of the known alphabets ; and 

 that it would be vain to attempt to determine the meaning 

 of the finglc letters according to their refemblance with the 

 Zendic or other letters : the author, however, finds that the 

 Utters which refemble each other in the Pehlvi writing at 



Naklchi 



