ARCHITECTURE. 



T-he altar is situated in the centre of one 

 tri the sides, the entrance to which is 

 guarded by two huge figures, bearing- very 

 little resemblance to humanity. Columns 

 of an octagonal shape are sometimes 

 mounted on the backs of elephants, hor- 

 ses and tygers, supporting a cornice de- 

 corated with human figures sitting cross- 

 legged. A gallery extends from pillar to 

 pillar profusely sculptured with men in 

 acts of devotion to serpents, tygers, and 

 other animals. The base of the columns 

 being an elephant (their favourite beast) 

 sometimes displays a man astride of the 

 trunk, which gives the general mass the 

 effect of being put in motion by these 

 mighty animals. 



The whole may be considered original, 

 and peculiar to the habits of an unciviliz- 

 ed people, intuitively representing natu- 

 ral objects of their religious devotion, in 

 crude, disproportioned sculpture. 



From the magnificent ruins of Perse- 

 polis in Persia, which, according to Le 

 JJrun, originally consisted of 205 columns, 

 70 feet in height, we are alone enabled 

 to give any account ofthe ancient style of 

 architecture in that country ; for the cha- 

 racter and remains of this interesting pa- 

 lace, the world is indebted to the able re- 

 search of this gentleman, who has left no 

 stone unturned that could elucidate, or 

 bring to light, a knowledge of the science 

 at that early day. 



The arrangement, construction, and 

 proportions of Persepolis differ very ma- 

 terially from the Indian or Egyptian style 

 of building, yet we find Egyptian door- 

 ways at its entrance, and Indian sculptur- 

 ed excavation in the tomb of Darius. 



The Persians held Egyptian mytholo- 

 gy in detestation, and it appears were not 

 devoted to the erection of sacred edifices, 

 as no remnant of a religious symbol, or 

 hieroglyphic, is to be found in their ruins ; 

 but, on the contrary, they appear to have 

 been wholly absorbed in the erection of 

 gorgeous palaces and tombs. 



Their sculptures are very numerous, 

 and consist of triumphal processions, of- 

 ferings of horses to the sun, and oxen to 

 the moon ; figures bearing the parasol, 

 and armed with the lance, in conflict with 

 the lion. The number of men and ani- 

 mals found on their tombs are nearly 

 thirteen hundred. Their columns have 

 no diminish, being uniform from top to 

 bottom, and thirteen diameters in height, 

 having a capital one-fourth their height, 

 carved in imitation of feathers tied or 

 banded with silk; being the materials with 

 which eastern monarchs formed their 



most splendid decorations. From the slen- 

 der make of these columns, and no frag- 

 ments of a cornice or roof being found 

 among the ruins, we are led to suppose 

 that Persepolis was a summer residence, 

 and that they supported a temporary cov- 

 ering, slightly constructed of wood", and 

 lined with silken drapery. 



These ruins bear incontrovertible evi- 

 dence of antiquity, with features distinct- 

 ly marked to characterize a separate 

 school of architecture. The devastation 

 which followed the conquest of Egypt by 

 Cambyses, whose jealousy ofthe perfec- 

 tion of the Egyptians in art and science, 

 caused him to prostrate their palaces and 

 temples, carrying ofFthe artists as well as 

 the spoils to grace this palace, accounts 

 very satisfactorily for the mixture of 

 Egyptian with Persepolitan ruins. 



The whole of Upper Egypt furnishes 

 prodigies in science and art. Their py- 

 ramids, palaces, temples, and excavated 

 sepulchres. Their system of hierogly- 

 phical sculpture is calculated to impress 

 us with a very elevated idea of that once 

 learned and powerful people ; who, not- 

 withstanding the inroads of frequent con- 

 querors, jealous of their acquirements, 

 and laying waste their works of art, rose, 

 Phoenix like, from her ashes, invigorated 

 by persecution. 



The pyramids of Cheops, Cephren, and 

 Mycerines, are alone sufficient to call 

 forth the attention of mankind, as stupen- 

 dous monuments of industry and impe- 

 rishability. Although history can give us 

 no satisfactory date of their construction, 

 many learned men have discussed their 

 antiquity, and concluded that Cheops, 

 which is the largest, (being 448 feet in 

 height, and 728 feet square at the base) 

 was erected 490 years before the first 

 Olympiad, or about 3000 years ago. 



The researches of Denon, and the 

 French commission of arts, are the best 

 authorities that can be quoted on the sub- 

 ject of Egyptian architecture : they have 

 examined with zeal and accuracy each 

 well collected fragment, under the pro- 

 tection of an armed force : we will there- 

 from proceed in giving a general outline 

 of its particular character in Upper Egypt. 



On approaching the edifices of Karnac 

 and Luxor, the first grand masses of build- 

 ings are the moles, of an oblong plan, 

 with battering or tapering sides, from 50 

 to 60 feet in height, decorated on their 

 facade profusely with hieroglyphics, in 

 the front of which stand the obelisks, on 

 each side ofthe principal entrance, also 

 crowded with symbols of mythology, 



