2g8 NATURAL HISTORY 
mound, foffed on the outfide, and very regular is the amphitheater 
in the parifti of Piran-fand, which, as it has home peculiarities, 1 
have here planned, PI. xxix. Fig. m. with the following references: 
Piran-round. A, the area of the amphitheater, perfeflly level, about one hun- 
dred and thirty feet diameter ; B, the benches, feven m number ot 
turf rifing eight feet from the area ; C, the top ol the rampart, 
feven feet wide; D, the outer Hope of the rampart ; E, the o s; 
F, the dope of the fofs ; G, the level of the hill on which the 
work is formed; H, a circular pit, in diameter thirteen feet, 
deep three feet, the Tides doping, and half way down a bench o 
turf, fo formed as to reduce the area of the bottom to an elliplis , 
T a {hallow trench, running from the pit H nearly eaft, four ieet 
hx inches wide, and one foot deep, till it reaches the undermo 
bench of the amphitheater A, where it is terminated by a iemi- 
oval cavity K, eleven feet from north , to fouth, and nine feet 
from eaft to weft, which makes a breach in the benches 
Fig. iv. fhews the profile of the whole work ; a a, the area ; 
benches; c, rampart; <?, the fofs; h , the pit; z, the trench; , 
This is a curious and regular work, and is formed with the ex- 
actnefs of a fortification, but the vifible benches within, the pit, 
the trench, and cavity, and the fofs having no efplanade beyond 
it, determine it in its prefent figure to the ufes of an amphitheater. 
The greateft difficulty is to account for the pit H, and the trench 
and cavity I K, which are appendixes to it. Now it muft be ob- 
ferved, that the fcenary part of thefe performances was mucn worie 
than the compofition ; that the fubjed being taken from Scnpture- 
Hiftory, the perfons of the Deity brought upon the ftage from 
above, and the infernal fpirits from below they thought it neceffary 
to appropriate peculiar places to adors of fuch different charades; 
accordingly I find by their interludes that they had a place m their 
Rounds which they called Heaven, and I infer from thence that they 
had another called Hell ; and from thefe two places the different 
beings were to proceed when they came to ad, and withdraw to, 
when their parts were finifhed : I conjedure therefore, that as 
might reprefent the upper regions, fo the pit H might be allotte 
to the infernal. In the interlude of the refurredion alfo, the pit 
H might ferve for the grave ; the trench, and the cavity nug it be 
defigned to exhibit the afcenfion into Heaven. How proper thele 
wild expedients were to raife the admiration, affedions, and piety 
of the beholders, the judicious reader will eafily guefs, and 
lament the age of ignorance, when by mutual confent of Laity 
and Clergy, ( for without both they could not take place ) t e 
people were to have every truth fet before their eyes by memo- 
