ALEXANDRIA. 353 
may be decidedly answered in the affirmative. 
The Steliu of the Antients had precisely the 
form of the shaft of this Column ; although no 
instance has yet been observed of a sepulchral 
pillar of such magnitude. Indeed, until lately, 
the StelcE themselves had been remarkably over- 
looked : they were as so many stumbling-blocks 
to antiquaries ; and nothing puzzled literary tra- 
vellers more than the numerous examples of 
email pillars of granite, porphyry, and marhlcy 
scattered over the shores of the jEgean Sea: 
these were found generally in the vicinity of 
toinhs, or near to the walls of cities where 
tombs were situate ; being always insulated, and 
generally without capitals or pedestals. The 
Turks, imitating the customs of their prede- 
cessors, have introduced them into their coeme- 
teries. Now and then a modern structure 
exhibits several sttla- of different sizes, collected 
together, and made to serve as props for the 
building: in such instances, co/j/V^/^ 2aid pedestals, 
in barbarous taste, and of various materials, 
tiave been added to them. Remains of this 
kind may be discerned in some of the edifices 
erected in the lower ages of the Roman Empire. 
Possibly, then, this pillar, stupendous as it is, 
u-as erected upon some memorable occasion, as 
a sepulchral monument. A few observations will 
VOL. V. A A 
