TOMB OF SHEIKH SEFFL 
slabs of Tabriz marble, which brought us into a court filled with tomb¬ 
stones, which by their number testified the high reputation of the 
Sheikh among the Persians, who by being buried in his vicinity, hope 
to form part of his suite to paradise, on the day of resurrection. 
The whole exterior of the tombs, as seen from this court, exhibit 
the approach of ruin. The small cupola which covers the mau¬ 
soleum of the Sheikh has given way in several places, and has already 
lost a great number of its varnished tiles, whilst the rents and fissures 
in the walls do not announce a much longer duration to them. 
On entering the first large hall we were stopt by a silver grating, 
where we were obliged to take off our shoes ; and here we remarked 
the veneration of the Persians for the threshold of a holy place; a feel¬ 
ing that they preserve in some degree even for the threshold of their 
houses. Before they ventured to cross it they knelt down and kissed it, 
whilst they were very careful not to touch it with their feet. In writing 
to a Prince, or a great personage, it is common for them to say, “ Let 
me make the dust of your threshold into surmeh (collyrium) for my 
eyes.” The large hall was beautifully painted and ornamented; and 
from its ceiling were suspended silver lamps and lanterns made of talc, 
whilst its floor was covered with carpets, upon which, placed upon read¬ 
ing boards, were several copies of the Koran, but which time and use had 
rendered almost unserviceable. At the furthest end of this hall is the 
tomb of Sheikh Seffi, and to approach it we mounted one high step, 
which is bounded by a second silver grating, and then came to a gateway 
plated with gold, beyond which we were not permitted to advance. 
Through this gate we discovered the tomb, covered with brocades and 
shawls, and upon the summit of which were placed bunches of feathers, 
ostriches’ eggs, and other ornaments. Among the offerings, a golden 
ewer, set with precious stones, was the most conspicuous; and this, we 
were informed, had been presented by Homayoun Shah. This Prince 
was the son of Baber Sultaun, a lineal descendant of the great Timour or 
Tamerlane, and occupied the Mogul throne in the year 1530, but owing 
