280 
KAZIMUN. 
Seleucia, and Ctesiphon, and A1 Maidan, &c. &c. were severally 
reared from its ample quarries. Like the many kingdoms which 
rose out of the fall of its empire, the decaying relics of the city 
itself were sufficient to form a succession of capitals, for a 
succession of kings “ of a variety of tongues and people.” 
Immense pyramidal piles, like this of the Tepesse Nemrood 
at Akarkouff, seem to be peculiar marks by which we may dis¬ 
cover the sites, at least, of the earliest settlements of mankind; 
but to what different purposes they were severally applied, must, 
with most of them, always remain a matter of conjecture. With 
regard to the Tepesse, I should suppose the mass we now see, 
to be no more than the base of some loftier superstructure, pro¬ 
bably designed for the double use of a temple and an observa¬ 
tory ; a style of sacred edifice common with the Chaldeans, 
and likely to form the principal object in every city and town 
devoted to the idolatry of Belus, and the worship of the stars. 
In returning from Akarkouff, we passed the town of Kazimun, 
at two or three miles distance from the north-western boundary 
of Bagdad. It is celebrated for containing the superb tombs of 
Imaun Toukeh, and Imaun Moussa Kazim; two holy men of 
such exalted Moslem saintship, that the place is chiefly inha¬ 
bited by a colony of devout Persians ; who were induced to 
transplant themselves there, by the religious motive of living- 
near a spot in which it was the object of their prayer to be 
ouried. The name of the place is derived from that of Imaun 
Kazim, while the mosque which covers his relics stands proudly 
eminent, piercing the high and featherys ummits of the date- 
trees with its loftier minarets and gilded domes. The sacerdotal 
establishment annexed to these shrines, is supported by the 
voluntary contributions of the numerous pilgrims, whose halt 
