RUINS AT MOURG-AUB. 
48.5 
and halting two days at the village, I found nothing to regret 
afterwards, in having passed so many hours under the burning 
rays of a Persian summer sun, exploring treasures to which my 
countryman had given so interesting a key. 
June 13th. On mounting my horse this morning for my 
excursion, I took a southern direction down the valley for 
about four miles ; when, quitting the road, and turning to the 
right, my attention was arrested by a view of the first grand ob¬ 
ject amongst these ruins. It is the most northern of them all, 
and not far from the road. The natives have given it the name 
of Tackt-i-Sulieman , or the throne of Sulieman. 
It appears to have been the platform of a building, and con¬ 
sists of a mass of hewn stones raised nearly to a level with the 
summit of a rocky hill, to whose side it adheres. The materials 
are of white marble, put together with a labour and nicety scarcely 
to be supposed. Every stone is carefully clamped to its neigh¬ 
bour, on their upper horizontal surface, and at a small distance 
from the perpendicular face. The great front looks to the north¬ 
west, and measures in length about 300 feet; its sides, from the 
front tow here they touch the hill, 298 feet. At the distance of 
72 feet, is a retiring right-angle of 54 feet, which, after running 
again in a direct line of 168 feet, forms a corresponding face to 
the opposite angle of 72 feet; leaving 48 feet to complete the 
whole of the northern and southern faces. The height of the 
great front is 38 feet 6 inches, formed of 14 blocks of marble, 
all of the same thickness, namely 2 feet 9 inches. Their lengths 
vary from 7, 14, 13, to 19 inches. They are beautifully chi¬ 
selled, and have a rough surface over each, about an inch from their 
edges. Their breadth also is variable, from 3, 4, to 5 feet. This 
imperishable casing-structure has been filled up, to form a level 
