ANCIENT STRUCTURE NEAR SHIRAZ. 
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towers stretch a considerable way along the rocks, evidently the 
relics of some old bulwark, but of a much posterior age to 
the graceful edifice in its neighbourhood. 
Some Europeans have thought, and many of the Persians 
assert, that the finely sculptured remains just described, with the 
principal parts of Shiraz, and all structures of consequence in its 
vicinity, have been built out of the ruins of the ancient capital. 
During all my searches within and without the new city, I could 
not find any thing to impress me with this idea: not a fragment 
of Persepolitan work, or its marble, presented itself in wall 
or tower, or any where else, excepting the sculptured edifice 
on the height; and that is too perfect in plan, construction, and 
finishing, to have been a compilation of old materials, or the 
erection of any other than the master-hands which raised the 
palaces of Darius. It appears to have been always insulated. 
Whilst its own form and extent are distinctly marked by the 
closely-set slabs of marble which form the floor, and the still ex¬ 
isting foundations of all its four walls, there is no trace whatever 
of any other building of the same age having been in its neigh¬ 
bourhood. The people about give it the same title which the 
natives of Mourg-aub have bestowed on the tomb of Cyrus, 
calling it the tomb of Madre-i-Sulieman ; a presumptive proof, 
in my mind, even if this were a sepulchre, that the royal lady 
lies in neither of them. But this building has no resemblance 
to any style of tomb in this country. It is too small for a 
dwelling-place answerable to the splendour of its architecture; 
and, from the character of its bas-reliefs, I should be inclined to 
suppose it the remains of a little temple. The figures on the 
portals are all bearing objects connected with religious oblation ; 
the chalice, and the vessel of choice gums for the incense. 
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