tus diligently explored, and completely made out, the plan of the
Susian edifice.

The ruins at Murgab, which are probably the most ancient in Persia,
comprise, besides the well-known "Tomb of Cyrus," two principal
buildings. The largest of these was of an oblong-square shape, about 147
feet long by 116 wide. It seems to have been surrounded by a lofty
wall, in which were huge portals, consisting of great blocks of
stone, partially hollowed out, to render them portable. There was an
inscription on the jambs of each portal, containing the words, "I am
Cyrus the King, the Achaemenian." Within the walled enclosure which may
have been skirted internally by a colonnade was a pillared building, of
much greater height than the surrounding walls, as is evident from the
single column which remains. This shaft, which is perfectly plain, and
shows no signs of a capital, has an altitude of thirty-six feet, with
a diameter of three feet four inches at the base. On the area around,
which was carefully paved, are the bases of seven other similar pillars,
arranged in lines, and so situated as apparently to indicate an oblong
hall, supported by twelve pillars, in three rows of four each. The
chief peculiarity of the arrangement is, a variety in the width of the
intercolumniations, which measure twenty-seven feet ten inches in one
direction, but twenty-one feet only in the other. The smaller building,
which is situated at only a short distance from the larger one, covers a
space of 125 feet by fifty. It consists of twelve pillar bases, arranged
in two rows of six each, the pillars being somewhat thicker than those
of the other building, and placed somewhat closer together. [PLATE
XLIX., Fig. 5.] The form of the base is very singular. It exhibits
at the side a semicircular bulge, ornamented with a series of nine
flutings, which are carried entirely round the base in parallel
horizontal circles. [PLATE L., Fig. 2.] In front of the pillar bases,
at the distance of about twenty-three feet from the nearest, is a square
column, still upright, on which is sculptured a curious mythological
figure, together with the same curt legend, which appears on the larger
building--"I am Cyrus, the King, the Achaemenian."

[Illustration: PLATE XLIX.]

There are two other buildings at Murgab remarkable for their masonry.
One is a square tower, with slightly projecting corners, built of
hewn blocks of stone, very regularly laid, and carried to a height