91. Façade of Palace of Darius at Persepolis. Scale of 20 ft. to 1 in.
Turning from these to the hexastyle halls, the smallest but most perfect (Woodcut No. [91]) is that standing on the southern edge of the upper platform, the inscriptions on which certainly prove it to have been built by Xerxes.
92. Tomb of Darius at Naksh-i-Rustam, representing the façade of his Palace surmounted by a Talar.
The platform on which it stands is approached by two flights of steps, that on the east being the one represented in the woodcut No. [84],—there are also indications of a tetrastyle hall or gate having existed on its summit,—while that to the west is much simpler. The hall itself had a portico of 12 columns, and on each side a range of smaller apartments, the two principal of which had their roof supported by 4 pillars each.
93. Palace of Xerxes. Scale 100 ft. to 1 in.
The building is one of great beauty in itself, but its greatest value is that it enables us to understand the arrangement of the great hall of Xerxes—the Chehil Minar—the most splendid building of which any remains exist in this part of the world. From the annexed plan (Woodcut No. [94]) it will be seen that the arrangement of the whole central part is identical with that of the building just described. There can be no possible doubt about this, as the bases of all the 72 columns still exist in situ, as well as the jambs of the two principal doorways, which are shaded darker in the plan. The side and rear walls only are restored from the preceding illustration. The only difference is, that instead of the two distyle halls on either side, this had hexastyle porticoes of 12 pillars each, similar to that in front; the angles between which were in all probability filled up with rooms or buildings, as suggested in the plan.[[95]]
