DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0136
CHAPTER VII.
PERSIA.
Historical Sketch. — Ignorance of Early Persian Sculptures. — Remains at Pasargadas. — So-called Cyrus
Tomb. — Remains at Behistan. — Eclectic Character of Persian Art. — Persepolis. — Description
of Ruins. — Relief of King strangling Monster. — Other Reliefs. — Elaborate Representations of
Thrones. — Rock Tombs of Persepolis. — Tomb of Darius. — No Growth after Artaxerxes Ochus.—
Feebleness of Art from Time of Sassanid Rule.
The ancient political life of Central and Western Asia was a changing
drama, in which nations passed through the vicissitudes of conquerors and
conquered, the victors in many cases adopting to a greater or less extent the
art of the conquered people. Assyria overcame Media, only to sink before it;
and Media in turn fell before the more vigorous sister-people, the Persians,
a hardy mountain race, whose energetic rulers carried their sceptre to remote
parts of the world, and maintained for two centuries and a half an important
place among civilized nations. The deeds of Cyrus (559-529 B.C.) and Cam-
byses (529-521 B.C.), the conquering expeditions of Darius and Xerxes (521-
465 B.C.), sufficiently illustrate the importance of ancient Persia as a political
power during the years of its strength. But although the events of this
history are familiar to us, and brilliant accounts are on record of Ecbatana,
the capital of ancient Media, as well as of Pasargadoe, Persepolis, and Susa,
the great cities of the Persian monarchs, still our knowledge of sculpture in
these lands is but fragmentary.'^2
Of the early steps of this sculpture, we have no witnesses. The ruins of
Ecbatana still await excavation. The most important remains of the later
sculptural art of ancient Persia are the well-known ruins at Pasargadse and
Persepolis, and the relief still to be seen at Behistan, in the mountains of
Koordistan.
In the neighborhood of modern Murghab stand the ruins of Pasargadse, the
home of Cyrus and his powerful house. Here are left standing a few shattered
pillars and a piece of wall, which once were parts of a palace. On this wall
appears a strangely sculptured human figure with four colossal wings, some-
what like those seen in Assyrian carvings (Fig. 54)- The head is crowned by
a head-dress, similar to those worn by the Pharaohs of Egypt; a horn seems to
twist around the ear; and a long, fringed garment, like Assyrian robes, drops
104
PERSIA.
Historical Sketch. — Ignorance of Early Persian Sculptures. — Remains at Pasargadas. — So-called Cyrus
Tomb. — Remains at Behistan. — Eclectic Character of Persian Art. — Persepolis. — Description
of Ruins. — Relief of King strangling Monster. — Other Reliefs. — Elaborate Representations of
Thrones. — Rock Tombs of Persepolis. — Tomb of Darius. — No Growth after Artaxerxes Ochus.—
Feebleness of Art from Time of Sassanid Rule.
The ancient political life of Central and Western Asia was a changing
drama, in which nations passed through the vicissitudes of conquerors and
conquered, the victors in many cases adopting to a greater or less extent the
art of the conquered people. Assyria overcame Media, only to sink before it;
and Media in turn fell before the more vigorous sister-people, the Persians,
a hardy mountain race, whose energetic rulers carried their sceptre to remote
parts of the world, and maintained for two centuries and a half an important
place among civilized nations. The deeds of Cyrus (559-529 B.C.) and Cam-
byses (529-521 B.C.), the conquering expeditions of Darius and Xerxes (521-
465 B.C.), sufficiently illustrate the importance of ancient Persia as a political
power during the years of its strength. But although the events of this
history are familiar to us, and brilliant accounts are on record of Ecbatana,
the capital of ancient Media, as well as of Pasargadoe, Persepolis, and Susa,
the great cities of the Persian monarchs, still our knowledge of sculpture in
these lands is but fragmentary.'^2
Of the early steps of this sculpture, we have no witnesses. The ruins of
Ecbatana still await excavation. The most important remains of the later
sculptural art of ancient Persia are the well-known ruins at Pasargadse and
Persepolis, and the relief still to be seen at Behistan, in the mountains of
Koordistan.
In the neighborhood of modern Murghab stand the ruins of Pasargadse, the
home of Cyrus and his powerful house. Here are left standing a few shattered
pillars and a piece of wall, which once were parts of a palace. On this wall
appears a strangely sculptured human figure with four colossal wings, some-
what like those seen in Assyrian carvings (Fig. 54)- The head is crowned by
a head-dress, similar to those worn by the Pharaohs of Egypt; a horn seems to
twist around the ear; and a long, fringed garment, like Assyrian robes, drops
104