'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎560] (623/714)

560
PERSIA
charge of a European doctor, he lightly skipped off again, as soon
as he was sufficiently well to emerge from bed, and with the
unconquerable obstinacy of an Oriental resought the advice which
had all but landed him in the grave. His son, Haji Abdur Rahim,
has been trained by him in the same tastes and interests, and will,
it is to be hoped, succeed alike to his position and influence.
More remarkable than Kermanshahan or its Kurdish in
habitants, are the famous sculptured remains of antiquity in the
Tak-i- neighbourhood, where, on smoothed surfaces of rock, are
chiselled the pictorial or written records of the Achae-
menian and Sassanian kings, of Darius son of Hystaspes, and the
Shapurs ; the former of which sculptures will for ever be associated
with the name and discovery of Sir H. Rawlinson. The later of
the two monuments is situated at Tak-i-Bostan, the Arch of the
Garden, at a distance of four miles from Kermanshah. The road
passes, at three miles from the city, the great triple-storeyed, but
now decaying palace of Imadieh, built on the banks of the Kara
Su (Black water) by the Imad-ed-Dowleh, before mentioned, and
conducts to a spur of the same great rocky mass, rising in rugged
grandeur from the plain, that, twenty miles away, presents to the
world the imperishable tablets of Darius. Here, at the base of the
cliff-wall, a stream gushes out from the rock, and is conducted into
two large tanks or reservoirs, planted around with trees, the work of
the same prince-governor A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). , who also raised the large building
adjoining, lately purchased by the Vekil-ed-Dowleh.
ihe monuments consist of two deep and lofty arches or grottoes,
excavated with great labour and skill in the face of the mountain;
Sculptures within which are several bas-reliefs, executed with
Sassanian remar kable spirit and excellence; while a little beyond.
Kings where the mountain recedes, a flight of several hundred
steps is cut on the edge of the nearly precipitous cliffs, finishing
abruptly with an extensive ledge or platform. On the edge of
the river. Sir R. K. Porter noticed the remains of a statue of
colossal size, which he thought must have fallen from the heights
above ; as on the upper ledge was a row of sculptured feet broken
oft at the ankles. 1 Ihe largest arch measures in height over
Mounse\ in 18G7 {Journey, p. 297) said : ' Near lies a torso, so mutilated as
hardly to be recognisable.' On the other hand, Kiach in 1878 (Ancient Persian
Sculptures) gives an illustration of the statue, which he describes as that of ' a
man wearing a turban and a rich garment, and grasping with both hands a long
stick, and which he says was dug up and placed in its present position.