[Illustration: Persian Temple]
These mystical relics are but a short journey from the celebrated ruins
of Persepolis. Mr. Buckingham describes them in his usual picturesque
language: "Having several villages in sight, as the sun rose, with
cultivated land, flocks, trees, and water, we arrived at the foot of the
mountain, which forms the northern boundary of the plain of Merdusht.
The first object we saw on the west was a small rock, on which stood two
fire altars of a peculiar form: their dimensions were five feet square
at the base, and three at the top, and they were five feet high. There
were pillars or pilasters at the corners, and arches in the sides. In
the centre of each of these, near the top, was a square basin, about
eight inches in diameter, and six in depth, for the reception of the
fire, formerly used by the disciples of Zoroaster in their worship."
Like Pythagoras, it may be here observed, Zoroaster, the inventer of
Magic, or the doctrines of the Magi, admitted no visible object of
devotion except fire, which he considered as the most proper emblem of a
supreme being; these doctrines seem to have been preserved by Numa, in
the worship and ceremonies which he instituted in honour of Vesta.
According to some of the moderns, the doctrines, laws, and regulations
of Zoroaster are still extant, and they have been lately introduced in
Europe, in a French translation by M. Anquetil.
Mr. Buckingham notices an existing custom, which he attributes to this
reverence to fire. "Throughout all Persia, a custom prevails of giving
the salute 'Salami Alaikom,' whenever the first lighted lamp or candle
is brought into the room in the evening; and this is done between
servants and masters as well as between equals. As this is not practised
in any other Mahommedan country, it is probably a relic of the ancient
reverence to fire, once so prevalent here, though the form of the salute
is naturally that of the present religion."
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