Vaulted Structures. 169 cessors of Ardeshir have certainly taken a great delight in setting their own image side by side with that of the ancient sovereigns, with whom they identified themselves on the pretence of being their lineal descendants, so as to benefit by the traditions connected with their name. But here, in the absence of sculpture that could be stretched back to Xerxes or Darius, they had not the same reasons for selecting the rocky defile whereon to cut their effigy ; FtG. 82.— Fcrash-Abatl. Perspective view. DiEULAFOY, VArt anii/ue, torn. iv. Fig. 57. yet could we suppose that there existed in the vicinity a favourite royal residence, everything would explain itself, for then palace and bas-reliefs would have formed a whole which might be dated from one or another of these kings, a Shapur or Chosroes. This, how- ever, is mere presumption ; in order to solve the problem it behoves us, on the example of Dieulafoy — nay, with the help of his precise data of text and plates — to go into a minute study of these edifices. Then the question will be asked as to what they resemble, where others occur that not only offer the same
