Discoveries in Persia

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The commissioners at present engaged in running the boundary line between Turkey and Persia have, in the prosecution of their work come upon the remains of the ancient palace Shushan, mentioned in the sacred books of Esther and Daniel, together with the tomb of Daniel, the Prophet. The locality answers to the received tradition of its position, ar.d the internal evidence, arising from its correspondence with the description of the palace recorded in the sacred history, amount almost to demonstration. The reader can turn to Esther, chap. i. v., 6, there he will read of a “pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble in that palace."— That pavement still exists, corresponding to the description given in sacred history, and in the marble columns, dilapidated ruins, the sculpture and the remaining marks of greatness and glory that are scattered around, the Commissioners read the exact truth of the record made by the sacred penman. Not far from the palace stands a tomb; on' it is sculptured the figure of a man bound hand and foot, with a huge lion in the act of springing upon him to devour him. No history could speak more graphically the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. The Commissioners have with them an able corps of engineers and scientific men, and most interesting discoveries may be expected. The Persian arrow-heads are found upon the palace and the tomb. Glass bottles, elegant as those placed upon the toilet table of the ladies of our day, have been discovered, with other indications of art and refinement, which bear out the statements of the Bible. Thus, twenty-five hundred years atter the historians of Esther and Daniel made their records, their histories are verified by the peaceful movements of the nations of our day.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 11This article was published with the title “Discoveries in Persia” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 11 (), p. 82
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican11271852-82d

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