These steps are singular in facing the terrace to which they lead, instead of being placed sideways to it.

They are of rude construction, being without a parapet, and wholly devoid of sculpture or other ornamentation.
They furnish the only communication between the southern and central terraces.
It is a peculiarity of the Persepolitan ruins that they are not continuous, but present to the modern inquirer the appearance, at any rate, of a number of distinct buildings.

Of these the platform altogether contains ten, five of which are of large size, while the remainder are comparatively insignificant.
Of the five large buildings four stand upon the central or upper terrace, while one lies east of that terrace, between it and the mountains.

The four upon the central terrace comprise three buildings made up of several sets of chambers, together with one great open pillared hall, to which are attached no subordinate apartments.

The three complex edifices will be here termed "palaces," and will take the names of their respective founders, Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes Ochus: the fourth will be called the "Great Hall of Audience." The building between the upper terrace and the mountains will be termed the "Great Eastern Edifice." The "Palace of Darius," which is one of the most interesting of the Persepolitan buildings, stands near the western edge of the platform, midway between the "Great Hall of Audience" and the "Palace of Artaxerxes Ochus." [PLATE XLVI., Fig.