Existing comment:
Palace P: Cyrus's Private Quarters
Herzfeld named the complex's innermost structure "Palace P," short for the German term Pfeiler (pier), after its most visible relic: a tall pier, or structural support. Based on the scale and layout, archaeologists have proposed that Palace P functioned as Cyrus's private quarters. It may have taken the form of a large pavilion overlooking an elaborate garden space, which became a standard feature in later Persian architecture. The fragmentary carving on the doorway represents the emperor followed by an attendant and is identical to those at Persepolis. Based on its style, leading scholars have suggested that Palace P was completed by Cyrus's successor Darius the Great (522-486 BCE).
Like other structures at Pasargadae, Palace P consisted of a columnar hall, a building type that was found elsewhere in western Iran at the time time. While mud, wood, and brick walls were the most common materials for such buildings, the palaces at Pasargadae used finely jointed cut stone brought in from a nearby quarry. |