A bas-relief showing a lion attacking a bull on one of the grand staircases leading up to the audience hall in the ruins of Persepolis, a city built by the Persian King Darius I in 518 BC. Kipat Wilson for the National
“When Iranians see something amazing,” our guide explains as we tour the lavishly decorated Chehel Sotun Palace in Isfahan, “they don’t say ‘wow!’ or ‘goodness gracious!’” Arash points to a vivid 17th-century fresco that shows Shah Ismail I vanquishing an Uzbek army with spectacular style. Riding on a fine white charger, the immaculately-dressed king runs his sword through a fleeing opponent the way a butcher sticks kebab meat on a skewer. “See the man in the corner,” Arash continues, “moving his hand towards his lips in shock? We call this gesture ‘biting the finger of wonder’.” HERE <http://1426.blogspot.com/2009/05/wonders-of-persia.html>
