Editing Persian column (section)

==Description==
[[File:Persepolis Colonne flandin.jpg|thumb|Plan, front view and side view of a typical [[Persepolis]] column]]
The forms of the [[column]]s and [[Capital (architecture)|capitals]] vary somewhat between different buildings. Generally the capitals are carved with two heavily decorated back-to-back animals projecting out from the column.  These function as [[Bracket (architecture)|brackets]] to support the [[architrave]] or roof timbers, while the flat backs of the animals support timbers running at right angles (see the reconstruction in the Louvre below).  As they project the animals may be called [[protome]]s.  The bull is the most common animal, but there are also lions, bulls with the head of a man in the style of the Assyrian [[lamassu]],<ref>Examples are in [[:File:Man-bull uc oriental institute capital 02.JPG|Chicago]] and [[:File:National Meusem Darafsh 6 (50).JPG|Teheran]] (links to images).</ref> and [[griffin]]s with the heads of eagles and the bodies of lions.<ref name="Curtis 51">Curtis, 51</ref>

The bulls and lions may reflect the symbolism around [[Nowruz]], the Persian New Year at the [[spring equinox (Northern Hemisphere)|spring equinox]], of an eternally fighting bull personifying the [[moon]], and a lion personifying the [[Sun]].  This was the day when tributary nations presented their annual tribute to the king, as depicted in the stairway reliefs at Persepolis, and it has been suggested that Persepolis was specifically built for Nowruz celebrations.<ref>Mousavi, Ali, ''Persepolis: Discovery and Afterlife of a World Wonder'', p. 53, 2012, Walter de Gruyter, {{ISBN|1614510334}}, 9781614510338, [https://books.google.com/books?id=KorZMqmTOJgC&pg=PA53 google books]; Schmitt</ref>

The capital is much longer than in most other styles of columns.  While some smaller columns move quickly from the animals to the plain shaft below, the largest and grandest examples have a long intervening section with double [[volute]]s at the top and, inverted, at the bottom of a long fluted square zone, although the shaft of the column is round.  At the top of the round fluted shaft are two sections with a loosely plant-based design, the upper a form of "palm capital", spreading as it rises, and the lower suggesting leaves drooping downwards.  Other capitals have the animals and the two lower plant-based elements, but not the section in between with the volutes; the example in Chicago is of this type.  There are various small mouldings between the various elements, reflecting a Greek style.  The horns and ears of the animals are often separate pieces, fitting into the head by square plugs.  The columns were polished and at least the capitals were painted, in the case of wooden ones on a plaster coating.  The style reflects influences from the many cultures that the Persian Empire conquered including [[Egypt]], [[Babylon]], and [[Lydia]], as well as [[Greece]], where the Persians had only temporary success; the final result is distinctively Persian.<ref>Curtis, 51; Schmitt</ref>
[[File:3428793 میراث جهانی تخت جمشید.jpg|thumb|Column bases at [[Persepolis]]]]

===Shaft and base===
It is thought the stone columns that survive were preceded by wooden versions, and these continued to be used.<ref name="Curtis 51"/> The move to stone may have come when sufficiently large trees for the biggest buildings became difficult or impossible to source.  The column shafts can be as tall as 20 metres. The base is in stone even for wooden columns, and sometimes carries an inscription saying which king erected the building. Most are round, but an early square type has two steps.<ref name="Curtis 51"/>

In grand settings the columns are usually [[Fluting (architecture)|fluted]]. The flutes are shallow, with [[arris]]es, like the Greek [[Doric order]], but they are more numerous, and therefore narrower.  The large columns at Persepolis have as many as 40 or 48 flutes, with smaller columns elsewhere 32; the width of a flute is kept fairly constant, so the number of flutes increases with the girth of the column, in contrast to the Greek practice of keeping the number of flutes on a column constant and varying the width of the flute.<ref>Semper, 810</ref>  The early Doric temples seem to have had a similar principle, before 20 flutes became the convention.<ref>Semper, 814</ref>

Fluting is also found in other parts of the classical Persian column. The bases are often fluted, and the "bell" part of the capital has stylized plant ornament that comes close to fluting. Above this there is usually a tall section with four flat fluted [[volute]]s.