It is probable that in ancient times the domestic animals of the country were nearly the same as at the present day.  The statement of Xenophon, that anciently a horse was a rarity in Persia Proper, is contradicted by the great bulk of the early writers, who tell us that the Persians were from the first expert riders, and that their country was peculiarly well fitted for the breeding of horses.  Their camels, sheep, goats, asses, and oxen, are also expressly mentioned by the Greeks, who even indicate a knowledge of the fact that goats were preferred to sheep by the herdsmen of the country.

The mineral treasures of the country appear to have been considerable, though to what extent they were known and made use of in ancient times is open to some question.  Mines of gold, silver, copper, iron, red lead, and orpiment are said to have been actually worked under the Persian kings; and some of the other minerals were so patent and obvious, that we can scarcely suppose them to have been neglected.  Salt abounded in the region in several shapes.  It appeared in some places as rock salt, showing itself in masses of vast size and various colors.  In other places it covered the surface of the ground for miles together with a thick incrustation, and could be gathered at all seasons with little labor.  It was deposited by the waters of several lakes within the territory, and could be collected round their edges at certain times of the year.  Finally, it was held in solution, both in the lakes and in many of the streams; from whose waters it might have been obtained by evaporation.  Bitumen and naphtha were yielded by sources near Dalaki, which were certainly known to the ancients.  Sulphur was deposited upon the surface of the ground in places.  Some of the mountains contained ordinary lead; but it is not unlikely that this metal escaped notice.

Ancient Persia produced a certain number of gems.  The pearls of the Gulf, which have still so great a reputation, had attracted the attention of adventurers before the time of Alexander, whose naval captains found a regular fishery established in one of the islands.  The Orientals have always set a high value on this commodity; and it appears that in ancient times the Gulf pearls were more highly esteemed than any others.  Of hard stones the only kinds that can be distinctly assigned to Persia Proper are the iritis, a species of rock-crystal; the atizoe, a white stone which had a pleasant odor; the mithrax, a gem of many hues, the nipparene, which resembled ivory; and the the lycardios or mule, which was in special favor among the natives of the country.

From this account of the products of Persia Proper we have now to pass to those of the Empire in general—­a wide subject, which it will be impossible to treat here with any completeness, owing to the limits to which the present work is necessarily confined.  In order to bring the matter within reasonable compass, the reader may be referred in the first instance to the account which was given in a former volume of the products of the empire of Babylon; and the enquiry may then be confined to those regions which were subject to Persia, but not contained within the limits of the Fourth Monarchy.