É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)

Chapter II. —In Kohgalu Tracts

Sec. ii] BEHBEHÄN AND ARRAJÄN BRIDGE 75 was noted about half a mile below the Sasanian bridge. There at the foot of a small mound occupied on the top by a fortified house, which the father of the present tribal headman of Qadräbäd had built, fragments of painted chalcolithic pottery were picked up. After our start next morning for Behbehän I was able to pay a visit to a later structure of some interest situated on the right bank near Khairäbäd, and rightly known as a ' Madrasa ' or theological college. It was reached after fording the river about a mile above the village where it is divided into two branches, both flowing with a strong current. It proved a quadrangular structure, built with hard burnt bricks, 8 inches square and 2 inches thick, and still sufficiently well preserved to house a number of Kohgalu tribal families here forcibly settled. The plan and architectural features distinctly recalled to me Madrasas oftheTimurid period (14th-15th century A.D.), such as I had seen at Khargird on my journey through Khoräsän in 1915. This, however, is a structure on a more modest scale, comprising twenty-eight students' cells arranged in a single storey around a square court, besides three high vaulted halls and a decorated gateway. Perhaps the conjecture may be justifiable that when this pious foundation was made the old high-road still passed over the great ruined bridge higher up and was much frequented by traffic. SECTION II—

BEHBEHÄN AND THE ARRAJÄN BRIDGE A short march of some 11 miles brought us on December 15th to the town of Behbehän (see Sketch Map II). The wide plain of fertile alluvial soil, but scantily populated at