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

INTRODUCTION xi There the curious caves of Karafto with their rock-cut halls provided an interesting objective at the start. A Greek inscription seen over the entrance of one of these halls refers to Herakles as protector of the place. This, combined with the topographical features surveyed, made it possible to establish the identity of the site with that sanctuary on Mount Sanbulos frequented for its divine oracles which is mentioned in connexion with a curious local legend in the account of a Roman enterprise against the Parthians recorded in the Annals of Tacitus. The journey was thence continued northward to the uplands which stretch from the main Zagros range down towards the southern shore of Lake Urümíyeh. Here the facilities for cultivation afforded by a plentiful supply of water from the mountains were found to be duly reflected by an abundance of ancient mounds. In the canton of Lahijän which had suffered many vicissitudes during the Great War, scarcity of labour, due to depopulation, restricted work to a survey of surface remains. But in the adjacent cantons of Ushnü and Solduz this was profitably followed up by excavations at certain prominent mounds. The results clearly indicated that this ground in the extreme west of Iran had in prehistoric times been under the influence of a culture different from that of the ancient settlements previously explored on this journey. On the approach of autumn it became necessary to regain Kirmänshäh in order to prepare for the remaining portion of my sanctioned programme. This was to have taken me through the Pusht-i-köh, the southern part of Lüristän. I had made my way towards this through the tracts of Mahi-dasht and Gürän when tele-