É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)
Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs
I O IN WESTERNMOST FÄRS [Chap. I Sasanian origin, as already suggested by Professor E. Herzfeld to whose careful description of the old road where I had not followed it myself I shall have repeated occasion to refer later on. 1 These features together with another detail, namely, small vaulted openings observed in the piers above the springing of the arches, distinctly recall Roman structural methods, to which Sasanian architecture is known to have been largely indebted. The remains of a small ruined caravanserai close to the bridge on the left bank, on the other hand, manifestly dated from early Islamic times. We shall have to turn back to the ancient route at the head of the Tang-i-khäs in order to see how the knowledge now gained of the topography of this ground, as illustrated by the inset of the map, helps to explain an important historical episode in Alexander's progress through Iran. But first of all it will be convenient to complete the description of the route down to where it emerges from the lower mountain defiles into the open valley of Fahliün. The name given to these defiles by our guides was Tang-i-Gerrau. 2 From the Pul-i-mürd, above which we had camped on the evening of November 28th, there still remained a trying march to be done before we were clear of the mountain rampart. It would have been better to have halted for a day with the object of making an inspection of the old caravan route right up to the rim of the plateau ; but 1 See ' Eine Reise durch Luristan, Arabistan und Fars ', Petermann's Mittheilungen, 1907, p. 85 sq. 2 That the term Tang-i-khdf is extended also from the upper to the lower portion of the defiles is seen from Herzfeld's account {Petermanris Mittheilungen, 1907, p. 85) and the Survey of India Sheet No. 10.N. The alternative designation, Tang-i-Jäwi, recorded in the former, is due to the valleys on the route being included in the J äwl tribal area.
