É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)
Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs
70 IN WESTERNMOST FA RS [Chap. I height with similar masonry. From here we had to clamber up a stair-like succession of bare rock ledges, until a little below the edge of the plateau the slope became less steep, bearing some grass and tree growth. Here we passed a small spring and some built-up terraces bearing debris from small ruined quarters. Finally the western rim of the plateau was reached at an elevation of about 5900 feet. The top of the mountain, roughly quadrangular in shape as rapidly sketched on the plane-table, measures about 4 miles in circumference. Small nullahs, due to erosion, shallow above but running into narrow deep-cut ravines lower down, divide the plateau into four wellmarked ridges. These stretch out finger-like from a knoll in the south which marks the highest point at an elevation of about 6000 feet, their directions approximately bearing between north-west and east-north-east. All are fairly flat on the top and for some distance slope down gently towards the Shash-pir valley (Fig. 8) until their northern ends break off in cliffs. Oak and other trees grow on all these ridges and their slopes wherever the ground does not show a bare limestone surface. Elsewhere the soil is fertile and could well be planted with vines and fruit trees. The nullah dividing the two middle ridges holds near its head, at an elevation of about 5800 feet, a perennial spring said to suffice at all time for fifty to sixty households. Smaller springs lower down in the nullahs may hold water for a time after the rain and snow of the winter. It was along the north-western ridge near the edge of the plateau that abundant remains of former occupation could be traced over a total distance of some 1100 yards. Among the debris from stone-built walls of completely
