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

Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs

38 IN WESTERNMOST FA RS [Chap. I of two small apartments are found, partly cut into the rock and partly closed by walls showing rough blocks of stone set in mortar. These rooms, one measuring 18 feet 8 inches by 9 feet 6 inches and the other 9 feet 8 inches by 9 feet 3 inches, communicate by a narrow round-arched doorway. Remains of steps in the corner of the larger room suggest access to an upper floor. It appears very probable that the rooms belonged to quarters occupied by priests. The position chosen for this cult place became more easily understood when I noted that, about 100 feet lower down, the eastern extremity of the ridge is crossed by a narrow path partly improved by cutting and rough paving, and obviously ancient. This descends to a path, leading in places over rock-cut steps, which winds along the foot of the cliffs above the river and is still used for communication with Zirdu whenever the river becomes unfordable. To the east and north-east of the ridge stretches a belt of fertile alluvial ground irrigated partly from the Fahliün river and partly from small streams descending from the Köh-i-Gauzekün to the east. Ancient occupation is attested by several debris-mounds now occupied by small villages. Among these Tel-espld (the ' White Mound '), near which our camp stood, is the most conspicuous. Its conical height bears the small fort of Khurshid Khan, the chief local landowner, while an agglomeration of wretched mat-covered huts clothes the slopes. Here, as well as at the villages of Chahär-bäzär and Kushkak, the heavy accumulation of refuse on the slopes would not allow indications of ancient remains, if any, buried in the strata below to be seen on the surface. Proceeding south-eastwards for about 4 miles beyond Tel-espld by the old track