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

Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs

Sec. v] KÖTAL-I-SANGAR TO BÄSHT 39 which leads behind Qal'a-siäh to the mouth of the Tang-iGerrau, I found the glacis of the hillside covered with abundant debris from decayed stone walls. Similar remains of old village sites were said to be visible also higher up as far as the mouth of the pass known as Kötal-i-Nigel, beyond the group of largish villages collectively bearing the name of Shäh-senlyeh. The line of an ancient canal carried on a built-up channel or else cut into the rock could be traced for a considerable distance along the foot of cliffs. There was ample evidence of this ground on the ancient caravan route having been at one time closely cultivated. SECTION v—FROM KÖTAL-I-SANGAR TO BÄSHT Our march on December 3rd led along this ancient route, now improved into a motorable track, to the northwest. For about 4 miles it lay over a gently ascending peneplain, cultivated in patches, scrub-covered elsewhere, until we reached the broad saddle known as Kötal-i-Sangar, ' the Pass of the Stone Wall ', forming the watershed towards the Deh-i-nau valley. At an elevation of about 3000 feet the pass is commanded on the south by a flattopped spur (Fig. 11), girt at its foot by very steep cliffs rising to about 400 feet above the saddle, and on the north by wall-like precipices of a double-peaked mountain rising fully 1500 feet or more above the saddle (Fig. 10). The defile is crossed just to the north-west of the watershed by a badly decayed wall built with stones of large size and without mortar. This runs up the slopes on both sides to where the rock faces become almost vertical. The wall