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XXI. On a recently opened Tumulus in the neighbourhood of Asterabad, forming part of ancient Hyrcania, and the country of the Parthians. By the Baron Clement Augustus de Bode. Communicated by Charles Roach Smith, Esq., F.S.A.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

Clement Augustus de Bode
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Extract

In the spring of 1841 the Beglerbeg, or Chief of Asterabad, a province on the south-eastern shores of the Caspian sea, sent to the Shah of Persia some ancient gold vessels and other curious objects which had been found in an artificial mound near the town of Asterabad. Having been favoured with the sight of them, and taken a sketch of each specimen separately, I had the curiosity to visit during the summer of the same year the spot from whence they had been excavated, and, as this discovery may interest the Society of Antiquaries, and aid them in their researches on the country of the ancient Scythians and Parthians, I take the liberty of offering for their inspection the accompanying drawings, together with a short description of them, and a topographical delineation of the place. (Plate XVI.)

Type
Research Article
Information
Archaeologia , Volume 30 , 1844 , pp. 248 - 255
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1844

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References

page 248 note a Herodotus, in enumerating the different nations who formed part of the expedition of Xerxes into Greece, mentions the wild tribes to the east of the Caspian, clad in skins of animals.—See Herodotus, vii. 67, 599.

page 249 note a A description of the bas-reliefs and inscriptions found there, has been read to the Royal Geographical Society.

page 250 note a In Majanderan, however, a neighbouring province, some iron-mines are found in the vicinity of Amol.

page 251 note a Karkaùl is the generic name for pheasant. Turing is the cock or the male of the pheasant.

page 251 note b Mr. B. Fraser speaks of a similar discovery made in the 8th or 9th century, on the spot where Asterabad now stands.—See B. leaser's Travels and Adventures, I. c. p. 2.

page 251 note c It was likewise said that objects representing attributes of royalty were among the rest, though I could not ascertain in what they consisted. Perhaps the royal djiké or head-dress and bracelets for the arms, usually worn by Eastern monarchs; or the small gold trumpets mentioned in the preceding page may have been alluded to.

page 254 note a I have not measured the height nor the circumference of Tureng-tepeh; but, to give an idea of it, I may just observe, that on the top of Tureng-tepeh the Chief of Asterabad has built a summer-house, with its different dependencies, and surrounded the whole with a thick brick wall. Below is scattered the village of Nusretabad.