'Central Asia. Part V. A contribution towards the better knowledge of the History, Ethnography, Topography, and resources of part of Asiatic Turkey and Caucasia' [‎25] (40/360)

ANT—ARA
ANTI TAURUS.—Lat. Long. Elev.
The name applied by different authorities to various spurs from the range of
the Caucasus in Asiatic Turkey. For instance the following 1 spurs are called
Anti Taurus, viz., 1st., the spur between the two branches of the Euphrates;
2nd, that between the Murad Chai and the sources of the Tigris; 3rd, various
spurs to the west of the Euphrates. This seems to me a very slipshod way
of naming ranges, and it would certainly be better to leave it alone than give
half a dozen totally different spurs the same name. The name Anti-Taurus
is fanciful and of course unknown to the natives, and so I shall not adopt it.
ANTOGH TAGH.—Lat. Long. Elev.
A peak on the range between the Murad Chai and the sources of the Tigris,
in the province of Diarbakr, Asiatic Turkey. When Ainsworth saw it from
near the village of Kizl Aghaj in July it had a good deal of snow on it,
though this does not remain all the summer. The description of this autho
rity is exceedingly vague and unsatisfactory on this point. (Ainsworth.)
APSHERON—Lat. 40° 29' Long. 50° 30' Elev.
A peninsula of the west coast of the Caspian Sea, formed by a spur running
east from the Caucasus. Its heights and cliffs are composed of chalky
rocks upon which here and there repose masses of a sort of brown freestone.
The chalky rock exhibits in great numbers petrifications of the same kind
of fish which still exist in the Caspian. About 30,000 lbs. of prepared saffron
are annually exported from Apsheron, There are ten salt lakes on the penin
sula, only one of which is worked, and this yields, notwithstanding defective
management, 10,000 tons of salt annually. But much more might be ob
tained. There are also a number of naptha pits, black and white, which are
wrought by the Russian Government. The peninsula of Apsheron has
been celebrated for many centuries in all the east countries as a sacred soil,
and the fire-worshippers still make pilgrimages to adore the fires which then
issue from the earth, arising from the ignition of the naturally formed
naptha. (Imperial Gazetteer.)
ARABAH OVOHSI—Lat. Long. Elev.
A fertile valley in the province of Aleppo, Asiatic Turkey, near Ramkala.
It contains numerous villages. (Ainsworth.)
ARAGA—Lat. Long. Elev.
A river in Georgia which rises in the Mount Kazbek of the Caucasus,
flows south, and falls into the Kur at the town of Mtzchetha, 25 miles
above Tiflls. The valley is described as one of the richest parts of the
province of Georgia. (Chesney.)
ARAKOLETS VANK—Lat. Long. Elev.
An Armenian monastery in province Diarbakr, Asiatic Turkey. It is a
place of some fame, and is situated on the slope of the mountain at whose
foot are the remains of Khoren, and near Changerli. There is an elaborately
carved ebony door here, which was sent from India many centuries ago, as
a votive offering from an Armenian colony. (Taylor.)
ARALIK—Lat. Long. Elev.
A village in Russian Armenia on the right bank of the Arpa Chai, a few
miles below Gumri. It has a small tower.
ARARAT—Lat. 39° 42' Long. 43° 38' Elev. 17, 323.
A celebrated mountain in Armenia, forming the point of contact of
Russia with Turkey and Persia, to all of which it belongs. It lies
in the south portion of the extensive plain of the Aras, about 35 miles
25 d