'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎146r] (296/706)

KALEH—
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in ruins, and the debris has fallen down into the ditch at the foot, but stil
presents a line of defence of no ordinary description. The wall is flanked
by bastions at regular intervals, and if an estimate may be formed from
a part of it which still preserves something of its original character, it would
seem to have been about 50 feet in height and 20 feet in thickness ; the edge
of the scarp has also been faced all round with a wall of less dimensions.
The hill itself is elevated very considerably above the plain of Zohab, perhaps
2,000 feet; the slope from the plain is most abrupt, and it is everywhere
crowned by a scarp, varying from 300 to 500 feet. The north side of the hill
is higher than the south, and the tableland of the fort, therefore, containing
about 10 square miles, presents an inclined surface throughout. At the north
east angle, where the scarp rises in a rocky ridge to its highest point and joins
the mountain of Dalahu, there is a pass which conducts into the fort, the'
ascent rising gradually from the shoulder : the whole way from the town of
Zuhab is easy enough, but the descent on the other side into the table
land of the fort is by a most precipitous and difficult gorge. A wall has
been thrown across the jaws of the pass ; towers have been erected on either
side to support it; and somewhat lower down the defile, where the jutting
rocks nearly meet, two strong castles have been built opposite to each other
which command the narrow entrance and render it quite secure against
attack. Altogether this fortress may be considered to have been perfectly
impregnable in an age when artillery was unknown.
The description given by Dr. Mann of what he saw does not tally with
General Rawlinson’s account as given above. This is what Dr. Mann says :
“ Kaleh-i-Yazdijird. Near Zadeh, and overhanging that village, are the
ruins of a Sassanian castle known as Kaleh-i-Yazdijird. It is situated at
the summit of a precipitous rock, commanding the entrance of the Tang-i-
Baba-Yadgar, which leads from Zardehto Baba-Yadgar, 2 miles distant.
The Tang-i-Baba-Yadgar is reached by the Milleh Shatir on the one side,
and by the Milleh Khat Kharmanan on the other.
The castle, which I visited, is only accessible from one side by a very tor
tuous road. There are large rooms, very like cellars, with very thick walls,
and arches of doors or windows still erect; very strongly built of stone and
plaster.
The total superficies of the enclosed area is about 100 square yards. This
castle commanded the town, called by natives Shahr-i-Yazdijird ; extensive
ruins of which are still to be seen. I completely fail to identify the castle
I visited with any of the two mentioned in Rawlinson’s description.”—
(Rawlinson; Mann.)
KALEHJEH—
A village in Kurdistan about 2 miles south of Ruvansar. It is situat
ed on the right bank of the Kara Su on one of the roads from Juan-
rud to Kirmanshah city. It contains about 20 houses inhabited by Kurds,
Sunnis. It has some cultivation and about six or seven trees. Water
good and plentiful. Supplies: 20 cows, 150 sheep and goats.— (Vaughan.)
KALEH JUG—
A village in Persian Kurdistan, containing about 60 houses, about 90
miles from Sultanieh. The inhabitants are Gurans, but settled in the