‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎202r] (408/470)

365
some distance to the eastward consists of granitic compounds, which there
appear to the almost entire exclusion of other igneous rocks.
The first point in the south at which the granite shows itself is, I believe,
in the low range called Farajabad, or Khakhwah [see page 253) between Gul-
paigan and Jopalag. From thence it forms the eastern boundary of the
plains of Jopalag, Burujird, and Nehawand, gradually rising in elevation,
until it attains the height of 13,780 feet above the sea level, according to the
measurement of Colonel Rawlinson at the summit of Kuh Elwend (the
ancient Orontes),—see fig. 1. Extending in a north-west direction, the
granitic rocks spread over the country in the neighbourhood of Senna; but
the main chain passes through the centre of the triangle formed by the three
large towns of Hamadan Senna, and Karmanshah. It continues along the
Avroman range, and crosses the frontier between Suleimania and Banna, from
whence it may be traced in a continuous line, associated with other igneous
rocks, and forming the lofty boundary chain to within a short distance of
Bayazid at the foot of Mount Ararat.
Throughout the whole line of its occurrence the granite of these regions,
owing to the abundance of felspar in its composition, is of a very perishable
nature, and therefore the ranges which it composes have a rounded and un
dulating outline, not presenting any picturesque or remarkable peaks.
Between the plains of Jopalag and Burujird we have an interesting sec
tion (fio\ 8 ). The plain of Jopalag is a denuded valley of elevation, m
which the outcrop of blue clay-slates from beneath the alluvial covering is
frequently detected, the slates dipping from the central axis, and traversed
by veins of coloured quartz.
On the low hills east o£ AKabad village, at the northern end of the plain,
the quartz suddenly assumes a great development, and is succeeded by a hne-
grained and friable syenite, which is injected through in ow loun e 0 ' 5> f ? s ’
elevating the slate-rocks into almost a vertical position. On entering ti
Darband or pass the syenite overlies a thick bed of white altered
having been forced through with such violence as to break up aid carry w
it large masses and layers of the limestone, and also to “T" ^
surface of the beds in din, which are thrown down at an an "'® of f A "abl
the east. Crushed and contorted fissile blue cla P
from below the white limestone. At the entrance of t^ Jopala stream
Kemender-Ab, through a gorge on the western side of thej^
appear to have been thrown J 0 ™ b? a Jau^ an P ^ ^ limestcme P rests
^^rtUlf^eT.mtlnfbeds'ofthcUshtardn Kuh, from which they
seem to have slid down to their present posi ion. T , ,
Fossils are entirely wanting in all these altered rocks, but I believe that
the slates of J opalag plain belong to an early series, and a.e ot same „
as the Elwend slates. nd l [nc[M to
The white limestone and blue clays ^ xjshturan
assign to the age of the cretaceous eposes, 1 had nQ oppor tunity
Kuh are probably lower secondaiy. J
of reaching. o-ranitic chain, there can be no
As to the date of the eruption o ^ ^ ^position of all the rocks
doubt of its having taken place subsec l . J • j nC0 ex i s t s of the fact in this
in the vicinity; and, although no positive evidence