'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎458v] (936/1486)

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tions made by a connoisseur might afford satisfactory answers to
such questions.
If not of Roman or Greek origin, another theory might be started
as to these being refuge places of early Christians, who are known
to have been plentiful in South-West Persia in the 2nd and 3rd
centuries (and after). Favored under one reign (Khusroo, &c.),
persecuted in another (Bahram Ghur, &c.) ; they may have peo
pled the fair valleys of these mountainous regions in the summer
months and erected these small forts as mere places of refuge for
property, women and children !
In this neighbourhood [see Diary, page ) too, on the
summit of one of the Sabz-Kuh peaks, are said to be the names
inscribed in the rock by “ a mighty hunter king that came from
the north the summit (11,110 feet) was climbed over snow and
crystalline rock, but the snow still lay so thick (in May) as to pre
clude all hopes of the inscription (?) being seen.
In Upper Elam besides the bridge and main road already refer
red to, a cave was visited near the crest of one of the long spurs
running west of the Kuh-i-Rang, containing a rather peculiar
shaped pedestal and column, somewhat as shewn in the* sketch
(Fig. ). The column is cylindrical, about 14 inches in diameter
and about 3 feet high, and stands on a rough hewn cubic pedestal
about 3 by 2J feet plan, and 3 feet high. The column has dis
tinctly two cut surfaces at the front and near the top, one exactly
as if meant to hold an inscription and the other as if made to hold
a transverse piece. Nearly directly above the column hangs the
stump of a stalactite, suggesting the idea that the column origin
ally formed part of it, and that the pedestal was placed below the
hanging end and the stalactite severed. The column is nearly
white, but a small crack at one side (nearest the mouth of the
cave) disclosed a darker colored substance The whbe ccatino-
was exceedingly hard, irremovable, forming part of the column;
probably this coating was due merely to the continuous dropping
from above. Near this arrangement, in the wall, is a natural niche
with a smooth and level bottom.
The cave, as shewn in the section, goes down about 30 feet,
at its bottom is level, with three niches large enough to contain
a small person each. Diligent search by candle light was made,
but no trace of human or bestial relics were found. The place was
clean swept.
The natives connect this cave with an idolatrous past, makino-
it of very ancient date. When viewing the pedestal its similarity
to an altar is striking ; the cut at the top for a transverse piece,
suggesting a cross, the niche ready at hand for the elements •
the thought naturally occurs that this cave may have been a