EURASIAN WATERWAYS IN TURKEY 57 



time not far remote. A narrow band of the Miocene beds of the Gal- 

 lipoli peninsula extends along the eastern coast of the Dardanelles. The 

 lower Devonian strata and igneous flows of the European side of the 

 Bosporus reappear on its Asiatic shores. In both straits the land-split- 

 ting fracture which gave rise to watery channels is an event of late geo- 

 logical times. Originally gorges of rivers flowing from northeast to 

 southwest, the straits assumed their present geographical form as a result 

 of depression. As one stands on the Sheitler hill midway between the 

 Black Sea and Marmora entrances of the Bosporus the correspondence of 

 promontory to bay and bay to promontory is discernible in the entire 

 range of vision swept by the eye to right or left. A similar relation 

 between opposite shores recurs in the Dardanelles with the only dif- 

 ference of size of landforms for, in the longer strait, the headlands are 

 bolder while the bays attain deeper and wider proportions. 



The importance of the region as a fording place can be gathered 

 from the distribution of the larger cities within its boundaries. Setus, 

 Abydos and Madytus on the Hellespont grew on the site of the nearest 

 convergence of the European and Asiatic land-masses. The same is true 

 of Byzantium, with the added circumstance that the promontory on 

 which it was founded afforded an admirable strategic site. Ilium, at the 

 southwestern entrance of the waterways, also owed its importance during 

 antiquity to commanding position. Its disappearance as a center of 

 urban life was the result of geographical disadvantages. The ancient 

 city lacked a convenient harbor, above all. Land communication with 

 Asia Minor was arduous on account of the mountainous character of the 

 country extending beyond the city walls. Byzantium, however, at the 

 opposite extremity of the straits had been provided by nature with the 

 very facilities for intercourse which had been denied Troy. The eco- 

 nomic conditions which were responsible for the passing of the latter city 

 determined the survival and increasing importance of the Byzantine 

 capital. 



The narrowness of the Eurasian waterways permitted continuity of 

 travel over this intercontinental route while the very existence of the 

 straits allowed uninterrupted maritime travel from Black Sea harbors to 

 the farthest known seaports of the western world. Modern railway com- 

 munications have been benefited by the former circumstance. The sea 

 commerce of medieval days thrived on the latter. In fact, the configu- 

 ration and location of the region has always affected humanity. 



Assumption of the wandering of Alpine brachycephals from the 

 Hindu Kush to as far west as Brittany appears to be substantiated by the 

 distribution of the type. The connecting link between members of the 

 race in western Europe and their Asiatic prototypes is found in the 

 Armenoid group of Asia Minor. 1 Probably the earliest fording of 



i Ripley, "The Races of Europe," New York, Appletons, 1899, p. 448. 



