1836.] Notes on the Antiquities of Bdmidn. 707 



I had it in my power to exhibit towards them on the points discussed, has tended 

 to convince them that we are firm and consistent friends, not desirous of aggran- 

 dizing ourselves at their expence, but at the same time not to be imposed on or 

 trifled with." 



HI. — Notes on the Antiquities of Bdmidn. By C. Masson. 



Bdmidn is situated in one of the Paropdmisan valleys, distant about 

 80 or 85 miles from Cabtil, bearing N. 75 W. The valley is deep, 

 the enclosing hills on either side exhibiting, to a greater or less ex- 

 tent, perpendicular walls of rock, whence their convenience and 

 adaptation for the construction of caves. The rock is called Mung, 

 being a conglomerate of small pebbles, sand and divers colored earth, 

 remarkably compact and hard. The length of the valley is about 

 nine or ten miles, in direction from east to west. Its breadth is 

 inconsiderable, but greatest at the particular spot in it, pre-eminently 

 called Bdmidn, and where the statues and principal caves are found. 

 At this point also the streams of Surkh Dur, and Jui Folddi, by their 

 junction, form what is called the river of Bdmidn, which flowing east- 

 ward down the valley, receives at Zohdk the waters of Kdlu, after 

 which winding to the westward of Irak, Bubuldk, Shibr, Bitchilik, &c. 

 and augmented by their rivulets, eventually escapes from the hills, 

 and passing Ghori falls into the river of Kunduz. 



The appellation Bdmidn may perhaps be equivalent to high region 

 in contradistinction to Damidn or Damdn, the low region, or that at 

 the skirts of the hilis — " Bam" signifies " roof," and when it is 

 remembered that Asiatic roofs are flat, as are in general the summits 

 of the mountains in this part of the country, we are at no loss to 

 account for the name, once probably universally applied to it, though 

 now retained by a particular locality ; — and when we further consider 

 its elevation above the surrounding regions, we may admit the figura- 

 tive and emphatic interpretation of Bdmidn, as afforded by some of 

 the inhabitants, who i - ender it the " roof of the universe." 



The mountains among which Bdmidn is situate, are no doubt those 

 designated by the Greek historians and geographers Paropdmisus, 

 as opposed to the true Indian Caucasus or Hindu Kosh, from which 

 they are distinct. The term has been cavilled at, but without justice. 

 It was no creation of the Greeks, but the native name for the hills ; 

 nor need we doubt this, when we find it made up of par and 

 pdm, signifying " hill" and " flat." Paropdmisus may therefore 

 be translated the region of flat summitted hills, and is a term peculi- 

 arly appropriate to the countries on which it was conferred. Know- 



