The Idaho recorder., 1921-11-11

prepared by the National ueoKrs phic So
eiety. Washington. D. c.
Unlike Babylonia, Assyrla and
Chaldea. which existed little longer
than during their periods Of great
power, Persia. once the peer Of any
OF them, has maintained Its entity
through an ebb and flow of fortune.
down to the present day. And now
the World war may be said 10 have
caused the "redlscoyery" of this his
toric country. though Its recent align
ment with soviet Russia holds out
possibilities that II may not receive
from the Western world the reJuve-
nation that was promised
Darius would fail TO recognize ms
his mighty empire the narrow limits
of modern Iran, Its borders now far
Withdrawn from the waters OF the
oxus and the Indus. from the shores
Of the Mediterranean and tie wide
spread Mesopotamian plains; but the
nucleus still Is there In territory, race.
language and customs.
Persia OF today includes within n
territory still three tlmes the size OF
France. ancient Media. mountainous
Parhia and the province Of Ears,
whence sprang her first great dynasty.
Such monuments to the glory of the
great kings as the ruined capitals of
Susa. Persepolls and Ekbatana still
stand on Persian soil
The majority Of the present inhabi-
tants. although tinged with the blood
Of Greek. Arab, Turk and Mongol con
querors, are the llneal descendants Of
the original Iranian. or Aryan. popu-
iation, and speak language which
has for It's basic element the ancient
Persian tongue.
dred ffty-sixth king OF kings" sits
an the tottering Persian throne while
the future OF his kingdom rests In the
hands OF outside powers.
Vast Desert Plateau With oases.
Modern Persia. with the exception
OF the prosperous northwest province
Of Turkish-speaking Axerhalian and
the semi-tropicai region between the
Elburz mountains and the Caspian
sea, can be characterized as Il vast,
mountain-ribbed desert plateau, stud.
ded here and there with GASES which
most frequently form ribbons OF fer.
tile green fringing the desert at the
bases Of sterile mountain slopes from
whose snow-clad SUBMITS comes the
iife-giylng moisture.
The encircllng mountain walls shut
out the rain from the central table
land. Rivers with sources but no
mouths flow half the year and lose
themselves In the parched desert
wastes.
The density o: population Ii less
than that Of Texas. aud more than
half the country is an unnhabited
Sahara. some of II unexplored. Much
Of the remainder Is suitable only for
sheep-grnEing part OF the year. thus
forcing upon u fourth Of her ten mil.
lion people seml-nomadic existence
between the high, well-watered noun.
tain valleys In the summer aud the
warm plains in the brief winter sen.
soB.
Some OF these tribes. like the Kurds
rarely leave their mountain homes
where they exist Independently of
sentral government control. Others,
like the Ghashgais and Bakhtaris.
sometimes by coercion aud sometimes
through necessity Of political alliance,
ire Vassals Of the state. although they
pay allegiance enly 10 their chiefs,
sho arrnnge with regal authority fer
Their followers the matters of taxes
and military service.
Cities are naturally few and small.
here being but two or three OF more
han 10000 Inhabitants. The lower
mountain valleys and the oases are
tile centers for both town and agrl.
:nltaral population. and the wonder
'hi fertility OF these scattered areas.
'natehed from the bllgh.ing grasp of
The desert. forms the basis for the
startling contrasts in the climate OF
his unusual country.
Water is the chief concern OF the
Persian peasant. Wherever he can
.lyert the flow of a mountain stream
Or build crude cnnal from we'll
Or spring. a small portion OF the des-
WI becomes paradise and he pros.