'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎152] (183/582)

152
FROM KERMANSHAH
pillars are now built up by portions of modern wall between them,
as is seen in the front of the great Temple of the Sun at Baalbeck,
and in most of the temples of Egypt; many of which, like this
ancient edifice, are inhabited by several poor families.
The situation of whatever city might have occupied the site
of Kengawar, must have been always a most agreeable one : a fine
and extensive plain before it, on the east and south; a deliciously
cool air in the summer, at an elevation of nearly four thousand
feet from the level of the sea ; a good supply of water for gardens
and cultivation, and a temperature suited to the production of
almost all kinds of fruits. The edifice whose remains are thus
imperfectly described, appears to have been a palace rather than
a castle; but its exact form, or the precise extent of its enceinte,
would be difficult to be made out at this remote period.
Hie few features that are detailed in ancient authors of Ecba-
tana were still present to my mind, and many of them seemed to
me to correspond with the local peculiarities of this situation; but
it was yet necessary to see Hamadan, and estimate its claims, be
fore any decisive opinion could be formed on this subject.
D'Anyille fixes on this place as the site of Concobar, # and is
followed in this opinion by Macdonald Kinnier. This last writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
says. We read in history of three places which will in some
degree apply to the situation and description of Kengawar : the
Palace near Ecbatana, where Antigonus retired after the defeat
y umenes , the Temple of Jupiter Belus, in Elymais, plundered
y ntioc us the Great, to pay the Roman tribute ; and the town
of Concobar. As the exact position, however, of the Royal Palace
is not stated by Diodorus, and the country of the Elymais is consi^
erably to the south of Kengawar, I am inclined, from the striking
simi arl y 0 name (for the h and the v are continually pro
nounced alike) to give the preference to Concobar.-f
* Compendium of Ancient Geography,
t Geograph, Memoir of the Persian Empire, 4to. p. 130.