![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎403r] (808/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0820.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎403r] (808/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [403r] (808/1814)
The record is made up of 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios). It was created in 1892-1924. It was written in English, Urdu and German. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
THE NORTH-WEST AND WESTERN PROVINCES 563
nearly at the top of the sculpture, entering the field in state, under
the shade of an umbrella, and mounted on a richly caparisoned
horse. Below he is again pourtrayed riding at full speed, while
at the bottom, the chase over, he canters gaily home. Towards
the top of the bas-relief is raised a scaffold, on which rows of
musicians are seated, playing on various instruments. In adjoining
compartments we see elephants in pursuit of the deer, and camels
carrying off the spoil. This bas-relief is finished in only a few
places, but what has been completed is executed in a masterly style.
The second arch is smaller in its dimensions than the former,
being only 19 feet wide by 11^ in depth and 17 in height. The
figures on the back wall were originally rudely and carelessly sculp
tured, and are now still less visible owing to the wilful mutilation
they have sustained. The monument, however, is of value from the
inscriptions still remaining on it, which prove that one of the
figures is meant for Shapur II. (Zulaktaf), and the other for his son
Shapur III . 1
A little to the right on the face of the cliff, is sculped another
Sassanian panel, in which two crowned figures, standing upon the
prostrate body of a third, are holding the cydaris or royal circlet;
while behind the left-hand king is a fourth figure, whose head is
surrounded with a radiated nimbus. This is generally accepted as
representing the investiture of Shapur I. with a share of the royal,
dominion by his father Ardeshir Babekan, in the presence of the
god Ormuzd; an act which is also indicated by the double heads
that appear on some of Ardeshir’s coins. The prostrate figure
is conjectured to be that of Artabanus, the last Parthian king.
Twenty-four miles to the east of Kermanshah the splendid
Behistun r ^gQ of rock, 1,500 feet in height above the plain, of which
I have spoken, and whose grandeur of outline is matched
by its steepness of face, presents upon a smoothed portion of its
1 ^ide E. Thomas, Early Sassanian Inscriptions, p. 104. I had originally
quoted the three last paragraphs in inverted commas from W. S. Vanx, Persia
(Ancient History from the Monuments) 1884 ; but a closer examination revealed
that he had incorrectly copied them from R. K. Porter, who had also himself
made many mistakes; and accordingly I have been obliged to recast the whole
description. For other accounts of Tak-i-Bostan vide Sir R. K. Porter (1818),
Travels, vol. ii. pp. 147-163 ; Sir H. Rawlinson (1836), Journal of the R. G. S., vol.
A. p. 116; E, Flandin and P. Coste (1841), Perse Ancienne, vol. i. pis. 1-14, and
Voyage en Perse, vol. i. caps, xxvi.-vii.; Com, F. Jones (1844), Records of Bombay
(1857); Silvestre de Sacy, Mem,, sur div. Antiq. de la Perse, 1793,
pp. 211-270; M. Dieulafoy, EArt Antique de la Perse, 1890, Part V. pp. 95-108/
o o 2
About this item
- Content
These two volumes are George Curzon's own personal annotated copies of both volumes of his book Persia and the Persian Question , which was published in 1892. Alongside the volumes are various loose papers relating to Persia [Iran], consisting of the following: received correspondence; newspaper cuttings; publishers' press releases; cuttings from various booksellers' catalogues; various journal and magazine articles; two items of printed official British correspondence; several prints of photographs and sketches; and a few handwritten notes by Curzon.
In most cases these papers, which range in date from 1892 to 1924, relate to the chapters in the book where they were originally inserted, suggesting that they were kept by Curzon with the intention of using them to inform a revised edition of the book.
Of particular note among the small amount of correspondence are two letters received by Curzon in 1914 and 1915 from retired schoolmaster and Islamic scholar Sayyid Mazhar Hasan Musawi of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India (ff 5-9 and ff 44-53). These letters, which are written in Urdu and are accompanied by English translations, discuss in detail several inaccuracies found in the Urdu version of Persia and the Persian Question .
The various prints of photographs and sketches, which were originally inserted into volume two, are of different locations in the Gulf region. Several of these appear to have been produced in preparation for the publication of the second volume of John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Oman and Central Arabia (i.e. the 'Geographical and Statistical' section) in 1908, as they are identical to the versions found in that volume.
Also of note among the loose papers are an illustrated article from Country Life dated 5 June 1920, entitled 'The People of Persia' (ff 36-37), and a printed family tree of the Shah of Persia [Aḥmad Shah Qājār], produced in preparation of his visit to Britain in 1919 (f 233).
Volume one of Persia and the Persian Question contains a map of Persia, Afghanistan and Beluchistan [Balochistan], which is folded inside the front cover (f 1).
The German language material consists of a publisher's press release for two books authored by German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld (ff 29-30).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this shelfmark consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of volume one (1-463), and terminates at the last folio of volume two (ff 464-898); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Each volume contains a large number of loose leaves, which have been foliated in the order that they were inserted into the volume; for conservation reasons, these loose folios have been removed from the volume and stored separately. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers of the two volumes.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Urdu and German in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [403r] (808/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213846.0x00000f> [accessed 13 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213846.0x00000f
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213846.0x00000f">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎403r] (808/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213846.0x00000f"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0820.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/33
- Title
- Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Questionby George Curzon, with Inserted Papers
- Pages
- 54r:135v, 147r:149v, 158r:180v, 183r:221v, 224r:224v, 227r:246v, 248r:257v, 259r:260v, 268r:362v, 364r:364v, 367r:388v, 390r:400v, 402r:416v, 419r:432v, 434r:444v, 448r:462v, 464r:471v, 475r:481v, 483r:513v, 516r:525v, 527r:544v, 546r:563v, 566r:598v, 600r:622v, 624r:656v, 658r:665v, 667r:675v, 678r:684v, 687r:688v, 691r:691v, 693r:693v, 695r:708v, 711r:721v, 724r:726v, 728r:729v, 731r:736v, 742r:742v, 746r:757v, 759r:761v, 763r:763v, 765r:765v, 772r:777v, 780r:789v, 793r:794v, 797r:809v, 811r:821v, 825r:840v, 843r:898v
- Author
- Curzon, George Nathaniel, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
- Usage terms
- Public Domain