QAL'A-i- BOST UNDERGROUNDS

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Ancient undergrounds or -tahkhana- (note 1), both horizontally and vertically extensive, reported LINDBERG (1958: 130, repeated 1961a: 20) from Qal'a-i- Bast (note 2), the fortress (note 3) about 5 km south of the town Lashkar Gah, the former Girishk (note 4): Une descente jusqu'au fond du grand puits n'aprocuré que des Chiroptères cantonnées au 5e étage (Descending to the bottom of the big shafts did not help procuring some of the bats that dwelled on fifth floor). HACKIN (1934: 356): Kala-i- Bist, one of the favoured residences of Mahmud of Ghazni, is beautifully situated at the confluence of the Helmand and Argandab rivers. Its citadels suffered greatly when besieged by Nadir Shah in the eighteenth century. The only monument of the Ghaznavid period still remaining at Kala-i- Bist is an arch of burnt brick, decorated with motives of sober elegance. GARDIN (1963); SCHLUMBERGER et al (1978) needs to be checked. CAVE LIFE: On 6th December 1957 observed LINDBERG (1958: 130, repeatd 1961a: 20) numerous dead Tenebrionids in many places on the groundfloor (Par terre, se trouvaient à plusieurs endroits des Ténébrionides morts) and collected bats (Vertebrata: Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum irani CHEESMAN) listed in JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1749).Ancient undergrounds or -tahkhana- (note 1), both horizontally and vertically extensive, reported LINDBERG (1958: 130, repeated 1961a: 20) from Qal'a-i- Bast (note 2), the fortress (note 3) about 5 km south of the town Lashkar Gah, the former Girishk (note 4): Une descente jusqu'au fond du grand puits n'aprocuré que des Chiroptères cantonnées au 5e étage (Descending to the bottom of the big shafts did not help procuring some of the bats that dwelled on fifth floor). HACKIN (1934: 356): Kala-i- Bist, one of the favoured residences of Mahmud of Ghazni, is beautifully situated at the confluence of the Helmand and Argandab rivers. Its citadels suffered greatly when besieged by Nadir Shah in the eighteenth century. The only monument of the Ghaznavid period still remaining at Kala-i- Bist is an arch of burnt brick, decorated with motives of sober elegance. GARDIN (1963); SCHLUMBERGER et al (1978) needs to be checked. CAVE LIFE: On 6th December 1957 observed LINDBERG (1958: 130, repeatd 1961a: 20) numerous dead Tenebrionids in many places on the groundfloor (Par terre, se trouvaient à plusieurs endroits des Ténébrionides morts) and collected bats (Vertebrata: Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum irani CHEESMAN) listed in JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1749).