CHELZINA (Caves at)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A man-made niche, guarded by two stone lions, in addition to an unspecified number of small caves are reported from the -Fourty Steps- (note 1), the ancient stairway of Babur (Lindberg's -Empereur Baber-). Literary sources (note A): GRIFFITH (1847: 361) noticed a curious mosque cut out of the rock in situ. LINDBERG (1958: 130) visited an unspecified number of small caves which he found not very interesting (note 2) though people reported a very large cave: On prétend aussi qu'il y aurait une très grande caverne… Je n'ai trouvé que de petites cavités sand grand int´rêt à proximité de l'antique escalier de l'empereur Babar. LEVI (1972 edited 1984, 2000: 78-79) reports from -Chelzina- a recessed and inscribed arched niche [note 3] cut from the cliff; it carries a list of the victories of Babur, and another of the victories of Akbar. LONELY PLANET (lonelyplanet.com/destinations/middle_east/afghanis… accessed 22.05.2004): A few kilometres from the centre of Kandhar towards Herat are the Chihil Zina, or Forty Steps. They lead up to a niche carved in the rock by Babur, founder of the Mogul empire. SITUATION: Near the ancient city and fortress of Kandahar (note 4) and a few kilometres from the centre of Kandahar towards Herat (lonelyplanet.com/destinations/middle_east/afghanis… accessed 22.05.2004), on the eastern slopes of a long spine of rock and to the south of the road at the western approaches to the modern settlement. The spine of rock commands the passage between Kabul and Herat and the road south via Quetta into Pakistan and India. – – – – – NOTE A: Further reading: BALL, W. (1988): The seven Qandahârs. The name Q.ND.HAR. in the Islamic sources. In: South Asian Studies (London), vol. 4, 1988, pp. 117-142. FISCHER, K. (1958): Kandahar in Arachosien.- Wiss. Zeitschr. d. Martin-Luther-Univ. Halle-Wittenberg, Ges.-Sprachw. R. (Halle/Saale), Bd. VII, Nr. 6, 1958, pp. 1151-1164; FISCHER, K. (1967): Alexandropolis metropolis rachosias: Zur Lage von Kandahar an Landverbindungen zwischen Iran und Indien.- Bonner Jahrbücher, 167, 1967, pp. 129-232FUSSMANN, G. (1966): Notes sur la topographie de l'ancienne Kandahar.- Arts Asiatiques (Paris), t. XIII, 1966, pp. 33-57. GAUBE, H. (1981): Herat und sein näheres Umland im 15. Jahrhundert nach literarischen und archäologischen Quellen.- In: Neue Forschungen in Afghanistan (edited by C. Rathjens): Vorträge auf der 5. Arbeitstagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Afghanistan in Mannheim 1.-3. Februar 1979 = Schriften des Deutschen Orient-Instituts (Opladen): 203-213.HELMS, Svend W. (1977): Excavations at Old Kandahar in Afghanistan 1976-1978. Conducted on behalf of the Society for South Asian Studies (Society for Afghan Studies): Stratigraphy, pottery and other finds.- (Oxford: Society for South Asian Studies) Society for South Asian Studies monograph, 2. HELMS, Svend W. (1983): Kandahar of the Arab conquest. World Archaeology, vol. 14, no. 3, 1983, pp. 342-354. MacNICOLL,A. & BALL, W. (1996): Excavations at Kandahar 1974 and 1975. The first two seasons at Shahr-i Kohna (Old Kandahar) conducted by the British Institute of Afghan Studies.- BAR International series, 641 =Society for South Asian Studies monograph, no. 1 (Oxford).rachosias: Zur Lage von Kandahar an Landverbindungen zwischen Iran und Indien.- Bonner Jahrbücher, 167, 1967, pp. 129-232FUSSMANN, G. (1966): Notes sur la topographie de l'ancienne Kandahar.- Arts Asiatiques (Paris), t. XIII, 1966, pp. 33-57. GAUBE, H. (1981): Herat und sein näheres Umland im 15. Jahrhundert nach literarischen und archäologischen Quellen.- In: Neue Forschungen in Afghanistan (edited by C. Rathjens): Vorträge auf der 5. Arbeitstagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Afghanistan in Mannheim 1.-3. Februar 1979 = Schriften des Deutschen Orient-Instituts (Opladen): 203-213.HELMS, Svend W. (1977): Excavations at Old Kandahar in Afghanistan 1976-1978. Conducted on behalf of the Society for South Asian Studies (Society for Afghan Studies): Stratigraphy, pottery and other finds.- (Oxford: Society for South Asian Studies) Society for South Asian Studies monograph, 2. HELMS, Svend W. (1983): Kandahar of the Arab conquest. World Archaeology, vol. 14, no. 3, 1983, pp. 342-354. MacNICOLL,A. & BALL, W. (1996): Excavations at Kandahar 1974 and 1975. The first two seasons at Shahr-i Kohna (Old Kandahar) conducted by the British Institute of Afghan Studies.- BAR International series, 641 =Society for South Asian Studies monograph, no. 1 (Oxford).