DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36287#0168
EXPLANATION OF THE MAPS PUBLISHED IN THIS VOLUME
142
a few ruined places near by which we had not the
time to visitd
Map III is the least accurate of the local maps, but
there is perhaps only one point that needs especial
mention. The distance from Isriyeh to Mraghah is
considerably less than it should be, if my estimate of
the number of miles traveled between them can be re-
lied upon. The positions I have given them, however,
correspond in the main to my observations.
A number of changes were made in the general
map of Syria, which the reader will note has been
copied for the most part from one made by Dr. Rich-
ard Kiepert and published in 1899 in the work written
by Baron von Oppenheim, entitled "Vom Mittelmeer
zum Persischen Golf." They maybe included in five
groups:
1. All the German terms have been translated.
2. The names of places visited or seen by our Ex-
pedition have been changed in their spelling to conform
with the information secured by us and with the
method of transliteration which we have adopted.
This will be found described on page 143 of this vol-
ume.
3. A few places have been added, as, for example,
Khnehs, north of Palmyra.
4. The areas covered by the three local maps have
been altered in the general map to conform more
nearly with the information secured by our Expedition,
which is somewhat more detailed and accurate in these
particular districts than the data secured by Baron von
Oppenheim and by other travelers who went through
the country before he made his journey.
In modifying these regions it has seemed to me best
to leave on the local maps a few of the towns or ruins
given by Kiepert, but about which I could obtain no
information. Such, for example, is Salktn, which is
to be found near the western border of Map I. 1 did
not see this place nor hear its name mentioned, but it
is quite possible that it exists. On the other hand, it
may be another name for the place the natives told
me is Uskat. Again, I could not learn anything defi-
nite about Obtln, on Map I, but perhaps it is the place
for which we secured the name of Ibbin. These places
have been put on the local maps in a different type
from that used for places seen by us.
3. The outlines of some mountains have been in-
serted in the region north of Palmyra. They are not
accurate, but are meant merely to indicate that the
region is not a flat plain or desert, as would appear to
be the case from earlier maps, but that, on the con-
trary, much of it is rough and mountainous. If the
reader glances at Map III he will see that the alti-
tude of Zebed is approximately 323 meters. From
this point south to Isriyeh, near the bottom of
that map, there is a gradual increase to 330 meters.
Here the more rugged country begins and the imper-
fectly defined path across this dreary waste goes up
and down hills of considerable height. The highest
point at which a reading of the boiling-point ther-
mometer was taken has an altitude of about 792 meters.
There are some mountains in this district which I have
no doubt will some day be found to measure more
than 1000 meters above sea-level.
Most of the railroads which have been completed
within the last few years have been added to the gen-
eral map.
It will be noted that the Arabic term for mountain,
which Kiepert spells "gebel," and which according to
our system of transliteration should be "djebel," has
been changed throughout. This was caused by a mis-
understanding between the cartographer and myself.
It was not thought wise to make common names such
as or rutM'f conform to our system unless the
mountain or stream or other object had been seen by
some member of the Expedition. The error was not
discovered until it was too late to make the change
back again to the earlier spelling.
There are, unfortunately, a number of other mis-
takes or imperfections in the general map, such as the
spelling of the Mediterranean sea, and the spelling of
in the explanatory table. Again, the red line
marking the route of the Expedition is usually slightly
shifted from its proper course; il-Bawi of Opp.-K.,
near Isriyeh, has been omitted; and BSnakfur has been
incorrectly placed. These and a number more are
due to the carelessness of the cartographer. There
are still others in the general map, and in the smaller
maps as well, which are due to my imperfect observa-
tions. It is not my purpose, however, to present a
series of perfect maps, but merely to aid in illustrat-
ing the texts of the four volumes of these publications,
and perhaps in some slight degree to assist travelers
who in future years may go through the portions of
Syria which we visited.
1 The Princeton Expedition has since visited and mapped this district.
142
a few ruined places near by which we had not the
time to visitd
Map III is the least accurate of the local maps, but
there is perhaps only one point that needs especial
mention. The distance from Isriyeh to Mraghah is
considerably less than it should be, if my estimate of
the number of miles traveled between them can be re-
lied upon. The positions I have given them, however,
correspond in the main to my observations.
A number of changes were made in the general
map of Syria, which the reader will note has been
copied for the most part from one made by Dr. Rich-
ard Kiepert and published in 1899 in the work written
by Baron von Oppenheim, entitled "Vom Mittelmeer
zum Persischen Golf." They maybe included in five
groups:
1. All the German terms have been translated.
2. The names of places visited or seen by our Ex-
pedition have been changed in their spelling to conform
with the information secured by us and with the
method of transliteration which we have adopted.
This will be found described on page 143 of this vol-
ume.
3. A few places have been added, as, for example,
Khnehs, north of Palmyra.
4. The areas covered by the three local maps have
been altered in the general map to conform more
nearly with the information secured by our Expedition,
which is somewhat more detailed and accurate in these
particular districts than the data secured by Baron von
Oppenheim and by other travelers who went through
the country before he made his journey.
In modifying these regions it has seemed to me best
to leave on the local maps a few of the towns or ruins
given by Kiepert, but about which I could obtain no
information. Such, for example, is Salktn, which is
to be found near the western border of Map I. 1 did
not see this place nor hear its name mentioned, but it
is quite possible that it exists. On the other hand, it
may be another name for the place the natives told
me is Uskat. Again, I could not learn anything defi-
nite about Obtln, on Map I, but perhaps it is the place
for which we secured the name of Ibbin. These places
have been put on the local maps in a different type
from that used for places seen by us.
3. The outlines of some mountains have been in-
serted in the region north of Palmyra. They are not
accurate, but are meant merely to indicate that the
region is not a flat plain or desert, as would appear to
be the case from earlier maps, but that, on the con-
trary, much of it is rough and mountainous. If the
reader glances at Map III he will see that the alti-
tude of Zebed is approximately 323 meters. From
this point south to Isriyeh, near the bottom of
that map, there is a gradual increase to 330 meters.
Here the more rugged country begins and the imper-
fectly defined path across this dreary waste goes up
and down hills of considerable height. The highest
point at which a reading of the boiling-point ther-
mometer was taken has an altitude of about 792 meters.
There are some mountains in this district which I have
no doubt will some day be found to measure more
than 1000 meters above sea-level.
Most of the railroads which have been completed
within the last few years have been added to the gen-
eral map.
It will be noted that the Arabic term for mountain,
which Kiepert spells "gebel," and which according to
our system of transliteration should be "djebel," has
been changed throughout. This was caused by a mis-
understanding between the cartographer and myself.
It was not thought wise to make common names such
as or rutM'f conform to our system unless the
mountain or stream or other object had been seen by
some member of the Expedition. The error was not
discovered until it was too late to make the change
back again to the earlier spelling.
There are, unfortunately, a number of other mis-
takes or imperfections in the general map, such as the
spelling of the Mediterranean sea, and the spelling of
in the explanatory table. Again, the red line
marking the route of the Expedition is usually slightly
shifted from its proper course; il-Bawi of Opp.-K.,
near Isriyeh, has been omitted; and BSnakfur has been
incorrectly placed. These and a number more are
due to the carelessness of the cartographer. There
are still others in the general map, and in the smaller
maps as well, which are due to my imperfect observa-
tions. It is not my purpose, however, to present a
series of perfect maps, but merely to aid in illustrat-
ing the texts of the four volumes of these publications,
and perhaps in some slight degree to assist travelers
who in future years may go through the portions of
Syria which we visited.
1 The Princeton Expedition has since visited and mapped this district.