DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0207
196
REACH KON1YEH.
[Chap, xli
of Koniyeh. At one we passed another khan on the banks
of a torrent, now dry, and continued for some miles along
the table-land of earthy limestone and conglomerate, sloping
to the east. The plain, which is of great extent to the E.
and S.E., is bounded by different masses of mountains; it
was useless to inquire their names, every thing being Ak
Dagh or Kara Dagh with Turkish surijis: but a more
melancholy or desolate view could hardly be imagined; the
whole country round about was completely dried up, and
neither on the hills to the right, nor in the vast plain to
the left, was a tree or shrub to be seen.
At length, about half-past one, the gardens and minarets
of Koniyeh appeared in sight, distant eight or nine miles.
It was an Oasis in the desert, the gardens appearing like a
dark green narrow mass, extending from the hills into the
plain, and gradually thinning out and ceasing as the
supply of water by which they were irrigated is exhausted ;
for no indications of verdure can be seen except in the
immediate vicinity of water. As we approached the town
over the dusty plain, impassable in wet weather from the
mud, a few corn-fields and vineyards occasionally occurred.
A quarter before four we reached the burial-ground of
Koniyeh, which had a very Oriental look, being full of
turbehs, shrines, and chapels, tekiyehs, and handsome
tombs, both new and old, presenting specimens of rich
Saracenic style, and a variety of fantastic forms of archi-
tecture. After waiting for a guide, we passed along a por-
tion of the walls of the town; they are extremely interest-
ing, and appear likewise to be Saracenic, being faced with
large well-cut blocks of stone, and strengthened by square
towers, some of them richly ornamented with cornices, ara-
besques, lions' heads, and Arabic inscriptions. We entered
the town by a handsome gateway in one of them, which
might be called the tower of Hercules, from a large co-
lossal statue, the head of which is gone, fixed against the
outer wall. The hero is represented resting on his club,
on which is laid the lion's skin. Above this statue is an
REACH KON1YEH.
[Chap, xli
of Koniyeh. At one we passed another khan on the banks
of a torrent, now dry, and continued for some miles along
the table-land of earthy limestone and conglomerate, sloping
to the east. The plain, which is of great extent to the E.
and S.E., is bounded by different masses of mountains; it
was useless to inquire their names, every thing being Ak
Dagh or Kara Dagh with Turkish surijis: but a more
melancholy or desolate view could hardly be imagined; the
whole country round about was completely dried up, and
neither on the hills to the right, nor in the vast plain to
the left, was a tree or shrub to be seen.
At length, about half-past one, the gardens and minarets
of Koniyeh appeared in sight, distant eight or nine miles.
It was an Oasis in the desert, the gardens appearing like a
dark green narrow mass, extending from the hills into the
plain, and gradually thinning out and ceasing as the
supply of water by which they were irrigated is exhausted ;
for no indications of verdure can be seen except in the
immediate vicinity of water. As we approached the town
over the dusty plain, impassable in wet weather from the
mud, a few corn-fields and vineyards occasionally occurred.
A quarter before four we reached the burial-ground of
Koniyeh, which had a very Oriental look, being full of
turbehs, shrines, and chapels, tekiyehs, and handsome
tombs, both new and old, presenting specimens of rich
Saracenic style, and a variety of fantastic forms of archi-
tecture. After waiting for a guide, we passed along a por-
tion of the walls of the town; they are extremely interest-
ing, and appear likewise to be Saracenic, being faced with
large well-cut blocks of stone, and strengthened by square
towers, some of them richly ornamented with cornices, ara-
besques, lions' heads, and Arabic inscriptions. We entered
the town by a handsome gateway in one of them, which
might be called the tower of Hercules, from a large co-
lossal statue, the head of which is gone, fixed against the
outer wall. The hero is represented resting on his club,
on which is laid the lion's skin. Above this statue is an