Page 261 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

Topography and archaeology, 1878-1879 587

20 G. THE ISLANDS OF BAHREIN'.

latter author adding the special description “cum monte
p roealto, Neptuno sacra. ” l
As tho Persian alphabet always substituted an r for the
Semitic /, Ilarak would naturally represent tho Babylonian
Khalakli or Khalkha, which name is given as the seat of the
god Ilea in B.M.I. vol. ii. p. 60,1. 22, this notice being, more­

over, confirmed by the phrase <y>- >-►- ^ “the
Lord Bull, king of Khalakh,” which is found among the titles
of Ilea on an unpublished fragment in the British Museum.
Yacut’s account of ICharak is interesting. lie says, “ It is
an island in the Persian Gulf (Bal\ar-cl Farsi), which looks
like a lofty mountain (the “monte preealto” of Pliny, and the
height being really 280 feet) in the middle of the sea. When
a vessel leaves ’Abadan (at the mouth of the Euphrates) for
3 Oman, and the wind is favourable, it will reach ICharak in a
day and night. It is included in the dependencies of Fars,
and is situated out in the sea opposito to Janndbch and
Mihruyan, the one position being visible from the other
with a good sight, whilst the mountains inland are always
clearly to be seen from the island. I have often visited the place,
and found on it a tomb, to which they make pilgrimages and
oiler vows, the islanders pretending that it is the tomb of Mu­
hammad Ibn El Ilanifch, though this is contrary to history.”
Now it is quite possible, I think, in view of that persistency
of tradition which is so marked in tho East, that this
pilgrimago to a spurious shrine may be a relic of tho old
sailor-worship of Ilea. There is indeed to bo seen at the
present day, in the centre of the island of Kharak, a rude
cave-temple, which bears marks of the remotest antiquity,

1 B.M.I. vol. ii. p. GO, 1. 21. Ploloiny calls Amcift tho Island of Alexander, but
for wlmb reason is not apparent. His island of Tabiaua in tho immediate viciuity
ww named after tho river Tfib, and his Ta<forj represents of counso tho CJy
of tlie Persians. Tho Achmmonian Palaco of Taoco, mentioned by Strabo, was
probably at tho modern villngo of Dalaki, where thcro is a lino mouml of great
apparent antiquity; but tho most promising sito for excavation in that part of
Persia would seem to ho at tho Yillago of Jliudidn on tho Tfib river, where,
according to tho traveller Mosder Ibn Mohalhal, thcro were in his time (tenth
century) “ wonderful remains and magnificent buildings, from which they
excavated buried treasures as they do in Egypt, together with temples ot
marvellous workmanship and Tf/rcca-I* Tho rums still exist, as I have hoard,
between tho two arms ol tho river about ouo stago south of llcbuhdn.