Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c8.s2.t2: II. Sogdiane (Book VI, Chapter 12)
Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c8.s2.t2
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II. Sogdiane (Book VI, Chapter 12)
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The Sogdianoi are bounded on the west by that part of Skythia which extends from the section of the Oxos which is towards Baktriane and Margiane through the Oxeian mountains as far as the section of the river Iaxartes (Syr Darya), which lies in 110°E, 49° N; on the north likewise by a part of Skythia along the section of the Iaxartes extended thence as far as the limit where its course bends, which lies in 120° E, 48° 30' N.; on the east by the Sakai along the bending of the Iaxartes as far as the sources of the bending which lie in 125° E, 43° N, and by the line prolonged from the Sakai to an extreme point which lies in 125° E., 38° 30' N., and on the east and the south and again on the west by Baktriane along the section of the Oxos already mentioned and by the Kaukasian mountains, (eastern extension of the Paropanisos towards the Imaos) especially so-called, and the adjoining line and the limits as stated, and the sources of the Oxos.
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2. The mountains called the Sogdian extend between the two rivers and their extremities lie in 111°, 46°, and in 122°, 46° 30'.
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3. From these mountains, a good many nameless rivers flow in contrary directions to meet these two rivers, and of these nameless rivers one forms the Oxeian Lake, the middle of which lies in 111° E, 45° N, and other two streams descend from the same hilly regions as the Iaxartes—the regions in question are called the Highlands of the Komedai (Gomeda of the Purāṇas and Kiu-mi-t'o of Hiuen-tsang). Each of these streams falls into the Iaxartes; one of them is called Demos and its sources lie in 124°, 43°; its junction with the river Iaxartes occurs in 123°, 47°. The other is the Baskatis whose sources lie in 123°, 43°; its junction with the river Iaxartes occurs in 121°, 47° 30'.
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4. The country towards the Oxeian mountains is possessed by the Paskai, and the parts towards the most northern section of the Iaxartes by the Iatioi, and the Tokharoi (Tukhāra), below whom are the Augaloi; then along the Sogdian mountains the Oxydrangkai and the Drybaktai, and the Kandaroi, and below the mountains the Mardyenoi (Uttara-Madra), and along the Oxos the Oxeianoi and the Khorasmioi (Khiva), and farther east than the above, the Drepsianoi, and adjoining both the rivers, and still further east than the above, the Anieseis along the Iaxartes, and the Kirrhadai or Kirrhodeeis (Kirāta) along the Oxos, and, between the Kaukasos range and the Imaos, the country called Ouandabanda (Badakshan).
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5. The towns of the Sogdianoi in the highlands along the Iaxartes are these—
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| Kyreskhata | ... | 124°, | 43° 40' |
| Along the Oxos— | | | |
| Oxeiana | ... | 117° 30', | 44° 20' |
| Marouka | ... | 117° 15', | 43° 40' |
| Kholbesina | ... | 121°, | 43° |
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6. Between the rivers and higher up—
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| Trybaktra | ... | 112°, | 15', |
| Alexandreia Oxeiane | ... | 113°, | 44° 20' |
| Indikomordana | ... | 115°, | 44° 20' |
| Drepsa or Rhepsa, the metropolis | ... | 120°, | 45° |
| Alexandreia Eskhate (i.e. Ultima ; modern Khojend) | 122°, | 41° | |
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III. The Land of the Sakai or Nomadic Śaka (Book VI, Chapter 13)
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1. The Sakai are bounded on the west by the Sogdianoi along their eastern side already described, on the north by Scythia along the line parallel to the river Iaxartes as far as the limit of the country which lies in 130° E, 49° N, on the east in like manner by Scythia along the meridian lines prolonged from thence and through the adjacent range of mountains called Askatangkas as far as the station on Mount Imaos, whence traders start on their journey to Sera which lies in 140° E, 43° N, and through Mount Imaos as it ascends to the north as far as the limit of the country which lies in 143° E, 35° N, and on the south by Imaos itself along the line adjoining the limits that have been stated.
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2. The country of the Sakai is inhabited by nomads. They have no towns, but dwell in woods and caves. Among the Sakai is the mountain district, already mentioned, of the Komedai (Gomeda), of which the ascent from the Sogdianoi lies in 125°, 43° ; and the parts towards the valley of the Komedai lie in 130°, 39° ; and the so-called Stone Tower lies in 135°, 43°.
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3. The tribes of the Sakai, along the Iaxartes, are the Karatai and the Komarai, and the people who have all the mountain region are the Komedai (Gomeda), and the people along the range of Askatangka, the Massagetai ; and the people between are the Grynaioi Skythai and the Toornai, below whom, along Mount Imaos, are the Byltai (Baltistan).
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IV. Scythia or Śakasthāna within the Imaos (Book VI, Chapter 14)
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1. Scythia within the Imaos is bounded on the west by Sarmatia in Asia along the side already traced, on the north by an unknown land, on the east by Mount Imaos ascending to the north pretty nearly along the meridian of the starting place already mentioned as far as the unknown land—140°, 63°, on the south and also on the east by the Sakai and the Sogdianoi and by Margiane along their meridians already mentioned as far as the Hyrkanian Sea at the mouth of the Oxos, and also by a part of the Hyrkanian Sea lying between the north of the Oxos and the river Rha (Volga) according to such an outline.
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2. The bend of the river Rha which marks the boundary of Sarmatia and Skythia—85°, 54°, with the mouth of the river Rha which lies in 87° 30′, 48° 50′.
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| Mouth of the river Rhymmos | ... | 91°, | 48° 45′ |
| Mouth of the river Daix | ... | 94°, | 48° 45′ |
| Mouth of the river Iaxartes | ... | 97°, | 48° |
| Mouth of the river Iastos | ... | 100°, | 47° 20′ |
| Mouth of the river Polytimetos (Zarafshan or the river of Samarkand) | ... | 103°, | 45° 30′ |
| Aspabota a town | ... | 102°, | 44° |
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after which comes the mouth of the Oxos.
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3. The mountains of Skythia within the Imaos are the more eastern parts of the Hyperborean hills and the mountains called Alana, whose extremities lie in 105°, 59°, and 118°, 59° 30′.
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4. And the Rymmik mountains whose extremities lie in 90°, 54°, and 99°, 47° 30′, from which flow the Rhymmos and some other streams that discharge into the river Rha, uniting with the Daix river.
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5. And the Norosson range, of which the extremities lie in 97°, 53° 30′, and 106°, 52° 30′, and from this range flow the Daix and some other tributaries of the Iaxartes.
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6. And the range of mountains called Aspisia whose extremities lie in 111°, 55° 30′, and 117°, 52° 30′, and from these some streams flow into the river Iaxartes.
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7. And the mountains called Tapoura whose extremities lie in 120°, 56°, and 125°, 49°, from which also some streams flow into the Iaxartes.
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8. In addition to these, in the depth of the region of the streams are the Syeba mountains whose extremities lie in 121°, 58°, and 132°, 62° ; and the mountains called the Anarea whose extremities lie in 130°, 56°, and 137°, 50°, after which is the bend in the direction of Imaos continuing it towards the north.
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9. All the territory of this Skythia in the north, adjoining the unknown regions, is inhabited by the people commonly called the Alanoi Skythai and the Souobenoi and the Alanorsoi, and the country below these by the Saitianoi and the Massaioi and the Syeboi, and along the Imaos on the outer side—the Tektosakes, and near the most eastern sources of the river Rha—the Rhoboskoi, below whom—the Asmanoi.
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10. Then the Paniardoi, below whom, more towards the river, the country of Kanodipsa, and below it—the Koraxoi, then the Orgasoi, after whom as far as the sea—the Erymmoi, to the east of whom are the Asiotai, then the Aorsoi, after whom are the Iaxartai, a great race seated along their homonymous river as far as to where it bends towards the Tapoura mountains, and again below the Saitianoi are the Mologenoi, below whom, as far as the Rymmik range, are the Samnitai.
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11. And below the Massaioi and the Alana mountains are the Zaratai and the Sasones, and further east than the Rymnik mountains are the Tybiakai, after whom, below the Zaratai, are the Tabienoi and the Iastai and the Makhaitegoi along the range of Norosson, after whom are the Norosbeis and the Norossoi, and below these the Kakhagai Skythai along the country of the Iaxartai.
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12. Further west than the Aspisia range are the Aspisioi Skythai, and further east the Galaktophagoi Skythai, and in like manner the parts farther east than the Tapoura and Syeba ranges are inhabited by the Tapourei.
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13. The slopes and summits of the Anarea mountains and Mount Askatangkas are inhabited by the homonymous Anareoi Skythai below the Alanorsoi, and the Askatangkai Skythai further east than the Tapourei and as far as Mount Imaos.
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14. But the parts between the Tapoura mountains and the slope towards the mouth of the Iaxartes and the sea-coast between the two rivers are possessed by the Ariakai, along the Iaxartes and below these the Namostai, then the Sagaraukai, and, along the river Oxos, the Rhibioi who have the town of Dauaba—104°, 45°.