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| 0246 |
Archaeological Reconnaissances in North-Western India and South-Eastern Īrān : vol.1 |
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as the distance between the two, takes us closely enough to the point where the
Mīnāb river enters the sea, about 22 miles to the east of the island, and near
which, as we shall presently see, remains of the old port can be actually traced.
There is no need, it seems, for me to review here the notices relating to the
history of Old Hormuz in Muhammadan times. They will be found duly recorded
in Sir Arnold Wilson's admirably documented book, The Persian Gulf, Past and
Present,⁴ and as far as I can judge, do not touch on points of special antiquarian
interest. But such can certainly be claimed for the earliest historical mention of
Hormuz, preserved for us in the account which Arrian's Indiké gives of the
voyage of Alexander's fleet under Nearchos.⁵ We are told there that the ships,
after having sailed along the coast for 700 stadia from where the promontory on
the Arabian side of the Strait, the Cape Musandam of the maps, was first sighted,
cast anchor at the shore of Neoptana.⁶ 'Starting thence at dawn, and having sailed
100 stadia, the fleet cast anchor at the mouth of the river Anamis. The tract was
called Harmozeia. It was pleasant and fertile ground but olives would not grow.
There they disembarked and enjoyed their ease after their many hardships, &c.'
The name of the locality which so closely corresponds to that of Hormuz and
the description given of its fertility have long ago been recognized as definite
proof that by the Anamis the river of Mīnāb is meant. For those who have seen
something of the forbidding shores of Makrān and those adjoining them towards
the mouth of the Persian Gulf, it is easy to realize the feelings of the men of
Alexander's fleet when at last they found themselves close to a large oasis like
Mīnāb, the 'Old Hurmūz', and could collect ample supplies. We are next told
how some of the men who had gone on shore for this purpose met a Greek who
had come from Alexander's camp. When Nearchos had learned from him that
the royal camp was halting only five days' march away, he decided to make his
way to the king. Returning to the ships he had them drawn on shore and the
landing-place protected by a double palisade, an earthen wall, and a deep ditch,
stretching from the river's bank to where his ships lay.
It is evident from the above that the importance and antiquarian interest of
Old Hormuz lay mainly in its harbour, and this, as the map and the notices of
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