The Lower or Lesser Zab (Zab Anfal) has its
principal source near Legwin* about 20 miles
south of lake Urumiyeh, in lat. 3CJ 40', long.
45° 25'. It is the only stream which, rising to
the east of the Zagros range upon the great
plateau of Iran, pierces this boundary and finds
its way into the Mesopotamian valley. The course
of the Lesser Zab is at first south-west, but
meeting the great range it turns and flows along
it to the south-east, till finding a gap in lat.
30° 20', it turns again, resuming its original
direction, and forcing the barrier, receives
numerous tributaries on both sides from the
valleys running parallel with the mountains, and
debouches upon the plain in lat. 36° 8', long.
44° 30', not far from the famous city of
Arbela.6 Its course across the plain exceeds 100
miles, and its width, where it enters the Tigris,
is 25 feet.*
The History of
Herodotus: A New English Version, Ed. with
Copious Notes and Appendices, Illustrating the
History and Geography of Herodotus, from the Most
Recent Sources of Information; and Embodying the
Chief Results, Historical and Ethnographical,
which Have Been Obtained in the Progress of
Cuneiform and Hieroglyphical Discovery, Sir Henry
Creswicke Rawlinson. By Herodotus
Editors George
Rawlinson, Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, Sir
John Gardner Wilkinson. D. Appleton and company,
1889