Siahan Range
Encyclopedia
The Siahan Range is a mountain range in the central part of Balochistan
province of Pakistan
.
The Siahan Range is primarily made up of limestone
and sandstone
and was formed when the north western Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate
.
There are three main ranges in Balochistan: the Makran Coastal Range
(up to about 1500 m), the Central Makran Range
(2000 m to 3000 m) and the Siahan Range (1000 m to 2000 m).
The Siahan Range (Lat 27.41667 Long 64.5) from the term applied to the western extremity of the range, is the name which may be given to the long ridge which separate Kharan
from the valley of the Rakshan River and eventually disappears westward in the hills of Iran
ian Balochistan. The range has never been thoroughly explored. It consists of two ridges; that on the south runs west-south-west from a point near Shireza; on the north a parallel one starts from the desert east of Washuk in Kharan
and tends westward toward Dizzak in Iran, where it is known as the Siahan or the Siahan koh. It is from this range that the name for the whole mass has been taken. It forms the main ridge at the western extremity of the mass, but at the eastern end, a more southerly range predominates.
The highest point of the range is on the east and is Razak (6758 ft): other peaks are Mughal Pabb (5979 ft) and Choto-e-Jik (5874 ft); westward the range decreases in height to about 5000 ft. the total length from Shireza to the western frontier is about 176 miles.
The northern ridge between Washuk and the valley of Palantak torrent is known as the Cher Dem in the Washuk Niabat of Kharan. Its height is about 5000 ft. at its western end a well known peak Hetai, which lies to the west of the Tank-e-zurrati through which the Mashkel River breaks northward to the Hamun of the same name.
and volcanic rock
, contorted in many places into fantastic shapes with synclinal
and anticlinal
curves.
The shale which lies throughout in perpendicular parallel layers or at a slight angle to its base, gives the hill a very sharp and jagged appearance, but though difficult they are not unscalable, very steep and precipitous escarpment
s being rare and generally limited to the sides. The range being on consolidated upheaval, there are no valleys ascents and descents from one ridge to another being made by following the rivulets.
from the southern slopes. On the north a number of hill torrents descend, either to lose themselves in the Kharan Plain or to join the Mashkel River. Some of the more important are the Gujjar, the Regintak, the Gresha Kaur, the Palantak, the Pillin, the Bibi Lohri and the Barshonki.
Of the two gorges already mentioned the Tank-e-Grawag lies in the Koh-e-Sabz and the Tank-e-Zurrati in the northern ridge of the Siahan Koh. The former is so termed from the reed
s called Grawag which grow here in great abundance. There is also a small patch of cultivation where a few date palms grow at the point where it makes its first turn. It is six miles in length and is easily passable when the river is low, but is subject to great and violent flood
s. The latter is just over eight miles long and of medium width, being nowhere less than 80 yards and generally nearly 150. The perpendicular cliff
s which enclose it are about 200 feet in height. Quicksand
s exist at some of the fords and there is perennial water in both defiles.
s who pasture their flocks on it are the Muhammad Hasnis, Nasrois, Bullozais, Sopaks and Hajizais of the Rakshan valley and a few people from Kuhak called Siahani. Some nomads from Kharan Plain also visit it, chiefly Rikis and Kuchai Siahpad and Taghapi Rakshanis.
s and by a good many tracks
which are used by people. Among the latter are the Simmij, Sabzap, Kasag, Miani, Sorani and Sechi.
Commencing from the east the passes chiefly used by people are the Zard, to the northwest of Shireza; the Paliaz north of Nag-e-Kalat; and the Sagar-e-Kandag and Korkian passes on the road from Panjgur to Washuk. The Hetai is an important pass north of Tank-e-Grawag, on the road from Panjgur to Dehgwar in Kharan.
s exist on the range; many of the torrent beds contain tamarix
and some asafoetida
. The date palm flourishes in places.
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
province of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The Siahan Range is primarily made up of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and was formed when the north western Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
.
There are three main ranges in Balochistan: the Makran Coastal Range
Makran Coastal Range
Makran Coastal Range is a mountain range in southwestern part of Balochistan province of Pakistan.The Makran Coastal Range is primarily made up of limestone and sandstone and was formed when the northwestern Indian plate collided with the Asian plate....
(up to about 1500 m), the Central Makran Range
Central Makran Range
Central Makran Range is a mountain range in southwestern part of Balochistan province of Pakistan.The Central Makran Range is primarily made up of limestone and sandstone and was formed when the northwestern Indian plate collided with the Asian plate....
(2000 m to 3000 m) and the Siahan Range (1000 m to 2000 m).
The Siahan Range (Lat 27.41667 Long 64.5) from the term applied to the western extremity of the range, is the name which may be given to the long ridge which separate Kharan
Kharan
Kharan can refer to:* Kharan, Pakistan, city in Balochistan.* Kharan District, district of Balochistan, Pakistan* Kharan , former princely state* Kharan Desert* The upper Halil River* Haran, Azerbaijan...
from the valley of the Rakshan River and eventually disappears westward in the hills of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Balochistan. The range has never been thoroughly explored. It consists of two ridges; that on the south runs west-south-west from a point near Shireza; on the north a parallel one starts from the desert east of Washuk in Kharan
Kharan
Kharan can refer to:* Kharan, Pakistan, city in Balochistan.* Kharan District, district of Balochistan, Pakistan* Kharan , former princely state* Kharan Desert* The upper Halil River* Haran, Azerbaijan...
and tends westward toward Dizzak in Iran, where it is known as the Siahan or the Siahan koh. It is from this range that the name for the whole mass has been taken. It forms the main ridge at the western extremity of the mass, but at the eastern end, a more southerly range predominates.
Overview
The eastern end of the range is variously known merely as Band, or as the Kharan-rakshan Lath, while on the west and north of Panjgur it is known as the Koh-e-Sabz. The Koh-e-Sabz is only well defined to the west of the Korkian Pass, from which place it gradually rises to a height of nearly 5400 ft before it is crossed by the defile known as the Tank-e-Grawag. On the other hand, the Kharan- Rakshan Lath descends gradually toward Jang-ja-e-gajiun in Panjgur, and forms the hilly country between the latter place and the Koh-e-Sabz. It follows, therefore, that a traveler to the Kharan plain on the north, from the part of the Rakshan basin which lies to the east of the Korkian Pass, must cross two main ridges, while immediately north of Panjgur he must traverse three, viz. the hilly country consisting of the extremity of the eastern main range and lying between Panjgur and the Koh-e-sabz; the Koh-e-Sabz and the Siahan or Siahan Koh proper.The highest point of the range is on the east and is Razak (6758 ft): other peaks are Mughal Pabb (5979 ft) and Choto-e-Jik (5874 ft); westward the range decreases in height to about 5000 ft. the total length from Shireza to the western frontier is about 176 miles.
The northern ridge between Washuk and the valley of Palantak torrent is known as the Cher Dem in the Washuk Niabat of Kharan. Its height is about 5000 ft. at its western end a well known peak Hetai, which lies to the west of the Tank-e-zurrati through which the Mashkel River breaks northward to the Hamun of the same name.
Geology
Geologically the Siahan Range has never been fully studied but its general aspect is abrupt, rugged and broken. The Koh-e-sabz portion is composed of shaleShale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
and volcanic rock
Volcanic rock
Volcanic rock is a rock formed from magma erupted from a volcano. In other words, it is an igneous rock of volcanic origin...
, contorted in many places into fantastic shapes with synclinal
Syncline
In structural geology, a syncline is a fold, with younger layers closer to the center of the structure. A synclinorium is a large syncline with superimposed smaller folds. Synclines are typically a downward fold, termed a synformal syncline In structural geology, a syncline is a fold, with younger...
and anticlinal
Anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
curves.
The shale which lies throughout in perpendicular parallel layers or at a slight angle to its base, gives the hill a very sharp and jagged appearance, but though difficult they are not unscalable, very steep and precipitous escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
s being rare and generally limited to the sides. The range being on consolidated upheaval, there are no valleys ascents and descents from one ridge to another being made by following the rivulets.
Drainage
The Rakshan tributary of the Mashkel River carries off all the drainageDrainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
from the southern slopes. On the north a number of hill torrents descend, either to lose themselves in the Kharan Plain or to join the Mashkel River. Some of the more important are the Gujjar, the Regintak, the Gresha Kaur, the Palantak, the Pillin, the Bibi Lohri and the Barshonki.
Of the two gorges already mentioned the Tank-e-Grawag lies in the Koh-e-Sabz and the Tank-e-Zurrati in the northern ridge of the Siahan Koh. The former is so termed from the reed
Reed
- Musical instruments :* Single-reed instrument, a woodwind instrument that uses only one reed to produce sound* Double reed instrument, a woodwind instrument that uses two reeds to produce sound...
s called Grawag which grow here in great abundance. There is also a small patch of cultivation where a few date palms grow at the point where it makes its first turn. It is six miles in length and is easily passable when the river is low, but is subject to great and violent flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s. The latter is just over eight miles long and of medium width, being nowhere less than 80 yards and generally nearly 150. The perpendicular cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s which enclose it are about 200 feet in height. Quicksand
Quicksand
Quicksand is a colloid hydrogel consisting of fine granular matter , clay, and water.Water circulation underground can focus in an area with the optimal mixture of fine sands and other materials such as clay. The water moves up and then down slowly in a convection-like manner throughout a column...
s exist at some of the fords and there is perennial water in both defiles.
People
The range possesses no permanent inhabitants; among the nomadNomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
s who pasture their flocks on it are the Muhammad Hasnis, Nasrois, Bullozais, Sopaks and Hajizais of the Rakshan valley and a few people from Kuhak called Siahani. Some nomads from Kharan Plain also visit it, chiefly Rikis and Kuchai Siahpad and Taghapi Rakshanis.
Footpaths and tracks
The range is crossed by numerous footpathFootpath
A Footpath is a thoroughfare intended for by pedestrians but not by motorized vehicles. The term is often for paths within an urban area that offer shorter quieter routes for pedestrians, they may also provide access to the surrounding countryside or parks...
s and by a good many tracks
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
which are used by people. Among the latter are the Simmij, Sabzap, Kasag, Miani, Sorani and Sechi.
Commencing from the east the passes chiefly used by people are the Zard, to the northwest of Shireza; the Paliaz north of Nag-e-Kalat; and the Sagar-e-Kandag and Korkian passes on the road from Panjgur to Washuk. The Hetai is an important pass north of Tank-e-Grawag, on the road from Panjgur to Dehgwar in Kharan.
Flora
No forestForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s exist on the range; many of the torrent beds contain tamarix
Tamarix
The genus Tamarix is composed of about 50-60 species of flowering plants in the family Tamaricaceae, native to drier areas of Eurasia and Africa...
and some asafoetida
Asafoetida
Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...
. The date palm flourishes in places.