Marco Polo in Central Asia: 04: Georgia and its Economy

In Georgia a king is always called David Melik, meaning David the king. He is subject to the Tartars; all the monarchs of this province were born with the mark of an eagle on their left shoulders.  They are handsome people, good archers, and valiant in battle.  They are Christians of Greek church, and wear their hair close shaven in the manner of clergy.  This is the province which Alexander could not pass through on account of the narrowness of the path, because on one side is the sea, and on the other very high mountains, over which it is impossible to ride, and this strait continues above four leagues,[1] a few men might hold out against the whole world.  This was the reason why he could not pass; but he built a very strong tower, that no one might come upon him from the other side, and it is called Iron Gate.  This is the place mentioned in the book of Alexander, where he enclosed the Tartars within their mountains.  Though the Tartars did not exist at that time, but a certain people called Comani and other races were there.  There are many cities and castles with silks in abundance.  The province is full of great mountains and of narrow passes, so that I can tell you the Tartars could never obtain the entire sovereignty of it.  There is a monastery called St Leonard, containing a great wonder, which I will now relate.  A large lake of water issues from a neighbouring mountain, in which, during the whole year there is not found a fish great or small except from the day before Lent down to the evening of Easter Sunday; and during the whole of that time fishes were taken in great abundance, but none that any other.  This sea of which I have spoken is even hundred miles in circuit, and receives the Euphrates, one of the delights of Paradise, and many other great rivers.  It is all surrounded by mountain and land; and lately the merchants of Genoa, who have built ships, navigate it, bringing silk, which is called gelle.  Into this sea, the great rivers Herdil, Geihon, Kur and Aras enter. In that province there is a grand city named Tellis, with suburbs and fortified posts around it.  The inhabitants are Armenians, Georgian Christians, with few Mohammedans and Jews.  Now, having told you of the boundaries of Armenia to the North, I will describe those to the south and east.
Notes:-

1. A league = 5.556 kilometres on sea and 4.83 kilometres on land.

2. Lent is the religious observance in  preparation for Easter. The day before Lent is Shrove day.

End of this Section 
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