Alborz

For other uses, see Alborz (disambiguation).

Mount Damavand, Iran's tallest mountain is located in the Alborz mountain range.

Alborz ( listen (help·info) Persian: البرز), also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The tallest mountain in West Asia, Mount Damavand,Amol is located in the range.

The Alborz mountain range forms a barrier between the south Caspian and the Qazvin-Tehran plateau. It is only 60–130 km wide and consists of sedimentary series dating from Upper Devonian to Oligocene, prevalently Jurassic limestone over a granite core. Its higher elevations, in the Elburz Range forest steppe ecoregion, are arid with few trees, but its northern slopes, in the Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests ecoregion, are lush and forested.

Zoroastrians may identify the range with the dwelling place of the Peshyotan, and the Zoroastrian Ilm-e-Kshnoom sect identify Mount Davamand as the home of the Saheb-e-Dilan ('Masters of the Heart'). In his epic Shahnameh, the poet Ferdowsi speaks of the mountains "as though they lay in India."^[1] This could reflect older usage, for numerous high peaks were given the name and some even reflect it to this day, for example, Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains, and Mount Elbariz (Albariz, Jebal Barez) in the Kirman area above the Straits of Hormuz. As recently as the 19th century, a peak in the northernmost range in the Hindu Kush system, just south of Balkh, was recorded as Mount Elburz in British army maps. All these names reflect the same Iranian language compound, and share an identification as the legendary mountain Harā Bərəzaitī of the Avesta.

Also due to its great snowy winters there are several ski resorts, some consider that a few of these are among the best in the world^[who?]. Some of most important ones are Dizin, Shemshak, Tochal, and Darbandsar.

Etymology

The name Elbrus is derived by metathesis from Alborz. The name Alborz is derived from that of Harā Bərəzaitī, a legendary mountain in the Avesta. Harā Bərəzaitī reflects Proto-Iranian *Harā Bṛzatī. *Bṛzatī is the feminine form of the adjective *bṛzant- "high", the ancestor of modern Persian boland (بلند) and Barz/Berazandeh. Harā may be interpreted as "watch" or "guard", from an Indo-European root *ser- "protect". In Middle Persian, Harā Bərəzaitī became Harborz, Modern Persian Alborz, which is cognate with Elbrus.^[1]

Mounts, summits, alpine lakes and attractions

• Mount Damavand Amol
• Tochal mount and summit
• Tangeh Savashi, A popular attraction
• Alam Kuh
• Alamut
• Dizin
• Ovan lake
• List of mountains in Iran

Map of central Alborz	Peaks:	1 `Alam Kūh
-25 to 500 m   500 to 1500 m   1500 to 2500 m   2500 to 3500 m   3500 to 4500 m   4500 to 5671 m	2 Āzād Kūh	3 Damāvand
	4 Do Berar	5 Do Khaharan
	6 Ghal`eh Gardan	7 Gorg
	8 Kholeno	9 Mehr Chal
	10 Mīšīneh Marg	11 Naz
	12 Shah Alborz	13 Sīālān
	14 Tochal	15 Varavašt
	Rivers:	0
	1 Alamūt	2 Chālūs
	3 Do Hezār	4 Harāz
	5 Jājrūd	6 Karaj
	7 Kojūr	8 Lār
	9 Nūr	10 Sardāb
	11 Seh Hazār	12 Shāh Rūd
	Cities:	1 Āmol
	2 Chālūs	3 Karaj
	Other:	D Dīzīn
	E Emāmzādeh Hāšem	K Kandovān Tunnel
	* Latīān Dam	** Lār Dam

Source

• North, S.J.R., Guide to Biblical Iran, Rome 1956, p. 50

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Encyclopedia, "Alborz", W. Eilers

External links

	Iran portal
	Geography portal

• Alborz Mountains, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• Maps, Photos and a List of peaks
• Astronomy Picture of the Day: May 3, 2008

Coordinates: 36°4′33″N 51°47′46″E / 36.07583°N 51.79611°E / 36.07583; 51.79611