Caspian Sea

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

The Caspian Sea, was named at first the Sea of Chosar, from a great Granchild of Noah: Nubius in his Geography stiles it the Sea of Thavisthan. The Moors call it and the Gulph of Arabia, Bohar Corsuin; the Persians call both Kulsum; the Greek and Latin Writers, the Caspian and Hyrcanian Sea; the Muscovites, Gualenskoy-more. The Antients generally thought it a Bay of the Great Indian Ocean, or that it had some Communication with the Euxine Sea. Though a vast number of Rivers fall into this Sea, yet it is not perceived any way to increase. It is in length from North to South 120 Miles, in breadth 90. Some represent it 800 Miles long and 650 broad. In the Winter for the most part frozen. It is in effect no other than a great Lake. The Waters of it are as salt as any other; yet it neither Ebs nor flows, nor has any Islands. This Sea has the Kingdom of Astracan on the North, Persia on the South, Circassia on the West, and Caratansca on the East.

The. Hyreanian Sea, Mare Hyrcanium, takes this ancient well known Name from this Province: but it is no less frequently called, both in Ancient and Modern Geographers and Historians, the Caspian Sea. This Sea is called by various Names according to the Countries which do border upon it. It was anciently called the Sea of Chosar, from the eldest Son of Th•garma, a Great Grand-child of Noah, by Japhet. Nubius, in his Geography, calls it the Sea of Tavisthan; the Arabians Baharcorsum; the Persians Kulsum; (as they do also the Persian Gulph.) The Greek and Latin Authors, Mare Hyrcanium, or Mare Caspium; the Persians call it also the Sea of Baku; the Muscovites, Gualenskoi-More. The Ancients generally thought it had a communication with the Indian Ocean; which is not true: for it has no communication with any other Sea in the World known; and therefore may most properly be called the Mediterranean Sea: this was known to Aristotle, and Herodotus of old. Its greatest extent is from North to South, (that is, from Astrachan, to Ferabath,) eight deg. of the Equator; or one hundred and twenty German Miles, or four hundred and eighty English Miles: its Breadth from the Province of Chuaresin, to the Mountains of Circassia (or Shirwan,) is six deg. or ninety German Miles, or three hundred and sixty English Miles. The Waters are in the middle as salt as those of any other Sea whatsoever; but it neither Ebbs nor Flows, as all the rest do, which have any Intercourse with the Ocean. It hath in a manner never a safe Harbor upon it: the best is Minkischlak, or Manguslave, on the side of the Grand Tartary. The Water is of the same colour with that of other Seas: it has but one Island in it, and that lies towards Persia, called Ensil, which has never an House in it. Thus far Olearius, who Travelled over it in 1636. It is generally very shallow, and flat; therefore in Tempests dangerous to those that Sail upon it: the Persians never trust to it, and rarely go out of sight of the Shoar. This Sea has on the North the Kingdom of Astrachan, and Negaia; on the East Chuaresm; on the South, the Kingdom of Persia; and on the West Georgia: it receives there above an hundred Rivers which fall into it, many of which are very great; as the Wolga, the Araxis or Cyrus, the Keisilosein, the Bustrow, the Aksay, and the Koisu: towards the North, are the Rivers of Jaika, and Jems; towards the South and East the Nios, Oxus, and the Oxentes, which Curtius calls Tanais: Olearius assures us, that in twenty days Travel between Roschot and Schamakap, he crossed above fourscore Rivers great and small.