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ACROSS THE ARAK PLAIN AND IN ERIVAN 151
seeing some finds dating from the Stone or Bronze Age, with
some skulls of a decidedly long shape, like all the early
Armenian crania that have been dug up. This is the more
remarkable in view of the fact that the Armenians of to-day
are extremely short-skulled (index about 86-88). It seems to
indicate that there used to be a long-skulled people living here,
as there was in Georgia, and that this region cannot have been
the original home of the short-skulled Armenian race.
During the same morning wc also went to see the university.
It is a stately building, standing in a beautiful garden near
the upper end of the main street. Wc were received by the
Rector and all the professors, and were shown round the
various institutes. It is a new university, still in the making
and with very modest means at its disposal. But the progress
already made in spite of all difficulties is remarkable. I was
not a little surprised to meet a professor who addressed me
in Norwegian and had been in Norway. This was Dr. J.
Bedelian, Professor of Botany, who has studied botany in
Copenhagen, and has twice visited Norway, travelling as far
as the North Cape. A very charming man.
After seeing the buildings wc were tåken round the garden,
where various experiments in agriculture were being carried
on. In connection with the university there is an agricultural
college. New buildings were in course of construction to
serve as laboratories, etc. Under some shady trees was a
long table with delicious apricots, cherries, and wine, which
were most refreshing in the sweltering heat. Several of the
professors made speeches, in German or English, in our
honour ; and the Rector informed me that I had been created
an honorary doctor of the university.
In the afternoon I went for a stroll round the town by
myself. Here and there one can find relics of its changing
history, which are interesting, even if they are not of any
great antiquity. I made my way up to the old fortress perched
on the edge of the precipice above the Zanga gorge, with its
high walls and its projecting bastions and merlons over
hanging the sheer face of the cliff. Cemented on to the sloping
roofs of the overhanging merlons were quantities of sharp
bits of glass, which would tear to pieces the hands of anyone
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