The exact site of the city in
Carmania is still unknown but several locations have been proposed: • The most commonly cited location is the village of
Gulashkird,
Iran (Lat. 27° 56' 57"
N Long. 57° 17' 57"
E) • The unexplored
ruins to the north and northwest of Gulishkird. showing Alexandria. • The village of
Gav Koshi nearby to the
east of Gulishkird has also been popular. •
Sykes says it was in
Rudbar 5
km north of Gulishkird, based on surface finds of
Greek pottery he made in that location. • A less likely option is the village of
Shahr-i Dakyanus (Town of the
emperor Decius) near
Jiroft,
Iran. • Sites at
Sirjan and
Tepe Yahya have also been postulated. •
Fraser, taking a typically conservative position thinks that Alexandria in Carmainai never existed. • The
1569 world map of
Gerardus Mercator, taken from
Ptolemy's second century
world map, shows Alexandria Carmania further to the
west on the Salarus River, in the
arid area north of the modern town of
Haregī, Iran. The main contenders are all within a few
kilometres of each other and that area would seem a logical one. Provided with reliable water from the Minab river, the location was on the convergence of the main passes from
Afghanistan, the route into
Gedrosia and had good access to the nearby
Indian Ocean ports at
Hormosia. The location would also provide control of the arable parts of Carmania. The city still existed in the
medieval period being known as Camadi, when
Marco Polo visited. If Galashkird is the now lost city it was described by
Arab geographer Mukaddasi who described it as "a strongly fortified town with a
castle Kushah," and lush orchards and fields supported by extensive
qanat irrigation. ==See also==