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17. BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE 249
habitation in the Mergazur valley which, being shielded from the sun, is a much cooler environment than the
other side of the mountain range (Fig. 17.03); 51 the same pass was also used by the Herki tribal Kurds and their
livestock on their way to Iran, via Mergazur and Kelishin, 52 crossing the Greater Zab with the help of a wooden
bridge that they assembled at Pira Sar gorge at Shanidar for the occasion 53 . The Baradost pass through the
mountains is well suited to move the rich spoils taken by Sargon from Musasir to Assyria, including ‘6110
people [plus Urzana’s family], twelve mules, 380 donkeys, 525 cattle and 1235 sheep’. 54 It was into the same
Andaruttu mountains that Rusa pursued Urzana when he was trying to flee from Musasir to Assyria. 55
Fig. 17.03. The passage through the Baradost mountain range (reproduced from Solecki 1979: 319).
51 Solecki 1979: 319-321. The map of the area given on p. 319 (and reproduced here) corresponds to the one in Solecki et al. 2004: 121
fig. 1.
52 Solecki 1971: 108.
53 Solecki 1971: 103-104, 108-111, with interesting observations about the construction of the bridge in 1952 and about the tolls charged
to each family for the passage of their livestock (but not the people): two Iraqi fils for each sheep or goat and twenty fils for each horse or
donkey.
54 Sg 8: 349.
55 Salvini 1984; André-Salvini & Salvini 2002 (= CTU A 10-3 obv. 46', A 10-4 obv. 19', A 10-5 obv. 16').