In Herbert’s later editions the maydan seems to have grown, being described as: “a thousand paces from North to South, and from East to West above two hundred”[1].
Herbert was not the only traveller who struggled to measure the maydan. I had already myself noticed how wildly different all the measurements were, when I came upon Curzon’s description of the “absurd” variety of “independent visions” as given by the “principal [he means European] historians of Isfahan”[2].
Herbert’s later editions catered for a more international audience in not only comparing the maydan with London’s Royal Exchange, but also with the Place Royal in Paris. There was also more architectural detail, most fully developed in the 1677 edition:
“the building is of Sun-dried brick; and an uninterrupted[3] building; the inside full of shops, each shop filled with wares of sundry sorts; arched above (in Cupolo’s,) tarras-wise framed at top, and with blue plaister pargetted”[4].
Herbert’s descriptions, with the maximised measurements, hint at the“massive scale and orderly disposition” that Babaie has suggested was important to the Persians[5].
[1] Thomas Herbert, Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan (London, 1665 – hereafter referred to as ‘TH 1665’), 170.
[2] George N. Curzon, Persia and the Persian Question, II/26.
[3] Earlier editions use the word “joynt” rather than “uninterrupted”.
[4] Thomas Herbert, Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan (London, 1677), 162 – hereafter referred to TH 1677.
[5] Sussan Babaie, Isfahan and its Palaces, 89-90.
[6] Pietro della Valle, Les Fameux Voyages de Pietro della Valle, Gentilhomme Romain surnomme L’Illustre Voyageur, avec un denombrement tres-exact des choses les plus curieuses, & les plus remarquables … (Paris: Chez Gervais Clouzier, 1670, Pt 2, 40-1.