The striking diversity of the South African population is the result not only of comparatively recent migrations but of a long process of which but a small part is known to historians. Of the whole process, perhaps the last three or four centuries have been adequately documented.
The ancient land of Persia has been officially known by its present
name, Iran, since 1935, but the two names, one from Pars, homeland of
the ancient ruling dynasties, and one from Aryan, are used synonymously
