For nearly 150 years, the secret society of the Assassins used subterfuge, intimidation, and even assassination to control the Middle East, from Syria to Persia. Carried out from a remote castle in northwest Iran, called the Alamut, this vast reign of terror was reaching its zenith in the early 12th century. But by 1256, the Assassins had disappeared without a trace and their strongholds became ruins. This is the account of the Alamut Valley exploration that in 1960 recorded the social and archaeological history of the castles, the valley, and its ruthless inhabitants. AUTHOR: Peter Willey is a member of the Explorers Club of America and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Geographical Society. 32 photographs, 11 maps