‘The Oriental geography of Ebn Haukal, an Arabian traveller of the tenth century’ [‎250] (303/388)

There is a mountain called dJjC> Zarkah, in the vicinity of
Bokhara; it goes between Samarcand and Kesh, and joins
the border of Ferghaneh, and jljbi Atrar, and goes on towards
the confines of Cheen ; and this mountain is skirted by a desert in
the borders of Ferghaneh and Ailak, as far as Q Jer-
jereh.
In Ferghaneh there are mines of sal-ammoniac, and of copperas
or vitriol, of iron, and quicksilver, and brass; also of gold, and of
turquoise stone; and in this mountain there are springs of naphta,
and of bitumen, and resin; also a stone that takes fire and burns.
There is, likewise, water, which in summer is frozen, and in the
depth of winter is warm. There are some districts of Bokhara
within the walls, and some without: of those within the walls,
-Touaveis is the most considerable town ; it is walled,
and at a stated time, once every year, the people assemble in it
from Maweralnahr : it has pleasant gardens, and orchards, and
running streams, and an ancient castle, with suburbs, and a
mosque : the inhabitants manufacture linen.
The other towns within the walls are nearly of equal size one
with another. Kerjinet is a large town;
Jerghaneket, and Medrnamehelet are of equal size.
Every town of the territories ot Bokhara has a district belonging
to it, except Beikend, which has not any village, but con
tains near a thousand Rebats.