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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [106r] (216/738)
The record is made up of 1 volume (365 folios). It was created in 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
RELIGION
205
time of the first Ommayad are held by the Shhites to have
been all illegitimate. The Shihtes expect a reincarnation of
their last ‘ Imam ’ to resume the broken line of succession and
they will not recognize any khalif whose title is based on
descent or on inheritance from the ‘Abbasite khalifs.
In Syria both the main division between Moslem and
Christian (or Jew), and the subdivisions of the Moslem and
Christian faiths constitute lines of cleavage that are more
noticeable and influential than racial distinctions. Internal
rivalries and conflicts arise from these and each separate reli
gious association has a kind of tribal or political significance.
The Ottoman Government, willingly or unwillingly, has treated
the various Moslem and Christian communities as in a measure
separate political entities
Christians
Of all the Christian communities of Syria the Maronite
Church perhaps most directly represents the ancient church
of the country as it was before the Arab conquest. Its adhe
rents are also more numerous than those of any other com
munion (? 300,000). Two-thirds of them live in Lebanon and
the remainder in some of the larger towns (Aleppo, Beirut,
Damascus, Tripoli). Since the time of the Crusades they have
been in close relation with the Roman Church and are now in
full communion with it, although their liturgy is distinct and
their clergy may marry. They were definitely recognized by
the Roman Church in 1445 (Council of Florence) and received
their present constitution in 1736. The language of their
liturgy is ancient Syriac.
The name Maronite, according to some, is derived from
Saint Marun, who is said to have died in a.d. 400, 1 according
to others from Marun their first patriarch (a.d. 685-707).
The official title of the head of the Maronite Church is
Patriarch of Antioch and of the whole East. His residence is
1 The Druses and Metawileh, their neighbours, assert that Marun had only-
one eye ; and if any one wishes to raise the ire of a Maronite, all he has to do
is to put his hand over his eye.
About this item
- Content
Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the Handbook of Asia Minor , Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).'
'Contents. Chapters:
- I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)
- II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)
- III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)
- IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)
- V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)
- VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)
- VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)
- VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)
- IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)
- X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)
- XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)
- XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)
- XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)
- XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)
- XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)
- XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)
- XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)
- XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)
- XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)
- XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)
- XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)
- Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)
- Index, p 669 (folio 338)
- Plates, p 725' [missing]
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (365 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15
- Title
- 'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:366v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence