'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME I' [‎352r] (724/820)

Zlarat .. This represents a group of Atsara or small villages
containing 50 or 60 families each.
A wooden dome in Ziarat contains the tomb of
Imamzadeh Hamza, son of Musa Raza. Ziarat
is said by the natives to contain about 1,500 to
2,000 gardens, but the number is exaggerated.
These villages ;are situated about 2 miles to the
north-west of the town of Shirvan.
Husainabad
100-n
Villages situated to the west of the town of Shir
Tada
. 100 l
’Abdabad
100 [
van.
Raza-abad .,
. 30 J
The villages to the east of Shirvan belong to Kuchan.
The total population of the Shirvan sub-division, including the
town of Shirvan (2,000 families), is estimated at about 3,500 families or
~ about 14,000 souls.
A large quantity of silk used to be formerly produced in the district,
but the output has been considerably reduced of late.
Large quantities of fruit, wheat and cotton are cultivated at present and
exported to Russian territory .—{Mania Bakhsh.)
SHIRVAN (No. 2) (Town)—Lat. 37° 24' 6"; Long. 57° 55' 45"; Elev.
3,511'—( Lemm ).—
A large and important town in northern Khorasan, situated on the left
bank of the Atrak river, about 110 miles north-west of Meshed. It has
a population of about 2,000 families, nearly all Turks of the Garili tribe
who speak Turk!.
The town is built on an oblong, with sides of 600 by 300 yards, and sur
rounded by a high, loop-holed wall, very much in disrepair. There are two
gates—the Kuchan and Bujnurd darvdzehs ; there is one good street, which
leads from the first-named gate to the west to the Khan’s house; the rest
axe all irregular and narrow. At the south-west corner there is a mound
about 100 feet high and with a diameter of about 300 yards at the base,
on which is built the citadel, which completely commands the town, but
which is itself also under the command of the hills on the south. About
half the space enclosed in the walls is a mass of ruins and a large part of the
remainder is taken up by gardens. The water-supply is good and ample,
and the climate is considered to be the best in Khorasan ; there are, how
ever, occasional outbreaks of cholera, sometimes of extreme severity.
There is a telegraph office in the town and a certain amount of trade,
the principal imports being Russian piece-goods, sugar and kerosine oil,
which come from Askhabad via Kuchan. There are several Russian
Armenian traders who deal in piece-goods, etc., and export raisins and
wheat to Askhabad .—{Schindler ; Temple.)
SHlRVlN (No. 3) (Village)—
A village in Khorasan, 34 miles from Khaf towards Yazd. Water and
forage are procurable, and there are large flocks of sheep grazing in the
vicinity.— {Christie.)