'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [‎228] (237/568)

228
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Embroidery. —Much embroidery in silk and gold thread is produced
at Baghdad and Diarbekr.
Dyeing.— A. dyeing industry exists at the weaving centres. On the
dyes used see p. 212.
Tanning and Leather Work. —Tanning is one of the principal
industries of Baghdad. The tanneries are mostly in the suburb of
Mo'adhdham, where in 1908 there were 40 establishments turning
out about 5,000 sheepskins a week. There are smaller tanneries at
Kazimain. The industry exists on a fairly large scale at Mosul and
Diarbekr. The tannin used comes chiefly from Kurdish galls; there
is some production of sumach-tanned leather at Mosul. On the export
of tanned skins and hides to Europe and America see pp. 220-2.
Local and imported leathers supply various industries at Baghdad,
Mosul, and Diarbekr, and especially the manufacture of native shoes
and boots. There was a Turkish military boot- factory An East India Company trading post. at Baghdad.
Boat-building. —The native boats in use on the rivers of Irak are
built at a number of towns and villages. (On the different types of
craft see pp. 288-90.) Maheilehs and large are built at Basra,
at Sangar (on the right bank of the Shatt el-'Arab about 8 miles
below Basra) and at Mohammareh. Smaller craft and other
types) are built at several places on the Euphrates, e. g. Suq esh-
Shuyukh, Samaweh, Shinafiyeh, Umm el-Ba'rur, Hindiyeh (Tawarlj),
and Hit. Mashhufs are built especially at Suq esh-Shuyukh and on
the Tigris at Qal'at Salih. The Sabians of southern Irak are noted
boat-builders.
The shaJchturs used on the middle Euphrates were before the war
constructed at Birijek. During the war a has apparently
been established at Jerablus.
The Tteleks used on the middle Tigris are put together at Diarbekr
and Mosul.
Metal-worJc. —This is produced at all the principal towns of Meso
potamia. The Sabian gold- and silver-smiths of lower Mesopotamia
(at Amara, Suq esh-Shuyukh and Shatrat el-Muntefiq) have a great
local reputation. The copper-smiths of Baghdad manufacture boilers,
kettles, coffee-pots, and large copper dishes. Other towns where a
good deal of copper and iron work is produced are Diarbekr, Mardln,
and Mosul.
J.rw5.—There has been some manufacture of arms in the towns,
especially in Kurdistan. At Suleimaniyeh there is a manufacture of
rifles, for which there is a good market among the Kurds of the
neighbourhood. The model for these weapons is the Martini-Peabody
American patent, but the bore is that of the Russian Berdan rifle,
and the cartridges used have been of Russian manufacture. One