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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917' [356] (365/432)
The record is made up of 1 volume (214 folios). It was created in 1917. 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
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356
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS
the plain and undulating country which surrounds the town and in the
district of Shemamlik to the SSW. Some rice is also grown in the
neighbourhood. In the hills to ENE., supplies of fruit, vegetables,
and firewood can be obtained among the Kurdish tribes, who bring
them into Erbil for sale. The capacities of Erbil as a supply centre
are increased by its position at the meeting-point of numerous
routes. In October most of the streams are dry, but abundant
water can be obtained from karez and wells. There is a large
karez, led first through an open brick duct 3 ft. above the ground
and 4 ft. broad, where animals are watered, and then into a large
masonry tank and other channels. It is excellent water if taken
where it enters the duct, but becomes contaminated lower
down. Water is carried to the upper town on skins slung on
ponies and donkeys. The neighbouring tribes bring wool and hides
to sell in Erbil, and articles are locally manufactured from these raw
products. There is much transit commerce of goods passing between
the Kurdish and Persian hills and Mesopotamia.
Inhabitants. —The population is mainly Kurdish, of the Babari
tribe. Their language is a variation of the Mukri dialect. There is
also a certain Turkoman element, and Turkoman is understood.
Administration and Authorities. —The place is the head-quarters of
a Kaza under Kirkuk Sanjaq. The land-taxes are said to produce
£T90,000 a year, of which one-third comes from land owned by the
Dd'irat es-Saniyeh. In peace time the garrison consisted of one
battalion.
HIT, on the r. bank of the Euphrates, 79^ m. by river above
Eellujeh, and 119-| m. below Anah.
Pop. estimated (1909) at 1,600. Houses estimated at 600. P.O.,
T. (Baghdad—Aleppo line).
River Routes. —For communication by the Euphrates see
IV E, F.
Land Routes—
(i) Baghdad—Aleppo caravan road passes through Hit. (See
Boute 46.)
(ii) To Damascus across the desert. (See 52.)
(iii) To Mosul across the desert. No details available.
General Description. —Hit is a small walled town with two gates,
built of field stones plastered with mud. It stands upon a mound
on the river-bank which is precipitous to the plain, and slopes less
About this item
- Content
This volume is A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume III, Central Mesopotamia with Sourthern Kurdistan and the Syrian Desert (Admiralty War Staff Intelligence Division, January, 1917), covering the Tigris and Euphrates from Baghdad and Fellūjeh [Fallujah] to Mosul and Meskeneh [Maskanah], the Lesser Zāb, the country east of the Tigris towards the Persian frontier, and the routes running westward from the Euphrates valley across the Syrian Desert. The volume was prepared on behalf of the Admiralty and War Office, and appears to be based on official and unofficial publications and maps which are cited in a bibliographical section in the volume. This volume was supplemented with corrections and additions in June 1918 (see IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/5).
The volume includes a note on confidentiality, a title page, 'Note', 'Abbreviations'. There is a page of 'Contents' which includes the following sections:
- Introduction;
- River Routes (The Tigris and the Lesser Zāb, The Euphrates);
- Land Routes (The Tigris Valley with Region to East, The Euphrates Valley, Connexions between Tigris and Euphrates Valleys, The Syrian Desert);
- Gazetteer of Towns;
- Bibliographical Note;
- Transliteration of Names;
- Glossary;
- Appendix;
- Index;
- 'Sketch Map of Routes', which includes 'City Map of Baghdad' (f. 212) and 'Mesopotamia: Outline Map Showing Routes, Volume III' contained in a pocket.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (214 folios)
- Arrangement
This volume is arranged according to numbered routes. There is a page of contents and an alphabetical index. There are two maps housed in a pocket.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover and terminates at the inside back cover; 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 (except for the front cover, where the folio number is located on the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. ).
Pagination: The volume also has an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/4
- Title
- 'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1:422, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence