'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. IV. 1917' [‎215r] (434/530)

AMADIYEH—BASH QAL'AH
425
(iii) To Seknnis. (See Boute 73.)
(iv) To Van via Khoshab. (See JRouies 74 a and b.)
(v) To Dilman, (See JRoute 75.)
(vi) To Dizeh. (See Route 65.)
General Description. —Bash Qarah lies on the W. edge of a culti
vated plain which on the E. stretches to the Zab (here generally
called the Albak Su) about 5 m. distant. Immediately W. of the
town rises a steep range of hills, and some of the houses are built on
the lower slopes. On a spur above the town are the ruins of a
Kurdish castle which are clearly visible for some miles on the road
from Julamerk. Many of the houses are well built of sun-dried
brick, and the principal streets are wide and fairly clean. The
Turkish barracks are in the centre of the town : they consist of two
low buildings of sun-dried brick.
The importance of Bash Qal'ah arises from its position in a fertile
plain at the junction of roads from Van, from Dilman across the
Persian frontier, and from the Hakkiari country to the S. and
SW. For this reason it was before the war a Turkish military
centre, and its garrison had to watch both the tribes of the Persian
frontier and those in the mountains to the S.
Climate. —The high altitude and exposed position of Bash Qal'ah
make its winter climate extremely severe, and snow lies until late
in the year.
Supplies and Commerce. —The cultivated plain towards the Zab is
irrigated by several streams from the N., and produces wheat, barley,
millet, and sesame. Fruit and vegetables are usually brought from
the Salmas plain and from Urmia. Excellent grass is found in the
spring and early summer in meadows along the Zab and on the
neighbouring slopes. Water is to be obtained from several springs
at the foot of the hills and from streams.
There is a small bazaar frequented by the tribesmen of the neigh
bouring mountain regions. Good smith's and carpenter's work is
done here. Bash Qal'ah was before the war an important point of
transit for caravans going between Urmia and Van.
Inhabitants. —The town is inhabited principally by Kurds, but
there were considerable Armenian and Jewish communities and also
a few Persians. There was a massacre of Armenians and Nestorians
in the town and district in the summer of 1915.
Administration. —Bash Qal'ah was the seat of government of the
Hakkiari Scmjaq in the Vilayet of Van, and was therefore under a
Mutessarif. The garrison in summer consisted of one or two
battalions of Nizam and a mountain battery.