'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1383] (438/688)

NI8—NIZ
1383
Hisn-al-Labas, Khandul, and Harashat, each on a commanding knoll, cover the
approaches to the town. They are manned by very small garrisons in time of peace.
Nisab being unwalled and containing a large non-combatant and alien population (about
60 per cent, being merchants from Hadhramaut) would stand little chance if seriously
attacked.— {G. W. Bury, J an.'Mar. 1899.)
NISAH (W adi)—
A tributary of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hanifah {q.v.), rising dear Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Abaljilat which winds along the
southern border of Dhrumah.
NISASIL—
One of the inland quarters of Masqat town {q.v.).
NISHAIR—
A fendy of the Dawasir tribe {q-v.) of Southern Naid; 'AmmSr sub-division of the
Al Hasan.
NISHSASH.—
A locality, with water, in Dhafrah {q.v.) in Trucial 'Oman.
NISHTUN—
A small settlement on the south coast of Arabia in a sandy bight in Qamar Bay,
2 miles northward of Ras Fintas.— {R. S. and G. of A. Pilot.).
NIZAR—
One of the two main parts of the town of Izki {q.v.), of 'Oman Proper.
NIZARI—
One of the two Arabian stocks to which the 'Oman races profess to belong, the other
being the Qahtani, or Yamami. The latter are regarded by some as being the first
Arab settlers in 'Oman ; while the Nizaris (or 'Adnanis), whose pedigree is perhaps less
pure, were for the most part later immigrants.
KlZUK—
A hamlet in the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al-Hoqain section of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Bani Ghafir {q.v.) in the 'Oman
Sultanate.
NIZWA—•
A town of 'Omftn Proper in the Sultanate of 'Oman, the most central of the district,
situated at an elevation of 1,900 feet above the sea near the foot of Jabal Akhdhar, some
20 miles west of Izki and about the same east of Bhalah. The place is divided into an
Alayah or upper town and a SifSlah or lower town, which are separated by WSdi Kalbu;
the Alayah is on the east bank and is the further up-stream. The water-supply of the
'Alayah depends on a stream called Daris, that of the Sifalah on one called Ghunduq.
Another whdi, Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al-Abyadh, traverses the town and joins WSdi Kalbu near the
market-place. Date groves succeed one another continuously upon the lower course of the
Wfidi from Nizwa down to Raddah, and the number of the palms is estimated at 25,000.
The houses of Nizwa are of stone, and many are two storeys high, but the streets are
narrow. The fort of Nizwa, in the Sifalah, is reputed the strongest in 'Omftn : it consists
of a hisn or large quadrangular enclosure, in one comer of which stands a huge cirular
tower or keep, known as the QaFah. The whole construction rests on a solid base which
rises to a considerable height above the level of the plain.
The population may be 6,000, and many tribes are represented, especially the Bani
Riyam (500 houses), Bani Hina (300 houses), Al Bu Sa'id (250 houses), Bani Rashid (80
houses), 'AwSmir of the Aulfid Saif section (40 houses), Kunfid (40 houses), Hirth (10
houses), Bani Hadhram (10 houses), and Bani Ruwahah (4 houses): besides these there are
about 40 houses of mixed tribes including some Bayatirah of the Aulad Subah section.
The Bani Riyam are found in the ' Alayah, also called Samad-al-Kindi, and their Shaikh
in 1902 wa« one of the principal Shaikhs of the Bani Riyam ; he had at that time some
influence with the Bani Riyara of Jabal Akhdhar and maintained a .blood-feud with
hie brother, the Shaikh of Tanuf.