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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [111r] (226/738)
The record is made up of 1 volume (365 folios). It was created in 1919. 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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
RELIGION
215
They are a branch of the party which for about two centuries
was dominant in Egypt and the neighbouring countries under
the Fatimite dynasty. The schism started by Hasan Sabbah
aimed in the first place at a change of dynasty. The method
of the society was to seize and occupy fortresses, and in Syria
their strongholds were mostly in the Jebel Ansariyeh. In time
their fortresses in Persia and Syria were taken from them by
Mongol and Egyptian sovereigns, and the head-quarters of the
sect were eventually transferred to India, where its head is
called the Agha Khan. This potentate is recognized by the
community in Syria and members of rival sects have an idea
that he is a woman, who sends yearly to collect money,
obtaining a few piastres from even the poorest. Little is
known of their doctrines and practices. A traveller asserts
that every female born on 27th Rejeb is supposed by them to
be an incarnation of the Deity. She never works; her hair and
nails are never cut, and she may not marry. Every man of the
village wears a piece of her clothing or of her hair in his turban.
Since the Turkish occupation of Egypt and Syria little or
nothing has been heard of any activities on their part in the
way of ‘ assassinating ’, or of their hypnotizing themselves
with the decoction of hemp (hashish) whence some authorities
suppose their name to be derived.
Ansariyeh or Nuseiriyeh
The Ansariyeh (not more than 100,000) live in the hills of
northern Syria (Jebel Ansariyeh). They have, besides, colonies
outside this area, as at Mersina, Tarsus, and Adana. They have
been a very insubordinate element in the Ottoman Empire
and also under previous rulers of Syria. The name perhaps
occurs in Pliny in the form Nazerini and may therefore be very
old. At the present day it is generally derived from the Arabic
name Nuseir, diminutive of Nasr. The sect was in existence
at the beginning of the fifth Islamic century; and the doctrines
cited as characteristic of it at that time are identical with those
which are held by its adherents now. It is an extravagant
form of Shi‘ism, in which divinity is assigned to ‘Ali son of
About this item
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Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the Handbook of Asia Minor , Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).'
'Contents. Chapters:
- I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)
- II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)
- III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)
- IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)
- V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)
- VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)
- VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)
- VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)
- IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)
- X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)
- XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)
- XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)
- XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)
- XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)
- XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)
- XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)
- XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)
- XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)
- XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)
- XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)
- XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)
- Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)
- Index, p 669 (folio 338)
- Plates, p 725' [missing]
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (365 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; 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. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15
- Title
- 'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:366v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence