'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎73v] (151/312)

AMADIYEH AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY.
The town of Amadiyeh is built on a rock terrace of hard sandstone,
forming a bold isolated spur from the steep ridge, the Ser Amadiyeh, immedi
ately to the north of it.
The terrace or plateau is oval in shape, 1,400 yards long and 550 yards broad
{see plan), and is everywhere surrounded by limestone cliffs from 50 to 80 feet
high ; the lower slopes are very steep and consist of clay soil strewn with
boulders.
The town occupies the northern part of the plateau, and a large portion of
the remainder is occupied by graves. At the extreme southern angle is a ruined
castle built by one of the last Begs of Rawanduz after he sacked this place.
The houses of the town have Hat earth roofs, and are built of stones from
the ruins around.
There are two gates—one at the north-east side of the plateau, and the
other on the west.
The town is mostly in ruins, and only about 500 houses are now inhabited.
The population numbers 2 , 000 , mostly Kurds, with some Jews.
The bazar is small and ill-supplied, built partially among the ruins. A
light woollen cloth called “ munuz” is much used by the Kurds. It is very
strong and durable. Various dried fruits, raisins, plums, and apricots, cheese
and the curdled milk known as yaurt, were on sale. There are several smith's
shops for repair of Kurdish weapons, knives, &c.
Both gates are ornamented with iron work and there are some curious
carvings of snake-like figures on the rock at the west gate.
Overlooking the east gate is a large square building in a dilapidated con
dition, but solidly built of large blocks of stone. It is used as the serai or
offices of the kaimmakam and barracks for the 40 zaptiyahs who are quartered
here. There are no regular troops; and the surrounding districts, which were
very lawless formerly, are now peaceable. Muhammad Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Mosul
in 1812 besieged and bombarded the east gate from a height about 1,500
yards distant (marked A on the plan). Shot marks are still visible on the
butresses of the gate.
The old castle at the south end consists of a masonry wall 3 '{to 4 " thick and
20 ' high, drawn across the end of the plateau cutting off a space about 200
yards each way and containing two bastions. Along the edge of the cliff is a
low masonry wall with embrasures and loopholes. The castle has absolute
command over all the country to the south. The only point from which
guns can be brought to bear on the plateau is from the small spur previously
mentioned.
The summit of the Ser Amadiyeh range to the north is about 3,000 yards
distant to the north. It commands all the plateau, but the summit is a line of
steep jagged cliffs almost impossible for mountain artillery to climb.
An old bronze howitzer lay dismantled in the castle. It was about a 20 -pr.,
and much scored with firing. It was in a small bastion looking north on the
spur from which the bombardment took place. The chief peculiarity of it was
four large iron rings, two on either side, meant to carry it on poles slung
between mules, something like a “ takhtarwan.” It was 3 ' 6 " long and 51"
calibre. Its weight was about 10 ewt., which is considerably more than our
mountain gun of 400 lbs. This seems a good method for moving a com
paratively heavy gun over rough paths.