'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎216v] (437/470)

A type of quartz or marble is called “ marmar,” and is used as marble in the
houses.
Sulphur is not uncommon, and, before the coming of matches, was used to make a
kind of match.
Silver is said to exist.
5. Fauna and Flora. — {a) The fauna of the district are the usual fauna
familiar to us in the plains, except that the camel is not common in the Kifri district,
and, in addition to the animals of the plain, there are to be found animals more
common to hills and colder climates. The leopard is not unknown: a pair are said to
have been seen last May near Kellar on the Diyalah. The black pig is at present
very abundant in the forests of the Fiyalah. A large mountain goat—resembling the
llama—is found in the hills, and its wool fetches a high price. The wolf, wild cat,
fox, and hare are common. Large snakes are found. The Diyalah shelters, besides
large fish, a turtle which grows to nearly as large a size as those seen in the larger
rivers in India.
{b) The flora resemble those of the plains, except that dates do not thrive so
well, while vines produce a particularly luscious grape. The vines of Qarah Tappah
were famous before the war, but they were cut down by the Turkish soldiery. Fruit
trees flourish. A gum root is collected, called “ Arab qozi.” Flowers include the
oleander and the hollyhock.
6. Hygiene. — Malaria is the worst and most prevalent disease in Kifri. Kifri
town has now the reputation of having a bad climate. During the last hot weather
there were several cases of typhoid, typhus, small-pox, and a dangerous epidemic of
cholera, besides the universal epidemic of influenza. Venereal diseases are common
in the town, but the country-dwellers, especially the Kurds, are free from them. Eye
diseases amongst children are common.
7. History. —Little is known of the ancient history of the district, but there are
interesting remains in the Diyalah of massive stone causeways, probably used as
dams for irrigation purposes. The piers of these are still in good condition and
remarkable for. the size and regularity of the stones. Kemains also exist of a huge
canal system, when the water was carried over the torrent beds* in massive stone
aqueducts.
The origin of Kifri is not known, except that the original Kifri was a Kurdish
city, the site of which is now marked by the hill called Eski Kifri (old Kifri). To
permit water to reach the old town it was necessary to make and keep in repair a
great dam in the Salahiyah river. Possibly the inhabitants of the old town became
weary of the continual labour on this dam (the remains of which are still to be seen)
and abandoned the old site for the new town, close to the water supply. That the
old town was probably a rich town is evidenced by the stories of successful
excavations for gold ornaments. The word “ kifri ” has nothing whatever to do with
the word “ keupri,” a bridge, but has its origin in a kind of tree which was abundant
near the old site and whose name is “ kifr.”
8 . Inhabitants. —The dividing line between the Arabs and the Kurds passes
through the Kifri district. The greater part of the country-dwellers of the
Qarah Tappah district are Arabs, the greater part of those in the Tuz and Kifri
districts are Kurds. The majority of the townsmen call themselves Turkomans and
there is some reason to imagine that they are the relics of a former migration from
the direction of Van.
The following is a statement of the inhabitants of the three towns of the
district:—
Kifri.
Tuz Khurmatu.
Qarah Tappah.
Arab - - -
None
14
23
Kurd
-
-
254
14
Turkoman - - -
-
-
1,650
1,713
920
Christian - - -
-
-
1
Jew- _ - -
-
-
211
200
47
Persian -
-
-
148
6
122
Total -
-
-
2,264
1,947
1,112