serái's, twelve or fifteen mosques, and a population amounting
to nearly 40,000 souls.1
A spacious square, and extensive well-built, covered bázárs
occupy the centre of the town. The latter are built in the
form of a cross, and are well supplied with goods imported
from India, Constantinople, and Russia, as well as from the
west of Europe. The shops display good specimens of work
in gold and silver; also copper utensils, rose-water, dried
fruits, goats’-hair, spices, tobacco, fine linen, and the silk and
cotton brocades, for which last this city was celebrated in
the time of Ibn Haukal ;2 and there is still a mint, in which
karoons, and the other coins of the. province, are struck off.
This territory represents ancient Persis, which name was
at one time applied to the whole kingdom. Persis extended
eastward, from Khúzistán to the borders of the two Kar-
manias,3 and likewise northward, from the Persian Gulf to
the Parachoatras range ;4 while, towards the N.E., it bordered
the Parthian territory.5 The limits thus given ■ extend the
territory of Elam to the borders of Lar,6 and it represents,
at the same time, the Nimrúz, or Kusdi Nimrodz,7 of traditional
history, which subsequently extended, eastward, to the
Indus, and northward to Balkh.8
Persis was watered by the Araxes, Gyndes, Oroatis, Arasis,
Pelevar, and Bagrad. Its cities were Corna, Axima, Arbrea,
and Artacana; besides many others whose sites are unknown.
Persepolis was the capital in the time of Alexander ; more
anciently, the seat of the government was at Pasargada,9 the
Persagadis of Quintus Curtius ;10 but as this historian speaks
of the fortress of Persepolis, and the city of Persagadis (qu.
Farsá-Gerd ?), it is possible that the extensive ruins in the
plain, near the former, may be the Pasargada of Pliny.11
1 In the time of Ulug Beg there were 24,000 houses.—Ogilby’s Asia, p. 3.
Rich says 35,000.—Journey to Persepolis, p. 277.
8 Ouseley’s Translation, p. 132. 8 In 54° 20' E. longitude.
4 In 32° 30' N. latitude. 5 In ahout 33° 20' N. latitude.
0 Elam left behind him the Elamites, or ancestors of the Persians.—
Josephus, lib. I., c. vi
7 Persia Proper.—St. Martin, Mdmoires de l’Armánie, Tome II., p. 371.
8 Ibid. » Strabo, lib. XV., p. 729.
10 Idb, V., cap. vi. 11 Lib. VI., cap. xxvi.
CHAPTER X.
COMPARATIVE GEOGRAPHY OF IRAK AJEMÍ, ARDELAN, GILAN,
AND THE REMAINING PROVINCES OF PERSIA.
Position of ’Irák Ajemi.—Towns of Yezdikhást, Hamadán, Komisháh.—Capital
Cities, Teherán, I.pahán.—Provinces of Ardelán—Kirmán-sháh, Gilan,
and Mázanderán.—Media Magna—Ancient Geography, Inhabitants, and
Cities.'—Province of Azerbayán— Its Position—Mountains—Towns —
Caves and Rivers.—Tabriz.-^Ancient Geography.—Atropatene.—Ecbatana.
—Province of Khorásán.—Mountains.—Yezd, and other Oases.—Múshed. —
Aster-abád.—Ancient Geography and People.—Province of Kirmán.—
Mountains, &c.—Desert Carmania.—Carmania Felix.—Provinces of Láris-
tán and Moghostán.—Capital.—Island of Ormus.— Kishm, Busheab, &c.
E xcept as the seat of the general government, Trák Ajemi is
not entitled to take the first place among the provinces of
Persia. This central district is surrounded by Fárs, Khorásán,
Mázanderán, Gilan, Azerbayán, Ardelán, and Luristán.
It extends from Fárs,1 northward 210 miles to the crest of the
Elburz range;2 and from the borders of Luristán,3 eastward
for 235 miles, to those of Khorásán,4 with a surface exceeding
that of Fárs; or about 57,481 geographical miles square.
The great plain of Khorásán and Kirmán runs into the
eastern and central parts of ’Irak, but the rest of this province
is entitled to its local appellation, Belad el Jebel, being decidedly
mountainous; for, in addition to the numerous chains
oí naked rocks which intersect the territory in different directions
between the Elwand and Elburz ranges, the offsets from
the districts of Hamadán, Luristán, &c., form one extremity,
1 In 31° 25' N. latitude. 8 In 36° N. latitude.
8 The Elwand range, in 48° 20' E. longitude.
4 In 53° 20' E. longitude.
P 2