'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎28v] (61/706)

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ARDANA
dried fruit, Persian manufactures and some native cotton twist from Rama
dan. Almost all goods from Russia come by way of Astara. The popula
tion of the province of Ardabil is said to be classed as follows : 3,000 families for
the town, 1,000 for the villages, 5,000 Shahsavans, total 9,000 families.
Ardabd is the r.e-t of the Governor of the district and has a garrison of
| a battalion, and a regiment of artillery, which however are practically
non- existent except on paper.
Ardabil has been occupied by Russian troops since 1910, and there are now
(1912) regular barracks for them holding between 1,500 and 2,000. In July
1912 during the Shahsavan revolt only a small garrison was left at Ardabil,
and this, for security, moved into the citadel, much to the annoyance of the
Persians.
For risings of the Shahsavans see under “ Shahsavans.”
The plain of Ardabil is situated high, and the fruits common to the warmer
parts of Persia are not produced here, although apples, pears and cherries
are in abundance. The climate is cold and herd thy.— (Fraser; Morier?
Holmes; Shell; Imperial Gazetteer! Monteith; Stuart; Thielmmm.)
ARDAHlL (ARDAHAR ok VARARDAHAR)—
The most southern district of the (Qum) Kum province, 42 miles duo
south of Kum. It comprises the following villages, Mashad-i-Qali (q.v.)
Khaveh, 40 houses ; Armak, 200 houses ; Joshak, 50 houses ; Shanek,
50 houses ; Sinngan, 50 houses ; Kulijar, 40 houses ; Kermaheh or Chtrma-
heb, 50 houses.
The above villages are situated in a fertile valley, surrounded by high
hills, having a mean elevation of 6,200 feet. The valley has a length of
about 10 miles and a width of 2 to 2| miles. Its general direction is
north-west to south-east and it is in consequence exposed to prevailing cold
north-west winds and has a severe winter. The water-supply is from
a stream flowing down the valley, which joins the Barzuk river a few miles
below Ardahal. There is much game in the surrounding hills.— (Schindler.)
ARDAKAN— Elev. 3,537 / — (Schindler) ; 3,639 / — Indo-European Telegraph
Inspector.
This considerable town is situated some thirty-five miles north-west of
Yazd and on the most frequented caravan-route to Kashan. It lies in a
hollow, with its three villages of Sharifabad, Turkabad end Ahm ,dabad ; the
population is said to be 15,000 inhabitants for the town, 400 for Sharifabad
(half of whom are Parsees) and 1,000 for each of the other villages, making
a total of 17,400. This struck me as excessive, but was given by the best
local authorities. There are 37 kan ts, 3 only of which are sweet, viz.
Sadrabad, Mazra’ Saif (famous for pomegranates) and Ab-i-Bagh : stam
Products : cotton 60,000 Tabr z maunds exported to Shahrad; 20,000 Tab
riz mounds pistachios, also exported to Shahrad, and a million maunds
of grain, which is exported to Yazd. Manufactures: ‘ mangeds, 5 i.e.
sto'c es, chains of all sorts and ‘ hirbas ’ or cotton cloth of good quality. All
sorts of fruit are grown? but opium has proved a failure, owing to the salt
water : also ‘ rim s 5 the dye plant and ‘ tumb ku \ Mai at 15,000 tumdns.
Ihere is a Telegraph Office, the line having been diverted from Maibud