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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917' [201] (210/432)
The record is made up of 1 volume (214 folios). It was created in 1917. 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
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EOUTE 28 b
201
General direction to Zarneh Valley is SE. Eoad at first
follows a broad track up the centre of the valley on the
stream bank inclining towards N.E. and gradually
ascending. Several small springs in the hill-sides, and
the water-supply good and abundant. On the W. of the
plain is a curious isolatedhill called the Qal'ali-i-Markai'a,
the top of the hill being crowned by a cliff 60 ft. high and
the ruins of an old fort.
Koad skirts slope of Bagh Kuh range to E.: lower slopes
earth, with large boulders ; shrubs, stunted ilex, and oak.
Eoad turns up through the Tang-i-Klmshk and ascends
a gentle slope up a valley. Gilan Kuli, a steep, rocky
ridge bounding the valley to the NW., lies to 1. The pass
is a deep gap between this and the Bagh Kuh. At the foot
of the pass the gradient is 5° and the valley is 60 to 80 yds.
broad with a small stream. The road winds among trees
and boulders and is stony, but is fairly easy going. The
ascent to the summit of the pass is gradual the whole way,
and could be made a good cart-road. It is at present
passable for artillery.
Summit of pass, 1,875 ft. above the Cham-i-Surkh Plain.
Immediately below to the NE. lies a deep narrow valley
running down towards the Ganglr. The road from the
summit keeps along that side of this valley and is rough
and narrow ; in places it is only an 8 to 5 ft. ledge. Soil
rich clay covered with grass. After 2 m. the road descends
by a series of sharp zigzags.
Eoad takes a sharp bend through the lower pass, also known
as the Tang-i-Khushk. The pass is a rift in the mountain
range from 30 to 40 yds. wide, the total length being
1,300 yds., bordered by precipitous cliffs of grey limestone.
The road is rough and stony and in the spring a torrent
sweeps down the centre. It is level throughout and for
the last 300 yds. the track lies in the dry bed of the torrent.
There are several caves at the N. mouth of the pass. ^ m.
farther on the road opens out into a narrow valley with
steep stony sides, and -J m. farther emerges into the
Mindar Valley running NW. in the direction of Gilan and
SE . in the direction of Zarneh. It is here 1^ m. wide.
Eoute, passable for wheels except at some bad ravines, to Gilan and
Qasr-i-Shirin (Route 28 a 7 m. 112).
About this item
- Content
This volume is A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume III, Central Mesopotamia with Sourthern Kurdistan and the Syrian Desert (Admiralty War Staff Intelligence Division, January, 1917), covering the Tigris and Euphrates from Baghdad and Fellūjeh [Fallujah] to Mosul and Meskeneh [Maskanah], the Lesser Zāb, the country east of the Tigris towards the Persian frontier, and the routes running westward from the Euphrates valley across the Syrian Desert. The volume was prepared on behalf of the Admiralty and War Office, and appears to be based on official and unofficial publications and maps which are cited in a bibliographical section in the volume. This volume was supplemented with corrections and additions in June 1918 (see IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/5).
The volume includes a note on confidentiality, a title page, 'Note', 'Abbreviations'. There is a page of 'Contents' which includes the following sections:
- Introduction;
- River Routes (The Tigris and the Lesser Zāb, The Euphrates);
- Land Routes (The Tigris Valley with Region to East, The Euphrates Valley, Connexions between Tigris and Euphrates Valleys, The Syrian Desert);
- Gazetteer of Towns;
- Bibliographical Note;
- Transliteration of Names;
- Glossary;
- Appendix;
- Index;
- 'Sketch Map of Routes', which includes 'City Map of Baghdad' (f. 212) and 'Mesopotamia: Outline Map Showing Routes, Volume III' contained in a pocket.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (214 folios)
- Arrangement
This volume is arranged according to numbered routes. There is a page of contents and an alphabetical index. There are two maps housed in a pocket.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover and terminates at the inside back cover; 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 (except for the front cover, where the folio number is located on the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. ).
Pagination: The volume also has an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/4
- Title
- 'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1:422, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence