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The record is made up of 1 volume (76 folios). It was created in Feb 1919. 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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS [No. 92
The weaving of silk is carried on at Baghdad and
Mosul. The silk fabrics of Baghdad are famous
for their beauty of colouring and workmanship, the
best known manufacture being the Ezar, a silk cloak
largely worn by native women, and the Abas, an Arab
cloak made either of silk or wool and embroidered
with silk or gold. The latter are made at several
places besides Baghdad, notably at Kerbela, Nejef,
Amara, Suk esh-Sheyukh, and Kurna. The reeling of
silk is primitive, and the silk is badly yarned. Some
silk weaving is also done at Kazimain. Woollen rugs
and coarse carpets are manufactuired at Kut, Samawa,
and Amara. Other textiles are manufactured in large
quantities at Baghdad. These include men s garments.
Jackets, veils, shawls, belts, and handkerchiefs, all of
fine cotton, wool, or silk, and in addition coarse cotton
cloth for the use of the poorer classes, and canvas for
tents.
Tanning is one of the most solid industries of the
country. There are forty tanneries near Muadhdem
(a suburb of Baghdad), and others at Kazimain and
Mosul. The chief raw materials used are sheep and "
goat skins, buffalo, ox and cow hides, and fox, otter, and
stone-marten skins. The industry is in a primitive
state, the skins are badly handled, and the leather is
only roughly tanned. It is used locally in the manufac
ture of boots and shoes, and is also exported to Europe.
The industry suffers from the want of good tannin.
(C) COMMERCE
(1) Domestic
(a) Towns
Amara, on the left bank of the Tigris, 92| miles
above Kurna, is only of importance as a centre for the
collection and shipment of cattle and native produce,
consisting chiefly of wheat, rice, barley, sesame, wool,
About this item
- Content
This volume is a confidential handbook on Mesopotamia prepared under the direction of the Historical Section of the Foreign Office, dated February 1919. There is a table of contents which includes the following chapters:
- I: 'Geography Physical and Political', including 'Position and Frontiers', 'Surface, Coast and River Systems', 'Climate', 'Sanitary Conditions', 'Race and Language' and 'Population';
- II: 'Political History', including 'Chronological Summary', 'Introduction', 'Early period of Turkish Occupation, 1638-1834', 'Later period of Turkish Occupation, 1834-1914', and 'Commercial Developments';
- III: 'Social and Political Conditions', including 'Religious', 'Political', 'Public Education' and 'General Observations';
- IV: 'Economic Conditions', including 'Means of Communication', 'Industry', 'Commerce', 'Finance' and 'General Remarks'.
There is also an appendix which includes tables of 'Exports to Principal Countries from Baghdad', 'Imports from Principal Countries to Baghdad', 'Principal Exports from Basra' and 'Principal Imports to Basra'. This is followed by a section entitled 'Authorities' which is a bibliography of references used for the preparation of the volume. This section is divided into 'Historical' (including 'Confidential Sources'), 'Economic' ('Official' and 'General') and 'Maps'. There is a pocket at the back of the volume to house maps, but there are no maps present.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (76 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Pagination: The volume contains an original printed pagination sequence.
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the 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.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Mesopotamia' [51v] (102/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/universal-viewer/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000067> [accessed 25 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/C190
- Title
- 'Mesopotamia'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:75v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence