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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. IV. 1917' [‎10r] (24/530)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (263 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. .

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INTEODUCTION
15
innui B E. and SE. part, by a great chain of mountains, rising to altitudes of
11,000 and 12,000 ft., which forms the western rim of the Zab basin.
The From this divide the hills descend in ranges decreasing in altitude
towards the Tigris, following either the Bohtan Su to the W., or
others the KhabQr Su, the Hazil Su, or the Koshur Su to the S. To the
)S fep south of the Khabur basin lies the Mosul plain. Most of the higher
of country is uninhabited, except in the vicinity of the Bohtan Su and
of the lower reaches of some of its tributaries. Most of the rivers,
nhahi. for a considerable part of their course, run through impenetrable
^8, gorges. The higher hills consist chiefly of down-like country,
razing excellent grazing grounds {sozari much used by nomad Kurds
duced during the summer. The snowfall is considerable in these hills,
re are The lower slopes and bottoms of most of the valleys are well wooded,
liable Certain areas of the lower country are fairly well populated. Water
bnis is plentiful.
eady, General Description of Routes. —It appears that through com-
wlth mercial caravan-traffic from the Tigris valley to Van and the north, so
3 and far as it has touched this region at all, has only skirted its west side by
while the Jezlret-ibn-'Omar—Sairt—Bitlis route, or has followed its eastern
g the border by the Mosul—Eaniyeh—Urmia route into north-west Persia,
jatas This fact is probably due partly to the predatory habits of the Kurds,
but more to the natural obstacles of the route, such as the high passesj
ction the numerous rivers and streams which have to be crossed, and the
,i'sely severe snowstorms which are frequent throughout the winter. The
•lans, rivers and streams are not bridged as a rule ; although some have
iudes rough wooden bridges, often carried away by floods, or wicker
haw- suspension bridges of little use except to pedestrians. A very few
jould of the minor streams have stone bridges. In many places the tracks
i the follow ledges cut in the sides of rocky gorges, or along precipices;
hills while in others spurs jutting into rivers are crossed by or
staircases, some of the steps being cut out of the rock while others
3 are are built up : the roads in many places are so narrow that laden
g to mules cannot pass along them. In other places the tracks simply
any follow the beds of streams, and are so rough as to be almost
Hint impassable for laden animals. In other places the roads run in zig-
ulti- zags, which, however, are not properly graded. In fact the so-called
if it, roads, with a few rare exceptions, are simply tracks such as a rude.
The uncivilized people might be expected to make use of for local com-
and munications in a mountainous country. It is probable that in a short
: all time a pioneer regiment could improve some of them sufficiently to
iuch allow mule batterie- and pack transport to traverse the country.
In most cases, therefore, the routes given consist of a con-
the nected series of local tracks, and few of them are really through

About this item

Content

This volume is A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume IV, Northern Mesopotamia and Central Kurdistan (Admiralty War Staff Intelligence Division, April, 1917), covering Mesopotamia north of the line joining Rowanduz, Mosul, Meskeneh [Maskanah], and Aleppo, up to Van, Bitlis, Diarbekr, and Mar‘ash. 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.

The volume includes a note on confidentiality, a title page, 'Note', and 'Abbreviations'. There is a page of contents which includes the following sections:

  • Introduction;
  • Itineraries;
  • River Routes (The Tigris, The Euphrates);
  • Land Routes (Central Kurdistan, Routes between Mosul and Diarbekr, Routes between the Plain of Diarbekr and the Moutains to North and West, Routes between the line Diarbekr-Mardīn and the Euphrates, Interior of Norther Jezīreh, West of the Jaghjagha Su, The Euphrates Valley and Country West thereof, Across the Taurus between the Euphrates and Mar‘ash, and Aleppo-Mar‘ash);
  • Railways (Aleppo-Ras el-‘Ain-Tel Ermen);
  • Gazetteer of Towns;
  • Bibliographical Note;
  • Transliteration of Names;
  • Glossary;
  • Index;
  • Plates;
  • 'Sketch Map of Routes'.

The volume contains 15 plates, which illustrate the content of the various chapters, and 1 map entitled 'Mesopotamia: Outline Map Showing Routes'.

Extent and format
1 volume (263 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged by numbered routes. There are pages of contents, an index, and a list of plates. There is one map house 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
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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. IV. 1917' [‎10r] (24/530), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/6, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023517293.0x000019> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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