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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. IV. 1917' [16v] (37/530)
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. .
Transcription
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28
INTRODUCTION
Diarbekr and Severek there was before the war a in poor
repair. Water is plentiful on some stages, scarce in others. Grazing
is good in spring: supplies are fairly plentiful in normal times (see
Boute 113).
Between Severek and Birijik wheeled traffic seems generally to
have preferred a detour by Urfeh to the more direct road by Hovek.
This detour followed Boute 120 a and 123 a or b. It is about
6 hours longer than the way via Hovek. Prom Severek a track,
apparently fairly easy, leads NW. to G-erger on the farther side of the
Euphrates valley (see Route 114), and from Mishmishln near Severek,
on the road between that place and Hovek, a route runs into the
Euphrates valley, which it descends, passing Samsat on the opposite
bank to Rum QaFah ferry. This route runs over easy undulating
country with a good deal of cultivation (see 115). The Urfeh
—Samsat route crosses the Severek—Hovek high road at a point
a few miles from Hovek. From Hovek an easy track passable for
carriages leads to the Euphrates at Kilik, whence it continues as
a mule-road to Behisni.
Prom Mardln the direct route to.the Euphrates leads by Veiran
Shehr and Urfeh to Birijik, but, as has been already mentioned, the
country as far as Urfeh is broken and difficult in places, and water
is not on the whole plentiful. Between Mardln and Veiran Shehr
there are two main routes, a northern by Derek, a southern by Tel
Ermen and Meshquq. The former is generally rough and stony till
the plain of Veiran Shehr is reached, and is apparently impassable for
wheels without improvement. Water is scarce (see 116 a).
The southern route traverses much more easy country except in the
neighbourhood of Mardln, but water is scarce except in spring and
early summer. The heat in summer is very great (see 116 b).
A variant of this route generally used in summer takes a rather more
northerly line to Meshquq (see Route 116 c).
Between Veiran Shehr and Urfeh is a waterless limestone region,
which before the war was considered passable for two-wheeled carts
and guns, but not for four-wheeled vehicles. A number of difficult
ravines are crossed between Veiran Shehr and the low hills called
Tektek Dagh, in which is the worst part of the route. Water is very
scarce in summer. Grazing is good, at least in spring. Urfeh
lies in a cultivated plain where villages are fairly numerous (see
Route 118).
Prom Urfeh to Birijik there are three routes: (i) the longest and
most southerly runs S. along the E. side of the Nimrud Dagh, skirts
the Seruj Dagh and then runs NW. across the plain to Birijik ;
this is apparently easier than the second route, but nothing is known
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 View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/6
- Title
- 'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. IV. 1917'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:262v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence