'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1358] (413/688)

1358
NAJD
traffic between Riyadh and the south-western districts of the peninsula by way oi
Wa ii Dawasir, but what its measure and character may be is not known.
Currency.
The only currency in common use in Najd is the silver Spanish dollar {rial) ; but when
the Amirs' dues and the Meccan contributions are paid very few coins remain in circula
tion. There are no smaller denominations except stray Turkish pieces, and these are
accepted only in Qaslm. In S. N ijd even Turkish gold is taken very reluctantly.
Persian currency, and the rupee, though common on the Gulf Coast, do not pass in Najd,
except, possibly, with big merchants of Qasim towns or of Shaqrah, and at heavy
discount. Doughty, however, got rials for a cheque in 'Anaizah. Ordinary exchange
is effected by barter in kind calculated on a ba is of date fruits, measured by the sah
(see below).
Weights and Measures.
Dates are measured by weight, says Doughty, at 'Anaizah, but what weights are used
as a standard he does not say. Leachman reports Indian weights and measures to be
used at Sha^rah, but gives no details. (Compare Indian scales used at Masqat, p. 1193.)
Doughty (1877) found a measure of content, the sah (of Al-Madinah), in use as the
basis of trade in dry commodities throughout W. Central Arabia. He says it varies
according to locality, being equivalent to nearly 2 pints at Taima ; Hail 2| ; nearly 3 at Al-
'Ali; and 6 at Khaibar. He gave the following table:—
12 sahs —1 medega (a mall palm-basket):—
5 medegas = l mejellad.
? mejellads = l hashiah (a skinful of dates).
Lorimer {Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 1908) gave the following for both South Najd
and Qasim : " W holesale weights are the Waznah = 52 dollars in silver coin, or about
3 lb. 1 oz. 6 dr. English avoidupois, and the Mann — 40 Waznahs, or about 123 lb. 6 oz.
12 dr. Wholesale weighments are usually made with a sort of steel-yard. For retail
transactions dry and liquid measures of capacity are employed, which are really weights
in disguise The standard sizes of bowl are the Midd, which holds a Waznah,
and the Sa', which holds two : but quarters, fifths, sixths, and eighths of Sa's are also
employed." This is in tabular form :
1 Waznah = 1 Midd.
2 Waznahs or Midds =1 Sah.
20 Waznahs or Midds 7 , ,,
20 Sahs 1 =1 Mann -
The unit of lineal measure, he adds, is the Dhira=\§\ inches.
Recent History and Present Politics.
All Na,jd acknowledges the Sa'ud dynasty of Riyadh in Aridh. The present ruler
of Najd is the Amir Abdul Az z-a 1-Faisal-as-Sa'ud. Its jurisdiction is enforced directly
by accredited representatives, in 'Aridh, Sadair, and probably Kharj, and also in parts
of Aflaj, Washam, Qasim (e. g., Buraidah), and probably, Har'q ; indirectly in the
other parts of these latter districts, in the towns of 'Anaizah and Majma', and probably
in Salaiyil and Dawasir, Each town has its amir or governor and its wwyZis or council,
but only in Anaizah of Qas m have we heard of the council having much power.
Hereditary amirs are not uncommon even in directly administered districts, and they
seem to be the rule in the outlying quarters of the south, where, as in parts of Washam
also, the settlements are free except for a tributary obligation.
The origin of the present power of Riyadh will be found in the article on that town.
It suffered eclipse at the hands of the Shammar Amirs of Hail from the middle of the
eighties of last century until 1902, the representatives of the Sa'ud family being reduced
after 1891 to puppets, while Rashidite governors took charge of all the important settle-
^Sadair, Aridh and Washam. This state of things was terminated
by Abdul Az z Ibn Sa'ud, who had remained in exile at Kuwait with his fathers Abdur-
ahman, until he heard that his uncle, the mediatized Amir, had been murdered by Ibn
, I. < ' rs " With only about forty followers he appeared in Sadair, raised part of
that distnet and marched on 'Aridh, where he had no difficulty in surprising and removing
A ^ aS i 6 8° V0n ' l0r 0 f Riyadh. His father stood aside and accepted his son as Amir.
Acknowledged by all the southern provinces, 'Abdul 'Aziz marched on Qasim in 1904,