'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎161] (176/1050)

AMA—AMA
161
Baghamma Umm-al-Batut Muqata'ah. Situated on the Misharrah and adjoins the
Misharrah Muqata'ah.
Misharrah Muqata 'ah. This is a very large Muqata 'ah on the Northern branch of the
Ja,halah canal called the Misharrah, stretching to the North East from 'Amarah.
It produces nothing but rice,
Umm-ar-Rish Muqata'ah. Clo.se to 'Amarah.
Jurait Muqata'ah, Close to 'Amarah.
Abu Hallanah Tisat and 'Aufiyah Muqata'ahs.
Ghabaisah Mughribah Muqata'ah. Close to 'Amarah.
Mulk lands of 'Abdur Razzaq ibn 'Abdul Latif, near 'Amarah.
(1) Jurait and 'Awarah, on the Jahalah, near 'Amarah.
(2) At-Tabr at the end of the Al-Tabr canal about 4 miles below 'Amarah on the
'* right bank of the Tigris.
(3) Danainat, a short way above 'Amarah on the right side of Tigris.
The Saniyah lands of Altun Sit are close to Abul Hallanah.
AMARAH TOWN—
This important and rising town of 'Iraq, not to be confounded with Kut-
al-Amarah, is situated upon the left bank of the Tigris about 130 miles by water above
Basrah and is distant some 30 miles from the Persian land frontier: it is the
chef-lieu of the Sanjaq and Qadha similarly named in the Wilayat of Basrah.
Site and buildings. —'Amarah stands on a strip of land enclosed on the west by the
Tigris and on the north and east by the Jahilah canal; while to the south of it, but at
some distance, are the marshes of the Al Bii Muhammad tribe. To the east of the
Jahalah are extensive swamps and waterways, by means of which some boat communi
cation is maintained with the Hawizeh District and with Persian 'Arabistan as a whole.
On the right bank of the Tigris opposite 'Amarah are flourishing plantations of dates^
other fruit trees and poplars, amidst which is the village or suburb of Daffas,—so called
from a^iirine which it contains,—united to the town of 'Amarah by a. boat bridge for
merly of about 40 pontoons, but now reduced to about hr.lf that number by the employ
ment of larger boats. 'Amarah has a river frontage of more than half a mile upon the
Tigris; and a good embankment or wharf faced with brick, alongside of which
steamer can lie, runs the wnole length of the town. The northern quarter is the older
and extends the whole way from the Tigris to the Jahalah, which is spanned behind the
town by a boat bridge of several pontoons. In the northern quarter is situated a
fine building which used to belong to the Dairat-as-Sanlyah ; here also are the military
barracks and, upon the quay, the principal government offices. The main street of the
town traverses the northern quarter from the Tigris to the Jahalah running at right
angles to both streams : it contains the chief bazaar, of which the end next the Tigris was
destroyed by fire in 1903 and has now been rebuilt in a more modern and commodious
style. The southern quarter consists of a row of 27 new houses of uniform pattern and
handsome appearance which face the river and form 6 large blocks': 15 of them were
built as a speculation by the Dairat-as-SanTyah and the remainder by local Shaikhs in
emulation of the Department's example. There are at 'Amarah two public baths.
Inhabitants. The population of 'Amarah is estimated at 10,000 souls, of whom 4,500
m ay be Sunnis, 3,000 Shi'ahs, 1,0000 Jews, 1,000 Sabians, and 5000 Christians ; most of
the Muhammadans are town Arabs, but there are also a good many Kurds and a few
Persians. The country Arabs to the north of 'Amarah are Bani Lam, and to the
south Al Bu Muhammad. The towns people—apart from the officials, some well-to-do
Persian merchants and the representatives of Baghdad and Basrah firms—are mostly
petty traders and artisans.
Products, manufactures and trade. —The gardens of the town produce citrons, pome
granates, quinces, figs and graves.
Arab cloaks, Kurdish rugs and silver ware are among the manufactures of the place ;
the silverware is the work of the Sabians and one variety of it, inlaid with antimonv, is
unusual and not inelegant.
. wool, hides and skins, various kinds of nuts, also walnut and other woods are
imported from the Kurdish hills, while wheat, barley, maize, rice and sesame are brought
^ tr ™ ! he surroun ding country. The imports of 'Amarah from foreign contries are
Od2(W)GSB