'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎555] (586/1050)

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diw—diw
555
diwAnij—
A coastal village of the Liwa Sub-Wilayat {q.v.),
DlWlNlYAH QADHA—
A division of the Sanjaq of the same name in the Wilayat of Baghdad, in 'Iraq.
Position and bounadries. —The Qadha of Dlwamyah is situated upon the Euphrates
between Hillah and Samawah, chiefly, if not entirely, upon the left or eastern bank.
It is bounded on the east by the Qadha of Hai in the Basrah Sanjaq of Muntafik ; on the
south by the Qadha of Samawah ; on the west by that of Shamiyah ; on the north-west
by that of Hillah; and on the north by the Qadha of Kut-al-Amarah in the Baghdad
Sanjaq.
Topography and tribes. —The only places of size in the Qadha are the town of Diwamyah,
described elsewhere under its own name, and the Dagharah and 'Afaj settlements of
which mention is made in the article on the Dagharah canal; to these may be added the
village of Fuwwar referred to in the article on the Euphrates.
The following (apart from the Dagharah tract, the article on which may be consulted)
are the Muqata'ahs or tracts of which the Qadha is composed and the tribes that inhabit
them:—
Tracts, Tribes,
'Abrah .. .. ., ,. ,. Farahinah.
Dajjah .. .. ., ,. ,, Abu 'Alaiwi, Sindan and
Ziyad.
Jalihah ., .. .. ,, ,. Jalihah.
Kharkharah ,, ,, Same as Dajj ah,
Muradiyah . , ., .. .. Al Bu Husain,
Nakhailah,, .. ., ,, .. Al Bu Rishah.
Further information about tribes will be found in the article on the Dagharah canal,
the whole of the tract watered by which is situated in this Qadha,
Population. —The total fixed population of the district is estimated at 50,000 souls, of
whom all are Muhammadans and all (except about 500 Sunnis at Dlwanivah Town) are
Shi'ahs.
Resources. —Dates, wheat, barley and rice are cultivated, and the usual animals are
owned. According to the latest official statistics the date palms in the Qadha number
100,000.
Administration. —Diwaniyah was the Markaz Qadha in the Sanjaq of the same name.
There are three other Nahiyahs besides Diwamyah, in the district, viz., 'Afaj (third class),
Budair (fist class) and Dagharah (first class); the Mudirs of the first and last of these were
stationed at the villages bearing the same names which are described in the article on the
Dagharah canal, and the Mudir of the second had his headquarters at a place called
Budair. The town of DiwanTyah is the chef-lieu of the whole Qadha.
DIWANlYAH TOWN—
The chief town of the Sanjaq of the same name in 'Iraq ; it stands upon the
Euphrates about 65 miles below Hillah Town and 75 miles above Samawah Town by the
course of that river, and it consists of two portions upon opposite banks united by
a boat-bridge of 11 pontoons.
The main quarter of Diwaniyah, about ^ of the whole, half composed of brick-built
houses and including the Sarai or government offices and the barracks, is upon the left
bank of the river bed ; the right-bank quarter consists altogether of houses of sun-dried
brick. The town is open and undefended except by a ruinous wall on the left bank :
the open desert surrounds it on every side. The Sarai and Barracks are all one building.
On the left bank there are about 250 shops, 3 Khans and 6 coffee houses. On the
right, 20 shops, 4 Khans and 2 coffee houses. The number of houses on both banks is
about a thousand. The population amounts to between 5,000—6,000 souls. About 200
Jews, 9 Christians, 70 Negroes.
Date palms, about 2,500.
Principal merchants:—Haji Hasan al Jabu ; Haji Hassun al Mulla Ali ; Mahdi al
Salih Agha ; Haji Muhammad abu Shamah ; Ahmad bin Mullah Jodah; Haji Abbas al
Ajami,
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