'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME IV.' [‎178r] (360/652)

347
KIR—KIR
Aqta District
Crrishk-i-Dehsard .«
Dash tab
Jamilabad
Baft ..
Bizinjan
Kabur
Afshar-i-Ali Murad
Lak tribes
Turk-i-Loghani
Kaylnl
Kalai Askar, Lahlezar and Illat
Badwi
Mashiz and around it
Nigar and Bahramkard ..
Karyatul Arab ..
Kuthi ..
Iliat-i-I^uh
Kaylni tribes
Bidkhun
Districts of Sarduleh, Kagin, &c.
Jlruft, Mehni and Salmani districts
200
100
150
200
250
500
2.500
1.500
150
700
550
1,600
500
600
600
400
700
600
100
3.000
5.000
KIRMAN (Town)—Lat. 30° 17' 44"; Long. 57' 05° 16' 72"; Elev.
5,550'.—(S£. John.)
The capital of the province of Kirman was originally situated in
Bardsir, and it was not till the time of Ibn Ilias (A.H. 315, A.D. 928)
that the town on the present site became the capital. The original town
and fort are reputed to have been founded by Ardashir about A.D. 220;
though with regard to this there is considerable uncertainty. At the time
when Indian trade with Europe went across Russia instead of round the
Cape, the city was the second in importance in Persia.
Kirman is mainly surrounded by desert, absolutely devoid even of
bushes, but, lying as it does at the junction of many roads, it is naturally
important as a trade centre. For its water it is entirely dependent on
qanats (Sykes, 1902), though every house has, besides, its well, the water-
level being some 50 feet below the surface, and the water being fair to
brackish. There is a fine supply of water, but as a rule owing to the open
channels through which it runs it is most impure and wells are not safe
to use as a rule as sewage percolates into them. There are certain mineral
properties in the water that are liable to cause stomach complaints.
With the exception of some limestone crags in the immediate neighbour
hood of the city, Kirman is some 8 miles from any range, while south-west,
south and south-east, a wide belt of sandhills extends ; but further off,
20 miles to the south-east, the Jupar mountains attain an elevation of close
on 13,000 feet, while to the north lies the Kuh Paleh range (about 10,000').
The sandy nature of its soil, its considerable altitude (5,680') and
the scarcity of water, accounts for the great healthiness of the city.
Approaching Kirman from the east, the city presents a somewhat con
fused medley of wind-towers and mosques, surrounded by ruins on every
side, giving it the squalid appearance common to so many oriental towns.
Half a mile to the east of the city rises a limestone crag, some 500 feet
above the plain, upon which are built the two forts of Kirman.
2E 2