'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎13r] (30/706)

AFCH—AFSH
13
AFCHA, AFCHEH, AVCHEH, corruption of ABCHEH—
A village 22 miles east of Tehran, at the foot of the pass of same name,
leading to Ear. Lodging, supplies, and water available. (Napier—Stack
— Schindler.)
AFGHAN—
A tribe originally brought from Kabul by Nadir Shah ; they occupy the
villages of Karatappeh and Naudehhak, there are also a few in Sari.—
(Holmes.)
AFI—
A small village in Azarbaijan, 5 miles north-west of Maragheh.—
(Schindler.)
AFRA KUT—
A village of Mazandaran. It is a large straggling place, beautifully
situated at the foot of the hills between Sari and Barfarush, and surrounded
by rice cultivation.— (Holmes.)
AFRAVANDEH—
A village in Lower Silakhur, about 15 miles south-east of Buruiird.
(Schindler.)
AFSHlR—Elev. 6,000' to 7,000'.
A mountainous sub-district of the Sain Kaleh district in Azarbaijan. It
lies in the south-eastern corner of Azarbaijan and is bounded by Anguran
in the east, by Uriad in the north, by Sain Kaleh in the west, and Garus in the
south. Roads lead to it from Zinjan, 75 miles ; from Mianeh 70 miles;
from Maragheh, 85 miles ; from Kirmlnshah via Sinneh and Karaftu, 165
miles , from Hamadan via Bijar, 140 miles. It lies in the midst of high
mountain ranges, which in the north rise to an elevation of nearly 11,000 feet,
and has a plentiful water-supply, being intersected by the head-waters of the
Saruk river, the principal affluent of the Jaghatu, which runs into the
Urumieh lake. The climate is very salubrious, but very cold in winter.
The district has a population of about 12,000 souls, mostly Turks of the
great Afshar tribe who settled here a couple of centuries ago. Its principal
villages are :— r
Yulgun Aghach, Tikan Tappeh, Chiragh Tappeh, Akdareh, Babanazar,
Hampa Aqbulagh.
The Governor of the_ district, generally an Afshar chief, resides in a
strong castle at A ulgun Aghach, built by the late Sulaiman Khan, who died
A. D. 1883, more than 100 years of age.
A hundred horsemen are furnished by the district for the Shah’s service
and the regiment of Maragheh is supplied with a few men serving as
volunteers or substitutes. Grain is produced in sufficient quantity to supply
the wants of the district, but there is little surplus. The people live chiefly
by raising sheep and cattle for sale in the Khamseh and Kazvln districts.
The district is rich in minerals. Fuel and forage are abundant; horses
and mules are reared, but not many of the latter; camels are neither kept
nor reared. Carriage is not procurable. The country is fit for camels.—
(Schindler — Napier.)