'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎263r] (530/706)

KAWA-RAZ
513
RAWANSIR (1)—Elev. 4,433'.
A village in Kurdistan about 30 miles north-west of Kirmanshah on
the road from that city to Halabjik. It contains about 70 houses inhabit
ed by Kurds, Sunnis, and is the residence of Sulaiman Khan Sharaf-ul-Mulk,
whose father was Governor of Sinneh. The surrounding land and villages,
of which there are a considerable number, are owned by him. The place
is most picturesquely situated at the foot of a range of rocky hills, out from
the foot of which rush large streams of water, which form at once a small
river and, falling over some rocks with a considerable noise, flow on down
the plain, forming one of the headwaters of the Kara Su : water, cold and
clear. The river abounds in pools and runs, #nd the fish in it, which run
to about 4 pounds, take a small gold spoon. The place contains large
fruit gardens and a number of trees. The adjacent plain is well irrigated
and well cultivated. Ducks and geese are seen occasionally on the river
in August, and it, like all others in this part of the country, _ is full of tor
toises and small fresh-water crabs. There is another stream which in summer
only commences to run when opposite the town. It comes down the valley
south-west of the Gardaneh N’al Shikan and is dry to within a mile of
Rawansir. The place contains a mosque and 16 shops, one or two of which
are kept by Jews, and one by an Armenian. The crops, wheat and barley,
are reaped in August. Supplies : 50 horses, 300 cows, 50 donkeys, 1,200
sheep and goats. The Governor can probably muster 50 horsemen armed
with Peabody-Martinis and moderately horsed, and about 500 footmen
indifferently armed with breech and muzzle loaders. There are two
water mills ; corn, barley, and grazing are plentiful.
Roads run from here to Kirmanshah, distant 42 miles, and to Sinneh,
distant about 67 miles.— (Vaughan.)
RAWANSIR (2)—
A district in Kurdistan, but not one of the 18 administrative buluks*
A great part of it is the property of Sulaiman Khan, Sharaf-ul-Mulk and
his two nephews, sons of ’Ali Akbar Khan. It belonged at first to Aman
Ullah Khan ArdalanI and after him it was acquired by the late ’Ali Akbar
Khan Sharaf-ul-Mulk, brother of the present Sharaf-ul-Mulk. In the hills
of this district there are several places, where stone has been quarried in
ancient times, for instance the Takht-i-Sangi in the Kamar Kuh the place
called Kushk, and others. People ascribe the works to the stone-cutter
Farhad, the lover of Shirin. The soil of the district is very fertile, producing
grain a hundred-fold. The district pays yearly taxes amounting to 600
\rdns and had not long ago 72 villages, but now has less. The population is
about 5,000.—OScftwcWer, 1902.)
RAYAT—
See Raiat.
RAZAN (1)—
A village in Mazandaran on the River Chalus, between Tafvar and Aso-
i t There is a bridge across the river here. No supplies. They have
to be got from Marzanabad, about 3 miles opposite.-(Lot;e«.)
C 300 GSB