'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎19v] (43/982)

30
AH W—AIN
at present a nephew, named Haji Shaikh Rahmah, The Deputy Governor
only acts on orders from the Shaikh and has little real power outside the
village in wdiich he resides. The Shaikh of Muhammareh is also represented
in the district by various political agents; the principal of these at the pre
sent time are Mulla Thani at Kut-un-Naddafieh Kabir, through whom the
revenue of the Hamaid and the Faratiseh and that of a few of the ’Anafijeh
is collected ; Mulla Abus Saiyid at Muzaffari, who is responsible for the
A1 Bu Kurd community in that neighbourhood ; and Shaikh ’Anaieh at
Umm-ut-Tamair, who is in charge of the right bank of the Karbn generally,
and through whom part of the Hardan tribe pay their revenue. These
agents usually deal with their master direct and not through his represen
tative at Nasiri, but there is no fixed rule in the matter. The Shaikh of
Muhammareh maintains police posts on the Karim in this district at Kbt-
un-Naddafieh Saghir (10 rifles), at Milaihan (20 rifles, of whom 10 are
mounted), and at Qajarleh (60 rifles, of whom 50 are mounted). For ad
ministrative purposes the Ahwaz district is divided roughly into two tracts,
that of Bavieh on the west and that of Karun upon the river. So much of
the district as lies west of the Karun is claimed by the Nizam-us-Sultaneh
as his property, and it is understood that the Shaikh of Muhammareh pays
him 3,000 tumans a year on account of the tract, but does not admit
the validity of the title.
It has been suggested that Ah waz is derived from Ahwaz, the plural of
the word Huz, common in Southern ’Arabistan in the sense of a cultivated
area or estate. The conjecture is plausible and furnishes an explanation at
the same time of the origin of the name Hawuzeh and possibly even of that
of Khuzistan—the old name of ’Arabistan—which may have been originally
Huzistan. Another derivation of Ahwaz is given in Curzon’s Persia, Vol
ume II, 351 (footnote) : see also Le Strange, page 232. —{ Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Gazetteer, 1908.)
AT DUGIIMISH—
One of the five parishes of the Linjan buluk of the Isfahan province, situ
ated on both sides of the Zindeh Rud ; it contains the following villages :
Berinjgan, Margan, Ai Dughmish, Zard Khushu, Chammari, Cham Gav,
Cham Parkistan, Bagh Badran, Kaehavan, Khushu, Vashnandijan, Latari,
Cham Zain, Cham Taq, Cham Kaka, Suvadijan, Garm Darreh.— {Schindler.)
AIFAN—
A division of the Al Kathir tribe (q.v.).
AIKUNl— Lat. Long. Elev.
A village in the plain of Khisht {q.v.).
’AIN KUSH— Lat. 32° 31' N. Long. 47° 25' N. Elev. 710'.
A site of a Kurdish camp near the right bank of the Talazi river, about
4 miles below where it is crossed by the Dizful road. It is occupied by
a few tents throughout the year. There is some area of cultivated land
and in spring good grazing. Immediately to the south is the low ridge of
the Shirguni hills.— {Butcher.)