'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎430r] (864/982)

^ass-irare.—Imported goods have stunted and almost ruined this manu
facture. It is now restricted to the making of bottles for the export of wine,
rosewater, and lime-juice.
Earthenware. —This manufacture gives employment to a large number
of people. It includes the making of kiln-baked jars for wine and vinegar
making, sun-dried jars for storing grain, lamps and .pottery for various
household purposes, and bricks both plain and ornamental.
Lime .—Of fair quality for local requirements, and a good quality of
cement is made.
Tanning skins .—Provides employment to a number of people.
Print making .—Though insignificant as compared with the same industry
in Isfahan, it is not inconsiderable.
Starch-making .—Starch made from wheat is largely used in the manu"
facture of sweet-meats. An inferior quality is made for sizing cloth.
Henna .—Is in great demand as a dye and there is scarcely a street with
out its henna shop.
Hats .—Both of felt and Astrakhan are largely manufactured. The lat
ter are chiefly used by the towns people, the better classes using real lamb
skin and the poorer, imitation Astrakhan. A large trade in felt hats is done
with the tribesmen.
Oil. —Is made from linseed and sesame. The latter is used for food as
well as for burning.
Foot-wear, in the shape of maliki, a shoe of which the upper part is woven
of cotton, and the soles made of rags beaten into hard rolls, and strung
together on several strips of leather laid lengthwise, is a speciality of Shiraz
manufacture. They are exported to all parts of Persia as well as supplying
a large local demand.
Wine and Arrack. —The wine of Shiraz is freely made and sold publicly
by Jews and Armenians. Tavernier in 1666 gave the annual produce of
Shiraz as 4,125 tons of 300 pints each. It is of two kinds, red and white.
The former has the appearance of and tastes like dark sherry, and the latter
like a moist, thin Chablis. It is ridiculously cheap, being sold at about 6d.
a bottle. It is kept in large jars and sold in glass bottles of various sizes, hold
ing from a quart to two or three gallons. The manufacture of these bottle s
gives employment to a large number of people.
Vinegar. —Made from the juice of the grape with a quantity of salt added.
Salt. —Obtained from the mountains and the salt lake : very cheap.
Dairy produce. —Also forms an industry, especially the making pf
* raughan ’ or clarified butter.
Trade and Commerce.' —The trade of Shiraz (1904) may be valued at 6
million tumdns (krdns 60,000,000) or at the prevailing rate of exchange
£1,000,000 sterling, e.g., the capital employed therein. The principal
products of the province are opium, cotton, carpets and saddle-bags, gum
tragacanth, gum arabic, gum ganjideh (used for adulterating opium),
almonds, sweet and bitter, apricot kernels, cow and other skins, sheep, goat
and lamb skins, goats’ hair and wool, tobacco, rosewater, raisins, wine,
sheeps’ entrails, hoofs, horns, etc.
112 I. B.
5 P.