'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART II: L to Z' [‎9v] (23/988)

629
LAL—LAR
LALI (3) or ZALI—Lat. Long. Eluv.
A village in Khuzistan, on a road between Shushtar and Isfahan by
Gutwand, Andakan ; Shimbar ; BaziifL and Chehar Mahal.
LANGARlEH— Lat. Long. Elev.
A village on the river Shatait (q.v.)>
LAR— Lat. 27° 43' N.; Long. 54° 24' E.; Elev. 2,975'.
The capital of the district of Lar, 153 miles from Shiraz, and 127 from
Bandar 'Abbas, situated at the west end of a valley running east and west
and nestling at the foot of low, limestone hills, which block the west
extremity of the valley ] it is not visible from any great distance on the
roads leading thereto.
It is an unwalled city, covering about \ square mile, dominated by two
steep, -limestone hills, about 400 feet above the level of the city. The north
hill is known as Kadamagah, and contains one or two huts and the ruins of
an old fort, said to have been utilized as a prison for Baluch marauders in
past times.
There are traces of old building, and the remains of a large cistern, dug
in the solid limestone rock, said to have been made by a colony of Gabrs
who lived on the hill in past times. The northern slope of the hill was
descended by a large ditch with bastions, the remains of which are still
visible.
This hill is crowned by the ruins of an old mud fort now entirely dilapi
dated, and commanded from the top of the northern hill, which is about
1,200 yards distant. On the hillside below the fort stands a small square
stone building with a dome, said to be the dome of Nadir Shah's mother;
near this are two Persian baths excavated in the rock, and well sunk about
200 feet through the limestone.
Lar has a population which it is difficult to estimate, but which would
seem to be about 8,000. It has no local manufactures of any importance,
the size of the city being due to its importance as a centre of trade, and a
halting-place of large caravans. The bazar, which is in good repair, is very
ancient, and is built in the same manner as that of Shiraz, being cross-
shaped, the 4 arms, each 60 yards long and 14 feet broad, radiating from a
central tank, which has a domed roof about 30 feet high, now (1907) the
only portion remaining of the original roof. All the arms are covered with
vaulted roofing about 30 feet high. On each side of each arm is a row of
shops, on a plinth raised some 4 feet above the roadway. Each shop has a
depth of about 6 feet, a small room behind serving as a storeroom. Round
the central dome runs a legible inscription. Close to the west and east
arms of the bazar are two very large roofed cisterns, some 35 feet deep,
containing a large supply of good water.
There are two mosques in the city, each with a large blue dome 60 feet
high, visible from a considerable distance.
There are 6 broken-down muzzle-loading guns close to the Sarbdz-
Kkdne/t —deserted barracks on the north-east side of the town.