'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎304r] (612/1278)

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DIZ—DIZ
297
in which the celebrated stronghold is situated is a most remarkable canon cut
800 feet below the neighbouring heights, which themselves are but the level
of the main valley. The canon has perpendicular cliffs, 500 feet to 800 feet
of conglomerate imbedded in clay almost as hard as stone, and about 1,200
yards apart. At the bottom is a torrent well lined with willows and occa
sional grassy banks. The “ Biz ” is situated in the perpendicular rock behind
the hamlet, and consists of half a dozen scooped out shelves in the face of the
cliff, the largest 12 feet deep (into the rock), 10 feet high, and 20 feet (along
the face of the rock), the front being protected by breast-high, loopholed,
rubble walls about 6 to 9 inches thick. These several cavities are
accessible only by difficult tracks in the face of the rock, and always open
to view. There is no inter-communication in the rock itself or hidden from
view. One of the chief advantages of which it boasts, is a perennial spring
situated in one of these natural or semi-artificial caves, but, like all the other
places of refuge, all access to it is open to view. The several places are said
to be able to hide 50 to 150 men, and the “ Biz” is considered impregnable.
A direct assault would perhaps beco stly of life, unless the fire, often unseen,
had first been thoroughly subdued ; but it is needless to say that one moun
tain gun could from the opposite side clear out each of these caverns with
one well-directed shell. The range is everything desired, and the places
are most beautifully indicated by every upper portion being blackened by
smoke. The stronghold is a shell trap and rat hole, nothing more nor less.—
(Sawyer 1890.)
DIZ-I-SHAHI or KALEH-I-DIZ— Lat. Long. Elev.
A stronghold in Southern Luristan situated near the Ab-i-Diz and about
18 miles north-east of the town, in the possession of the Duraki division of
the Haft Lang Bakhtiaris. It is a remarkable plateau about 12 miles in
circumference, crowning the summit of a lofty hill nowhere less than 150
feet high, the sides of which are almost perpendicular and only to be ascend
ed by a steep and difficult pathway, which may easily be defended or per
haps totally destroyed. As water is abundant on it, and flocks have been
conveyed to the summit of the Diz, villages have been built on this table
land and form the ordinary place of residence of the Duraki tribe. The
soil is rich and under cultivation, producing grain of various kinds, suffi
cient to withstand a prolonged siege.
McSwiney visited it in 1891, and describes it as a natural stronghold,
being a plateau about 4 miles square on the summit of a hill with perpen
dicular sides of 200 feet. The highest part of the hill is 2,560 feet above
sea-level. As there are no higher hills nearer than a radius of from 8 to
10 miles, it cannot be commanded by artillery. From its summit, a clear
view can be obtained of the town of Dizful, distant some 11 or 12 miles. The
summit is only reached by a zigzag path partly cut in the face of the cliff
and partly built out on stakes driven in the face of the hill with brushwood
laid on them, which can be easily destroyed by being thrown down or set
fire to, thus cutting off all access to the summit. Water is obtainable
from several springs. Grazing is said to be good till the end of April. There
is no fuel. Supplies in winter could be obtained in considerable quantities
from the plain of Dama Khail.— (Layard — McSwiney, 1890.)