"دليل كرمانشاه." [و‎‎١‎٢‎٨] (٥٠٤/٢٦٠)

165
thoae beautiful and justly famed specimens of Persian workmanship. The
causes of this lamentable decline of the trade and the arts are owing to the
rapacity of its successive Governors, and to plague and cholera .”—(Gazetteer
of Persia, 1885.)
Two years later, Mrs. Bishop (1887) wrote: “Kermanshah is famous
for its rugs, as carpets are called in this country. There are from 25 to 80
kinds, with their specific names.”
Mrs. Bishop must have been misled on this point, as it is quite certain
that at the time of her visit to Kermanshah, the carpet industry no longer
existed in this province,
“ A few carpets are made in Kermanshah ; they are fine and good in
quality, but Kermanshah has not advanced with the rest of the country,
and in consequence the designs are poor, being only of two kinds, the well-
known one called Herati, and the equally well-known shawl design.”
“ The Kermanshah people do not appear to use aniline dyes to the same
extent as the Kurds.”—1899.)
Some fine carpets are occasionally made by the Guran women. Gilims,
some of them greatly appreciated, are woven in Hersin, Kerind and a few
other places. The carpet industry has nearly disappeared. The Kurds
prefer weaving Giliros, which are sooner finished and easily sold, and not
often confiscated by the Chiefs of the tribes or the Governors.
Mules and horses are bred in great numbers. There are extensive
pasture lands, and forage is plentiful. The horses when well bred
have much Arab blood, and fetch good prices. The mules are strong, and
most of the charvadars apply to this province for their requirements.
To buy horses one has to go to the tribes, as few are brought to
Kermanshah for sale, and few are exported via Baghdad, on account of the
heavy duty charged by the Turkish authorities.
Mules up to the age of four years can be bought in the villages; past
that age they are taken over by charvadars for transport. A good, fully
developed mule fetches from 50 to 100 tomans.
Kermanshah was for many years famous for its horses, but the breeding
Horseg> is not what it used to be. From 50 to 100 Arab
horses are brought every year from Baghdad by
pilgrims. Prices range from 30£ T. to 1C0£ T. These horses are seldom
offered for sale.
Horses are bred by the Sinjabis, Kalhors and Kuliais ; and in Kurdistan
and a few of the villages.
The Kalhors, having many horsemen, have not many horses for sale. They
dispose of a few to the pilgrims passing from Kermanshah, to Khanikin, or
vice versa.
The Sinjahi horses have much Arab blood, and, although rather small,
are better than other horses of the province. The Sinjabis are said to
have about 1,000 horses and mares, producing yearly 200 foals. They are
good for draught and as beasts of burden.
The Kuliais have some 500 to 600 horses, producing yearly about 100
colts. Their horses are said to be not very strong. They occasionally
buy mares for breeding purposes from the Jaffs and Khezels.