Ebn Balkhi and Guy Le Strange

JOURNAL
OF THE

ROYAL

ASIATIC 1912 I

SOCIETY

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVINCE OF FARS, IN PERSIA, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWELFTH

CENTURY
Translated from

A.D.
the MS. of Iijn-al-Balkhi.in the British Museum

by G. LE STRANGE Introduction TN for the year 1902 a summary was given Journal of Persia and Mesopotamia the description found a geographical cosmo in the Nuzhat-al-Qulub, and work written in 740 Mustawfi by Ilamd-Allah graphical In the course of next year I hope to publish (1340).1 the of (in the Persian and to series text of of the E. J. W. the Gibb Memorial geographical chapters be followed by a full translation, geographical questions. the Fund) of this work, with notes

this will elucidate earliest

is our collected

systematic geographer his materials from the works and from various each ; and it Persian a is found to describe

who llamd-AUah, in Persian, writing of the earlier Arab which of of monographs single that

geographers, had been written the Moslem

1 The

Empire

province the texts

in the Asiatic also separately Published drawn to accompany this paper map

vol. v. Monographs, Society serve will to illustrate Ibn

al-Balkhl. 1

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (January 1912): 1-30

2 some his of own these

IBN-AL-BALKHI

monographs, after knowledge,

thereto much

somewhat adding and a curtailment

of re

of the order in the articles, he has transcribed arrangement to form the various almost of the verbatim, chapters a instance of this method Nuzhat. A good of writing new book is the chapter and Shab?nk?rah, which the Fdrs of transcript centuries the British The name before of the Museum describing in truth the provinces of F?rs is little but a shortened written and MS. is as yet his ancestor serve until all as his that two of which

a work Ndmah, time of Hamd-AUah, an excellent this Fdrs

possesses the author of

Ndmah

in his preface but he states that unknown, was a native and Ibn-al-Balkhi will of Balkh, a convenient to refer to him title by which identity be better established. From is that

the MS.

of Ibn-al-Balkhi the grandfather appears (twice or Accountant fols. 2b and 63a) was Mustawfi, mentioned, the year of F?rs about the for the Taxes, (4)92 under who had been sent Rukn-ad-Dawlah Khum?rtagin, Atabeg to govern Bargiy?ruq Sh?h. Ibn-al-Balkhi, wras educated in F?rs, the and physical in due course of that province ?487-98 in the name of ?the (1094-1104) who accompanied and becoming well of by Sultan Sultan the Saljfiq son of Malik his grandfather, with was and

condition political time commissioned

acquainted the country,

the brother

Mul.iammad, work. No

of Bargiy?ruq, namely, Ghiy?th-ad-Din to compose the present 498-511 (1104-17), but is given, for its completion date exact to this Sultan, who died in since the book was dedicated is frequently Chauli that the Atabeg 511, and further in the text as still living, who we know died mentioned

successor

in 510 (1116),
have been

it follows that this Fdrs Ndmah

the first decade of the

must

sixth during completed A.D. to the twelfth A.H., equivalent century of the work appear to exist in Europe. Two MSS. only Museum in the British One a very old copy (Or. 5983),

THE PROVINCE OF FARS but undated,1 to be not judged

apparently spelling

century (eighth this MS., which Paris, and came Cat. MSS.

A.H.). to the Biblioth?que in Nationale belongs there from the Sch?fer Collection (Blochet,

and archaic by the writing later than the early fourteenth The other clearly a copy made of

Persons, i, p. 309, No. 503, and Suppl?ment, in 1273 (1856). The Paris and which was written 1052), use except to show how a Persian copy is indeed of little of the present day read the older MS., and as occasionally us a word that has disappeared, or wholly, partially giving the B.M. MS. was to which in the mending process it came a few years ago, after presentation subjected when use. In some in loose leaves, to be bound for the Museum cases where lacunae occur I have been able outstanding to nil

Abr?, and the Museum who has

to the Geography in by a reference of Hafiz of Timur?of the India Office which the Secretary these (Or. 1577) both possess of the F?rs N?mah most good copies? into the work

copied in 820 he composed of the Nuzhat The

of course, the MSS. Further, (1417). often serve to emend a reading. very is written Museum MS. for the most in part

double

a complicated has led to columns, system, which the modern the articles copy having very often (Paris) out of order, through transcribed the carelessness of the thus has given many who towns their (under copyist, to the wrong District In the (Kilrah). separate headings)

the scribe of the Museum MS. however, longer articles, across the page (i.e. in has written single column), and the order of this copy will be best understood by a reference to
1

the

following

footnote.2
and much

The

Persian

text

is in the

there is a written, Faintly by disfigured on fol. 90& which read: may colophon possibly transcription " thereof was completed in the year 071 1271). (a.d. 2 If R. and L. be taken to indicate the right and left hand columns a and h standing verso of the for recto and the folios, respectively, Lstakhr with on with District the R. column fol. filia, following begins of fols. tho H. columns to L. back column of (\5b, (\i\a and b, then fol. 65a, followed 65/; L., on 666 fols. b L. 66a L. and Next, by the mending, "and the

4 B.M. MS. somewhat forms dnkih number that of and

IBN-AL-BALKHI

the older modern a small

in the spelling and retains archaic, let for kill, ?nlc, and chundnk, for the we meet chundnkih. with Further,

assessment, the general from The Fol.

of words, mostly technical terms of revenue are often wanting in the dictionaries, but of which it is not difficult to come to meaning MS.

the context. Museum la with

at present consists of ninety folios. a short preface, followed begins by the " the Sultan?King of kings?whose fol. 2a, to dedication, cease to increase, Ghiy?th-ad-Duny? shall never glory son of Malik wa-d-Din Abu Shuj?* Muhammad Shah ",

who further is given the title of Qasim-i-Amir-al-M?min?n, " the Associate of the Caliph." The (in the government) author how his august master then relates commissioned " him to write the present work, that I had been seeing wry in F?rs, from brought by lineage descended although . . . and a native of Balkh I was well that knowing with the acquainted . . . F?rs well being and exactly history, present versed condition also in the of the events of people of their

of their with the story acquainted down from the days of Kayumarth kings and rulers, on fol. 3a, after a summary Then to this present time." and citing a few of the chief of the province, description to the Prophet Muhammad, Traditions about F?rs ascribed we start witli the long line of the early Persian kings, even whose history, the Sassanians of and much and in epitome, closes with the last of This rise of Islam, on fol. 60a. a Persian is merely of Hamzah version the apparently, of the Arab nothing conquest
fols. again,

part very

the work

Isfahan!,

briefly

contains, the story

new. of

Next F?rs is

for Istakhr the MS. reads across below, of 68a being After all in one column. to the double tho next article column, 08/> R., district. then back to 68a L. and 68fo L.,

City, this,

beginning which gives

67a and b and the top 68a below goes back 68a R., followed by the last town of the

THE PROVINCE OF FARS narrated, ending with an interesting follows chief then, the

F?rs, justices?of Part fol. 63?), the Geographical (translated below) fol. 83?>. The with the Itineraries, concluding begins, author afterwards of F?rs, returns, fol. 87a, to the history giving Kurds, an and account this not of of the Shab?nk?rah details as of almost facts and tribes and narrating

reign account, to which

of the Caliph 'All. Here fol. 62a, of the Qadis? we shall return later, and

the

history mentioned follows

is of

the down to the time of the writer, for the and some of this too is new matter, as already was of a family of accountants, author, said, first - hand and wrote from And, knowledge. finally, a short note describing fol. 906, the MS. closes with the days of the last Buy the Salj?q Sultans. In the given it will id rulers a of F?rs, and the advent of

importance, noted, apparently, revenues of F?rs

contemporary are personages A summary elsewhere.

pages following of the Geographical be useful own to about

will be translation complete Part, but before coming to this our author has summarize what

and events personages pre immediately more he the account time, and ceding his especially tribes and of the ?Shab?nk?rah, who, gives of the Kurdish at a later date, gave their name to the eastern part of the F?rs province round D?r?bjird. The reader will recall to narrated mind the middle of the a century and a half before namely, the Buy ids, under 'Adud-ad-Dawlah, had been at the height of greatness how about fourth (tenth) century, the time of our author, from 338-72 : by the middle (949-82) of the

this dynasty had collapsed however, century, following before the rising power of the Saljuqs. Tughrul Beg, the on his death founder of the new dynasty, in 455 (1063), heir his nephew whose brother, Alp Aislan, had already, the lifetime of Tughrul Q?vurd, during Beg, been put in possession of the government of some of the Eastern he thus ruling the most provinces, part of Persia had left as

6 under his uncle and

IBN-AL-BALKHI

brother

from

433

(1041)

down

to

the date of his death in 465 (1072).

succeeded as Great whose (1072-92), Four of the sons of Malik

Alp Arsl?n was

by his son, Malik Sh?h, 465-85 Salj?q was Wazir the famous Niz?m-al-Mulk. Sh?h in succession came us to the concern

two only of whom, throne, however, and these have both been mentioned before, 487 - 98 eldest, (1094-1104), Bargiy?ruq, served of our author reign the grandfather Accountant in his F?rs ; and Sultan Muhammad, of Ibn-al-Balkhi, his book. Sultans who 498-511 brother, and the prince the overthrow in their (1104-17), to whom

here, the namely, in whose as Revenue - ad - Din the

Ghiy?th

he

patron dedicates

After

ruled

of the Buy ids these Salj?q to send their stead were wont

of their sons, to govern the Governors Atabegs, originally in F?rs, and the first of these, the outlying provinces, under was Rukn-ad-Dawlah the Atabeg Khum?rtagin, whom as already the grandfather of Ibn-al-Balkhi, stated, was Fakhr-ad-Din Ch?uli The next Atabeg had served. still who was in the Arab living chronicles), (or J?uli our author wrote.1 This Ch?uli was famous for his when he had after much and further, many buildings, great F?rs by in restoring order throughout succeeded fighting the and subduing of the Shab?nk?rah the power curbing tribes. various affiliated Kurdish
1 The exact dates of appointment Uftfi? Abril, that states are who two Atabegs, of these aro not given by our authorities. he and in 510 died Ch?uli (1116),

by however, have been This must in F?rs as early as the year 493 (1099). for Ibn-al-Balkhi his appointment, or the year the year following, of, and this probably iti 492 as in F?rs mentions (1098), Khum?rtagin more than names Khum?rtagin Ibn-al-Athir was the year of his death. 450 (1058) to 485 (1092), hut never from the years once in his chronicle is called He of Rukn-ad-Dawlah. the title with Najm-ad-Dawlah, is and Ash-Shar?bi ; then he (the Cupbearer) surnamed At-Tughr?yl, who an-N?ib to under the name of Khum?rtagin referred (the Lieutenant), in 482 (1089). of Baghdad Further, was Police (Shahnah) Magistrate is mentioned time there the same at about Khum?rtagin-at-Tutushl, this is a different but possibly person. specifically Ibn-al-Athlr, him reports

noticed

THE PROVINCE OF FARS This much of the general of the fifth history we come to what premised, is the more of the

A.D.) being (eleventh himself Balkhl relates, which the almost contemporary being own time. The last of

century Ibn-al as author's

valuable

history the Buyids to exercise any real or B?k?linj?r in F?rs was (he says) B?k?lij?r sovereignty is given under both forms in the B.M. MS. (for the name or Abu of the F?rs N?mah), Abu K?lij?r otherwise In regard to the proper spelling of his name, it remarked that in the Arab chronicle of Ibn-al as Abfi K?lij?r, in the British is while Museuml written as in the MS. of the in (likewise Abu K?liz?r. B? or (e.g. in of the it would N?mah, of father

K?linj?r. is to be Athir

it is given

Z?j-as-Sanjar? the Arabic) On the

clearly Abr? writes hand, Hafiz always Abu K?linj?r, and this is the modern spelling the F?rs N?moh The original meaning N?siri). other name seem is apparently but unknown, to have been a nickname. does not state who from The was its form F?rs the

name

unfortunately, B?k?lij?r. ever, agree ad-Dawlah, grandson

1 Or.

The Persian historians and Ibn-al-Athir, how in the statement that he was the son of Sult?n son of Bah?-ad-Dawlah, and hence the great of 'Adud-ad-Dawlah.2 The Guzldah (p. 432)

of astronomical and chronological 6669, consisting tables, written for Sultan al-Kh?zini by Abu Mansnr (son of Malik Sanjar Sh?h), who died 552 (1157). The B.M. MS. appears to be a copy of the Autograph, and was written in 620 (1223). The folios are loose, and have not yet been set in order or numbered, but the one giving a table of the Buyid will easily be recognized, for it bears the dynasty hcmVmg Jadwalu Mnlfdci dli Buwayhi min Abu is the ad-Daydlamati bi-l-'Iraqi. K?linj?r in the Guz?dah in the Ilahih-as (Cibb, Facsimile, spelling p. 416) and Siydr (Bombay Lithograph, Miitten in Persian. Among these histories ii, pt. 4, p. 55), both being Sams?m-ad-Dawlah previous princes Buyid the name of Abu K?liz?r, (son of 'Adud) had also borne and this spelling with the is probably the one we should long I in the second syllable See also the note by Mr. Amedroz in JRAS., adopt. 1911, p. 672. ' On the other hand the Ztj, which it will be remembered was written a century after tho death of B?k?liz?r a only (Abu K?liz?r), gives different account from that found in these later authorities. It is here stated that Abu K?liz?r surnamed was the al-Marzub?n, 'Izz-al-Mul?k,

8 followed

?BN-AL-BALKIII

(ii, pt. 4, p. 55) gives and 'Im?d-li-Din Allah, B?k?lij?r the third title of Ilis?m the latter authority also adding no mention ad-Dawlah. makes Ibn-al-Balkhi, however, names of these honorary and gives no dates. (fol. 90?>), Our sons. of Abu other The authorities say this prince reigned from 415

by the Hab?b-as-Siyar the titles of 'Izz-al-Mulfik

to 440

(1024 to 1048), and at his death he

left five

by his was thrown

our author to whom the name eldest, gives succeeded Nasr, died soon after his father, being whose called Abu Mans?r, brother, government into disorder a the meddling who busybody, by of his mother in the is Zlj the Lady ". to the advice

Khur?s?yah, political to under the title of As-Sayyidah?" referred at first had governed Abu Mans?r according of his Wazir, called

the S?hib '?dil (he had served in the same capacity), to the Habib, according B?k?lij?r, a man had given Ibn-al-Balkhi of mark who, writes, a fine library to the town of Fir?z?b?d ; but instigated and his son to put this Wazir by his mother, Abu Mans?r death, after which F?rs. confusion Matters became worse confounded by the finally throughout who managed the Shab?nk?rah revolt of Fadl?yah, chief, into his power, and then to get the Lady Khur?s?yah suffocated her. her up in a waterless hot-bath, shutting reached Next Castle too met Abu Mans?r was Diz taken (near F?rs the of Palian and brought prisoner, before Shir?z), where to the long he of to the government passed of the Saljfiqs.1 overlordship
he left no descendants. (brother Zayd was the father of of It was Sultan-ad the five last his

a crisis

his death, and and under Fadl?yah,

son

uncle, Dawlah

of Sult?n-ad-Dawlah, and that T?hir Abu Jal?l-ad-Dawlah and son of Bah?-ad-Dawlah),

Shir who

princes. Buyid 1 the names five sons Ibn-al-Balkh? Of B?k?llj?r's (fol. 90M only gives and Malik Abu Mans?r, the lost of the of two, Abu Nasr, the eldest, as follows. The their names The Zlj, eldest, however, gives Buy ids. the one the Zlj calls Amlr is presumably of Ibn-al-Balkhi, Abu Nasr in the Zlj is named the last Buyid Abtt and al-UmiTi prince ShujtV, The Fir?z. Khusruh Aba Mans?r Ai-Malik-nr-Raliim, Al-Malik-al'AzIz,

THE PROVINCE OF FARS

The

adds that after the death of this Guztdah, however, in 448 (1056) his brother, Al-Malik Abu 'All, Ab? Mans?r was given, nominal rank by nearly forty years, during allowed the privileges of the the Salj?q Sultans, being Kettledrum and Banner (Tabl xva-Alam) until the date

of his death
Bargiy?ruq. Ibn-al-Balkhi

in 487
gives

(1094)

in the reign of Sultan

length (fols. 87<x to 886) the and his Shab?nk?rah with of Fadl?yah tribesmen, history are not details of their descent and doings that apparently to be found in the accounts of other historians. The men of the Shab?nk?rah herdsmen tribe in F?rs,until,with had (he writes) the progressive originally been

at some

disorganization of the Buyid rule in the latter days, the Kurds had become a power in the land. At this time, according to our author, were divided the Shab?nk?rah among five tribes, namely, the Ism?'ili, the R?m?ni, the Karzuvi, the Mas'udi, and the Shak?ni. Of these, the Ism?'ili were the noblest in descent, but the most tribe was that of the R?m?ni (or important l was as the MS. may be read), of which Fadl?yah inherited He this dignity from his father 'AH in early youth, when the S?hib '?dil, the

ll?h?ni, chief.

ibn Ayy?b), and had (ibn al-Ilasan a neatherd, taken service under only Wazir and of the last Buyid to command

rising this Wazir, and the subsequent and death of imprisonment this Buyid prince and his mother, have been narrated above, the outcome of which events found being that Fadl?yah before however, and Qavurd, long the virtual had now become brother master of F?rs. The the ruling power in the Sultan of the reigning

a great warrior, prince, becoming the army in F?rs. The fate of

himself Salj?qs, Caliphate,

three Amlr

sons were Al-Amir Ab?-1-Faw?ris then Al remaining Khursh?h, Abu D?mah and lastly Al-Amir Hafiz Ab?-1-Hasan 'Ali. llustam, names Abr? the bust Buyid Malik-ar-Raliim Ab? Nasr, of Ab? instead as given Mans?r, by lbn-al-Balkhi. 1 H?fiz Abr? sometimes writes the name and this is the Fadl?n, in lbn-al-Athir. given spelling

10 was sent

IBN-AL-BALKHI

Alp Arsl?n, due order.

into F?rs

Fadl?yah, finding at the Court of himself him, submitted, against presented was as deputy and re-established thereupon Alp Arsl?n, of the province. had not yet He, however, governor for once more learnt wisdom, to be independent, seeking The celebrated of he revolted. the Wazir Niz?m-al-Mulk, him prisoner him, taking besieged Alp Arsl?n, thereupon in the Castle From here of Diz Khurshah, where he had sought refuge. to the castle sent but of Istakhr, in time to corrupt his guards, got this strong he was hands. Sultan Alp was hunted down after as straw being put a manifest Arsl?n and on this and

that

to bring that province to were matters going

managing hold into his own

lost

patience, Fadl?yah avoid further trouble, was stuffed with F?rs, rule of

to caught, his skin to death, to his warning

neighbours.1 under the

after the death of Facility ah, was put Khuni?r the Atabeg Rukn-ad-Dawlah as already the patron of our author's tagin, grandfather, adds that in his day some of but Ibn-al-Balkhi narrated, a chief the ll?m?ni to be found still were living under called Ibrahim son of Abu Nasr ibn Razm?n, ibn Mal?k, also under whose name was a certain Mahamat, Shay ban,

of the tribe to Ibn-al-Balkhi, the noble According were from Min?chahr, Shab?nk?rah Ism?'ili descended an ancient and of celebrated the Farid?n, grandson and the chiefs of the Ism?'ili of Persia, mythical king had aforetime in the been After Sassanians. settled Ispahbads, the Arab Urd sub-kings, their conquest meadowlands, the coming into or under tribe and tho?e some in the was this parts time of
in

Dasht

till remained, neighbourhood son of Mahmud of Sultan Mas'ud,

of Ghaznah, tribe

between 421 and 432

N?sh
1 See

(1030 and 1040).

the Ism?'ili
These true events apparently of

His
took

general
place Ibn-al

Famish,2
also

finding

in possession

Ibn-al-Athlr,

x, 48. the

the year 464 (1071). 2 Tush Farrfish is probably Athir, ix, 267, 289.

reading

the name

; see

THE PROVINCE OF FARS

11

them to migrate south to them, causing Isfahan, expelled The Buyids and F?r?q. the lands round Kamah having reason to object to their presence here, they next wandered settled round D?r?bjird, westward and ultimately where, in the times Muhammad descendants as to who left a two son of ??k?lij?r, they were ruled by two brothers, sons of Yahy?. and Namrad, the The of course, quarrelled of these two brothers, be chief and of the tribe. the Muhammad had Bay?n Salk, latter had again leaving a son called The

should sons,

Has?yah, the father of Ibrahim ibn Mama. Mama, who became clan had been Muhammad, first chief of the the brother

called

while

Namrad

elder in sign of of Namrad ; and he, our author states, " was to strike (the Kettledrum) wont his rank five times, a custom among these people almost the same becoming has now down to the present been time, but which " the Atabeg in F?rs of the forbidden Ch?uli (successor by On the death of this Muhammad Atabeg Khum?rtagin). the elder son Bay?n but was put to death by succeeded, who his uncle Namrad, seized on the chief ship of the himself establishing j'ounger brother, thereupon at this time ruling supreme tribe, in D?r?bjird. Salk, Bay?n's called in the aid of Fadl?yah,

F?rs, as described above. in the chief ship, Fadl?yah routed and at the date (and presumably killed) Namrad, son of Salk, was chief when our author wrote, Has?yah, in his fathers the towns of Ij, Fustaj?n, room, governing throughout re-established Salk Istahb?n?t, D?r?bjird the cousins and with and
our

and district. there

Darak?n, as

with

other

places

of

the

But, adds, could be no peace, Salk ibn Muhammad, war in perpetual his son Has?yah after him, living Mama ibn Namrad and his son Ibrahim ibn Mama, this state
wrote.

Ibn-al-Balkhi

between

of

things

still

obtained

at the tribes

time when of less

author

The

three

importance.

remaining The chief

Shab?nk?rah of the Karzuvi

were

clan was

a certain

12 Ab? Sa'd, who

IBN-AL-BALKHI

is mentioned of the work.

more Ab?

than Sa'd

once was

in the

the son

geographical of a certain Fadl?yah, obtained

part Muhammad and in the

ibn Mania disorders

; he took service of the last Buyid its districts.

under days this

possession he held till the arrival of the Atabeg Ch?uli in countiy who before long dispossessed him of K?zir?n. Ab? F?rs, our author was wrote, Sa'd, when apparently already left a son named, after his early patron, dead, having (ibn Abu Sa'd), now become chief of the remnant Fadl?yah of the Karzuvi Of clan. tribe, the chief had been a certain himself in the time of the Mas'?di

of K?zir?n

with

All

Amiruwayh,

who, making powerful was put in possession of the castle of Sah?rah, Fadl?yah, some near Fir?z?b?d, with fiefs. together neighbouring to F?rs, allowed him The Atabeg Khuni?rtagin, coming to hold all these under the Salj?q Amiruwayh got into his possession a now become the Mas'?di, Next tribe, seized powerful round K?zir?n, of Sh?p?r of the district most Kh?rah, The rise to power to the lands of Fir?z?b?d. in addition Karzuvi the chief of the of Abu clan, however, Sa'd, : fighting and his people the ruin of Amiruwayh proved held by Amiruwayh, took place, and the town of K?zir?n, been taken by storm, Abu Sa'd forthwith having left a son, Visht?sf chief to death. Amiruwayh come to his and after Abu Sa'd had himself when the Atabeg confirmed Visht?sf, Ism?'ili clan on where Ch?uli who the had F?rs was related till put

and then overlordship, the city of Fir?z?b?d.

that

firmly to Ilas?yah

by name, end, and under rule, he of the of our

mother's

by a certain Siy?h In the geographical from this Visht?sf. Mil, descended to have held the castle he is stated of the work part and there were also of this family the two of B?shk?n?t, who still held rank in our sons of a certain Ab?-1-Habah, ruled

Fir?z?b?d, author wrote,

he governed were the Mas'?di

in possession side, When his death.

THE PROVINCE OF FARS author's mentioned mountain-lands for the most states, but the Atabeg Our were time. is The that of last of the robbers clan the of the Shab?nk?rah who region. lived

13 to be in the were

Shak?ni, coast or hot and

part had been Ch?uli. next

brought

highwaymen, to order in recent

They Ibn-al-Balkhi times

by

speaks of the Kurd tribes, who in F?rs the Five Ramms among (clans)* named the the Ramm-adh-Dhiw?n, the Lawa (or Jilawayh), Jil?yah and the Baz?y?n, and these five clans lij?n, the Kariy?n, author divided he occupied, Jawmahs, villages says, originally or households. one In hundred the thousand of the

had

days to Ibn-al-Balkhi, the Kurdish Sassanians, according of the Great King had been the flower of the

troops Persian

armies ; hence, at the time of the Moslem of the conquest, save one man only, had fallen Kurd warriors in the all, numerous battles the Arab one invaders. The against had subsequently a 'Alak by name, become survivor, were and some of his descendants Moslem, yet living when our author wrote. He adds that the Kurds settled in F?rs in his day were of a tribe that had been brought down there by the Buyid 'Adud-ad-Dawlah from the of Isfahan. neighbourhood closes this section of his book (fols. 886 with a short discussion as to how the Persians, who 896) are a whether folk, may best be governed, refractory by force or by clemency. In regard to the Shab?nk?rah more he remarks that you will be especially, certainly Ibn-al-Balkhi
is clearly the word the B.M. MS. the vowel and with written, Ham or Hamm. but by no means marked, in error Possibly, certainly, it at times with the MSS. initial Zamm. z, written See De Goeje give in Glossary to BGA, otherwise iv, p. 250. llawmah Jawmah, (the is now word means "a also "the chief llfumih), pronounced village", of a district" town it must here stand ; but for "a household ". The list of the Hamms above Ibn-al-Balkh? has copied verbatim from Istakhri our MS. For llain-adh-lMiIw?ii read Az-%abwFut ; (pp. 08 and 99). may and Muqaddasl has Az-Z?z?n, Az-Zirilz. For other variants see the Yaqfit notes to Istakhri, pp. 98, 99. 1 In

14

IBN-AL-BALKHI

if by tribesmen by any one of these turbulent respected force you take his turban and then restore it, and this much more than if in the first instance you had generously him a new turban of your own as a present, for given which indeed he would only despise you. doing after Immediately following the Moslem of Persia conquest a short account of the very meagre of notice has inserted Ibn-al-Balkhi

the family of the Chief Justice of F?rs a summary of these paragraphs will be ; (fols. 62a?63b) of use, before passing the translation to of the Geographical an allusion of his work, where to the family of Section the Shir?z our judge author the been beliefs occurs. was is patent his throughout and he held Sunni, tendencies of the Buyids, whose an orthodox had always of Shir?z. in direct when These descent As

work, in horror heterodox

Shi'ah

possible judges were from Abu Burdah the

(he further avers) combated by the Q?dis come down of a family of the Arab tribe of the

of Faz?rah,1 and that is to say R?di, during reign Caliph 322 between and 329 the grandson of the (934-40), name Abu Muhammad of this Abu Burdah, grandson by was promoted from being Judge in Baghdad 'Abd-Allah, or Chief Justice to be Q?di-al-Qud?t, of F?rs, his juris diction

to include the outlying extended being afterwards of Kirm?n and 'Oman, with the city of Tiz in provinces Makr?n. Ibn-al-Balkhi adds that the Q?di Ab? Muliammad, on juris no less than eighteen works who had composed " care to order well, with good intent, had every prudence,

both the (orthodox) Faith and the (Sunni) Tradition, thus

the laying 'Adud-ad-Dawlah, of his own strong firmly had
1 He and known

foundations the Buyid inclination with

in the matter prince towards his of that

of the Law."

day, in spite the Shfah doctrines, and esteem, for,

;

honoured

the Q?di

trust

he was

son of Abu M?s?-al-Ash'ari as Ab? Burdah is usually known in 103 (721). and died His father was a well Q?di of K?fah, of the Prophet, of Basrah. and had been Governor Companion

THE PROVINCE OF FARS him to the This ever found proof, he had Ab? Muhammad left five succeeded Abu Dharr him and in the Ab? him sons

15 to be : Ab? of who

putting

incorruptible. the youngest, Nasr, later ; next whom settled down

judgeship,

Zuhayr, or as Dihq?ns, in Kirm?n ; nobles, provincial as his father's in the Kirm?n Ab? T?hir, who acted deputy and was called to the Sublime Court (Darg?h-i judgeship, on the affairs for consultations A'l?, Baghdad presumably) and Ab?-1 -Hasan, who, of that province after ; lastly his younger been associated with brother (Abu having by Sultan and 1030), (998 his descendants the time when of for

was in the F?rs sent Nasr) judgeship, some time between 388 and 421 Mahmud, him Q?di at Ghaznah, who appointed and the office of judge there at still held Ibn-al-Balkhi Q?di him as Judge and influence to be of wrote. Abu Nasr, the Ab? Muhammad

the youngest s five sons, as said succeeded already of F?rs. He was a man of great learning the province, his power throughout coming his marriage chief, a family with of the only local nobility. in due course noble of also, the

increased

daughterson was His he succeeded

upon the Mird?si named

and when 'Abd-Allah, to the office of Chief Justice he became the chief

right, hereditary This power, judicial and tribal, Ibn-al-Balkhi adds, had afterwards passed to both his son and grandson, whose names our author does not specify, and the grandson was The Judge Judge of Sh?raz when our author wrote. had nourished in the reign of B?k?lij?r, 'Abd-AUah the F?rs district. penultimate Buyid prince, whose clivities the orthodox 'Abd-Allah striven a brother conscience But, sect of to combat of ; and the Q?di refused always further, 'Abd-Allah heterodox had Shi'ah pro always valiantly to his exceeding honour, had through scruples of

in his mothers

as our author the Seven of

writes, Imams had

to be made in Isfahan. judge " in the clays of B?k?lij?r, the become the very Buyid rampant," prince and now

to the grief

Q?di

Abd-Allah

16

IBN-AL-BALKHI

appeared a certain whom

to be paying great attention to the preaching of Shi'ah missioner named Abu Nasr ibn 'Amran, the people also were to look upon as a beginning

The pious zeal of the judge becoming inflamed prophet. was the disastrous influence which the missioner by getting to exercise over B?k?lij?r, with much astuteness demanded in persuading the Buyid and succeeded audience, that the missioner, in corrupting succeeded prince having the fidelity of the troops, was now inciting them to revolt against pausing Persian putting the to Government. inquire, ordered and the B?k?lij?r out a a hundred orders of a without thereupon, men hundred of his of his Turk pages, a private

person trustworthy This the Q?di 'Abd-Allah. officer managed by supplied was seized matters and cleverly. The missioner promptly on horseback and carried many without rest or days delay, being Euphrates, it were
eastward.

horse-guards them under

set free on the further side of the length a decree was that where forthwith published at to slay him if he repassed that his stream of the

lawful this

With the Chief province translated

anecdote and (fols.

our author next comes

concludes the which

notice of

Justices, of F?rs

For in the pages follow. general and its towns, I may refer the of the province description reader to the chapter on F?rs in The Lands of the Eastern to the earlier Arab References geographers Caliphate. in the volumes of the Biblioteca printed For the of De Goeje. Arabicorum (EGA.) Geographornm the consulted I have of the province condition present are to the texts

636-866), which

description will be a

found

(modern) written lithograph,

F?rs by

Ndmah

to ten miles of about great map, and stream us the position of every village the inch, gives has enabled me to This work the province. throughout

H?ji a.h. 1313, Tihr?n, on the scale in Persian,

Nd?irt Hasan Mirz?

to as FNN.), (referred of Shir?z Tabib (folio A.D. 1895), the of which

THE PROVINCE OF FARS

17

names written in the manuscript, defectively identify many and also to verify the fact in regard to the names which, since Ibn-al-Balkhi in the lapse of eight centuries wrote, have disappeared leaving no trace.1 And it may be remarked cases the name of an ancient town, or village, that in many that
and

has

disappeared,
vice

is preserved
versa.

in the modern

district

sometimes

THE PROVINCE OF FARS

the description land, of F?rs.?This the first of Islam, became coming camping of the Arab armies, but in the clays of the old ground was the centre of their government Persian kings F?rs seat of their power. For at that time and the original Section giving after the all of and the countries of from the banks of the Oxus to the borders all went the Euphrates ; all here were by the name of the Land the cities of the Persians, taxes and tribute. When, came to be

the Persians

the world

Islam however, became this province

conquered, of [one of the camping-ground come hither armies of] 'Iraq, for no sooner had the Moslems in the land, than they took up their quarters permanently on the other those on the one part the troops from K?fah, the from

paid them arose and F?rs

and from this base they went forth to the Basrah, the [eastern] world. of all lands and to subjugate conquest Afterwards they gave the names of these two townships, the armies of Islam had been recruited, whence originally the army from K?fah Now, conquered provinces. of Quhist?n and Jib?l, [with all the taken possession to Ray and from] Isfahan country [going north] D?mgh?n were to Tabarist?n; these provinces, the therefore, given name of M?h K?fah, and in the [registers taxes this of] to the had name
1 This Mr.

still

occurs.

The

army

from

Basrah,

on

the
on in

other
from first the

I have is dilltcult to procure, had which map, to whom I am also A. G. Ellis, for having indebted to my notice. instance the F?rs N?mah-i-N?siri brought

loan

18 hand, Makr?n, adjacent had

IBN-AL-BALKHI

and in 'Oman, with Tiz Bahrayn conquered and Kh?zist?n, with also Kirm?n, the F?rs, the Arab districts that lands and lie on the so all and this in the is one of region came to be known as this registers the Basrah name too occurs.

and frontier; M?h Basrah,

F?rs, therefore, for it was by the army conquered came to be called M?h-al-Basrah, in the registers. written The extent of F?rs, with

camping-grounds, from Basrah, and it and the name is so

is 150 leagues its districts, to the in breadth. In regard in length by 150 leagues of the angles line], these, as [of its frontier positions of the manuscript1 in the figure on the margin shown and east, west, north, points, corners and not at the S.E., south, [to the N.E., N.W., is a square and S.W.]. Thus, the shape of the province are to the four the angles of which [or lozenge], lie while the four sides main of the compass, points lie at the four cardinal all of the intervening compass-points, facing if the accompanying understood will which be clearly and of the manuscript], the margin drawn [on figure be carefully the outline of the province, which represents of lands at these four angles The frontier considered. cross-wise F?rs adjoins being q?yah, are as follows: the To frontier and the north between then the Isfahan, at Yazdikhw?st, and of here] [province and F?rs Isfahan Yazd, The Abar

come

eastern side] Sumayram. of in the direction Kirm?n, angle at R?d?n. This place R?d?n the frontier being Sirj?n, but in the reign of was originally in the F?rs province, came to the frontier when the late Sultan Alp Arsl?n, at the time F?rs and Kirm?n, between be re-established [on the other is towards F?rs that R?d?n Q?vurd was
1 This

[his brother then counted

was as

made governor The of Kirm?n. at the frontier

of F?rs], to angle

the south

lies on the seashore

figure of a lozenge

of Kirm?n,

is wanting

in both manuscripts.

THE PROVINCE OF FARS and comes The direction Arraj?n province the districts Sif of of Huz? are at this and the

19 next sea. in the

place;

the western

lying along [or Coast District] is towards Kh?zist?n, of F?rs angle Sea should 'Oman, the frontier be counted] of right at the time when However, of was driven from his

the

[which of F?rs.

being near as of the

B?k?lij?r1 prince] of that district was a certain Wazir, Abu-l-'Al? governor cause with Haz?r Asp2 common by name, and he, making over Arraj?n into his [the chief of that frontier], delivered hands. it has come about that since the time when Hence

[the Buyid the kingdom,

Kh?zist?n
of the governorship the Kh?zist?n

[about 443 (1051)] on the first establishment

was [Salj?q] dynasty, placed has been of Haz?r Asp, Arraj?n province. of F?rs.?The and [Districts or] K?rahs, the name of the king who [Districts] under included the in

present

Description of the K?ralis five of F?rs contains province each K?rah first established is called after

it ; these districts therefore stand thus : the Istakhr K?rah, that of D?r?bjird, that of Ardashir of Sh?p?r Kh?rah, and of Qub?d Kh?rah Kh?rah,3 ; and one of these uve K?rahs each contains various cities and as will be in what follows. detailed sub-districts, fully The The name Istakhr District [the capital, Persepolis] in F?rs, city to be built

Istakhr, and it was The K?rah

of this district is from same was the first which founded extends

by [the mythical king] Kay?marth. over a total area of 50 leagues in the

thus and alternatively

1 In

(Ibn-al-Ath?r, ix, 392). in the MS. the Arabic form being kh?rah, khurrah, " the Glory of Ardashir, and Qub?d. As a matter of meaning Sh?p?r, fact only these three last K?rahs bear the names of kings. The five are those given Kflrahs that he calls Qub?d by Istakhr? (p. 97) except written " Khurrah the K?rah of Arraj?n.

B?k?linj?r. 2 Haz?r 3 Always

as already the manuscript, said, spelt See Introduction, p. 7. ibn Banklr ibn 'Iy?d T?j-al-Mulk Asp

20 breadth at Yazd Thousand 50

IBN-AL-BALKHI

by

in length. the

Its and

frontiers

[on east] Trees," on the west],1 and 2 to The chief from Q?hist?n N?yriz. are the following. Yazd.?This city, with Kathah [Old Yazd], to F?rs, and it lies on the Yazd has its water from

at Haz?r

length are Dirakht ["the in the breadth extend in the cities of the K?rah

N?yin, belongs K?rah.

towns Maybud, its dependent some others, and Fahraj, with frontier of the Istakhr channels underground but by reason that the it is at [Great] Desert, and pome grow well,

is temperate, [?c?riz] ; its climate city stands on the border of the times hot. are Fruits of all kinds in greater abundance

here than anywhere granates In Fahraj else, those of Maybud being the best in quality. are excellent, the water-melons and so large that sweet, In the districts two of them are a load for any beast.3 - tree here is produced, for the mulberry round is silk abundant. excellent in manufacture cloths Further, they also of the kind named musht?, and brocade, farakh* like, for in [Yazd] they rear goats only, no sheep, and The people [of Yazd] hair from these is very strong. all of the Sunni and strict sect, orthodox, pious, The coin in use here is known observance]. religious
1 The MSS. have, probably a Tree." The named place town Istakhri, Haz?r), S?b?r, village agrees of

the the are [in as

the Haz?r District, p. 102 (also p. 123, and 1H. 182, 194. Muqaddasi in (jud?mah (p. 196) it is given the

" va Dirakht, in error, Haz?r and Thousand is possibly connected with Haz?r, chief a mosque with mentioned (minbar) by in the text 1. 1, where Ilar?t is in error for the name Az?r (p. 458) writes as Nay The S?b?r. present of Bayd? south-east (FNN. 185), which 201, Muq. 458), where it is

of Haz?r with

placed half-way 2 The near Isfid?n, see next page. village 3 The MS. : text completed in the paper from H?fiz here has a hole fol. 76?, B.M. Abr? 86a). (India Office MS., 4Mn?ha in Muqaddasi of a stuff is mentioned (p. 323) as the name that in Nish?p?r. Do Goeje tho made iv, 355) explains {GloAmry, BOA. name in its manufacture. came from tho instrument {mw*h() used we should read farajl, is uncertain the farakh stuff was ; possibly worn as the name of a garment in the dictionaries Shaykhs. by What given

lies 2J leagues Itineraries (1st. 132, IH. between May in and Shir?z.

THE PROVINCE OF FARS the Aniiri red dinar.1 Greater and three of these

21 dinars to the

gold and

piece, Lesser

go 30

leagues in length by 3 in breadth. there are the state that are full of villages with fiefs paying districts The chief town of those districts and the land taxes.2 is The climate Bajjah.3 are neither trees nor the is extremely cold, hence there in the plain and in Both gardens. are many In this district also springs. here of the state-domains, All these the district. also belong Kall?r

Urd.?A

meadow-land, In this meadow-land

hills around is a village [called Kushk-i-Zard*], and this is the frontier village of places are most populous, the villages of Dili Gawz, K?rad a large and village; corn crops, and and

to this district

and Sh?rist?n.5 Ab?dah, Kall?r.0?K?rad is a small town, a wide for the district climate lies here round

producing There are Kur

and the source streams, running is in this district. It is most populous. and Q?hist?n.7?Both these places Isf?d?n
d?nai" of the Caliphate,

them, is very cold. of the River are much

about half

1 the "Abbasid Namely, a sovereign. 2 xva khardji. Mnlki 3 name The Urd is no is possibly Jaivmah), 1st. 103, Muq. 424). written in the MSS.,

worth

town known. the chief (or Bajjah, longer north of Asp?s B?zbachah, 220, (FNN. 5J leagues The word Jaxvmah, to (p. 13), often referred already or not, in error whether is used in Ilawmah,

for "the Ibn-al-Balkhi of a district. In modern chief town" Persian is the district hamah round a town, e.g. the h?mah of Shir?z (FNN. 190). 4 MS. blank restored from llamd-AUah Mustawfi. conjccturally " " 5 Dili Gawz is modern Dili Gird?, Nut Village This (FNN. 220). as "of is now known Ab?dah it from the village Iqlid ", to distinguish is modern of the same name near Lake Bakhtig?n 168). Sh?rist?n (FNN. as Sarvist?n, Istakhri (FNN. 168), which Sh?lgist?n (p. 103) gives *' Cypress Village." 6 to the Itineraries, north of Kall?r. K?rad, according lay 5 leagues Neither place now exists. 7 is not mentioned is probably Isfid?n, which by the Arab geographers, means which the modern Isfadr?n 221). (FNN. Q?hist?n, generally or "tho *'a mountain bill of district" is hero the name country", a village, near Isfadr?n, bub no longer to be found on the map. probably as on the western It is given frontier. above

22

IBN-AL-BALKHI

cold ; and in The climate like K?rad. here is extremely in the mountain the neighbourhood there is a cavern that can be used as a place of refuge. Yazdikhiv?st.?This Sh?rist?n, place, with Dili Gawz, and other of these Ab?dah villages [above mentioned], are all of the cold district, growing corn but no fruit. parts are running and streams but at There here, springs Sh?rist?n is brackish. [" the Salt Village "] the water these are] small and Sarv?t.?[Both towns, round them, of which districts they are the having many is cold but temperate chief here The climate ; places. streams and fruit of all and springs, there are running Khabraz kinds in is grown plentifully. town the chief there The district is a mosque is populous, and for the Friday

prayers.1

is a large village and and Qdl?.?Khabrak some a meadow-land, or 6]2 leagues in length. Q?li [5 also there are hunting The climate here is cold but healthy; is from the river [Purv?b], which Their water grounds. Khabralc The is very wholesome. of Khuv?r, is the village
1 There mentioned.

district the

is populous, and near by of which climate and water

two two places and the next these about is some confusion to be modern Khabrnz 3 leagues Khabriz, appears lying now exists, No of Sarvat of Arsinj?n south-west (FNN. 173). village is given and the name and by Istakhri (p. 103, also IH. 182) as Sarv?b, so that it might it is often written be read Purv?b, MS. in the present as near Kamah, below is given the name of the river. however, Sarv?t, heneo Kamin, The district it probably round this, the meadow stood to the southward of modern

modern Kalilak.

of the Purviib bank the eastern along that has dis was apparently land of Qfil?, a name River, but Khuvar This from the map. also is the case with Khabrak, appeared of as Qal'ah near which to the south-east Khar it stood exists, (1 league Arsinj?n), must have and and Khabrak, been one of the form Khafrak, under later in the MS. given of the Khafrak the chief villages Districts, Upper are well for The mosque known 174, 300). (FNN. *' so frequently mentioned [literally congregational taken from Istakhri is a phrase ; j?mi* wa minbar] geographers or "pulpit", Abr?, and see who to long give indicate note. lists their of towns with approximate

which Lower, the Friday prayers and pulpit" mosque Arab and other earlier a minbar or without importance 2 Added and size. from Hafiz

the previous

THE PROVINCE OF FARS are as and here too there is a castle

23 called

Qal'ah

aforesaid, Khuv?r.

small town in the hill country, May in.?A lying at the roads meet. foot of a pass, at a point where The many from the water streams climate is cold, and running excellent. quantities. They Most have corn and of the people fruit, but are thieves here great and robbers. in no

is a small town, with a broad Abarquyah.?Abarq?yah a temperate district somewhat round it, having climate, is from running cooler than that of Yazd. Its water There and in part from underground channels. partly, are corn-lands, is grown. and much fruit It is an a pleasant with but other climate, place, invigorating those above mentioned] do not grow here. crops [beyond streams town is populous, and there is a mosque for the

The Friday

prayers. a fortress; small town, with also a mosque Iqlld.?A The climate is cool, for it lies in for the Friday prayers. the cold country, and is both temperate and invigorating. The water is good, being from running streams. Fruits and there are corn-lands, of all kinds are cultivated here, The place is very populous.1 crops are grown. and Arjumdn.?[Both Surmaq are] small towns, with their districts, in every way that resemble They Iqlid. also grow here apricots for excellence ; the equal thereof and sweetness will not be found anywhere else in all the but no other world, and the dried The to other lands.
Run 1 Greater and now

apricots district

from is very

this place populous.

are and

are exported

Lesser.2?These called

meadow-lands,

M?yin, Abarq?yah, Abarquh, Iqlid are all well-known now written and Arjum?n, and Argum?n ; so too Surmaq S?rmaq In the text of Istakhri is wrongly 169, 171, 291). (p. 101) Arjum?n as Arkhum?n or Urkhunmn here Our Paris MS. (variant given right). or Uzjfin, in error, which must not be mistaken for Uzj?n of gives Urjan i, 197. Yaqut, 2 Run District is no longer found on the map, north of but its position is confirmed It is not tho modern Hivin by the Itinerary. M?yin (spelt places (FNN. the same) of FNN. 272, which lay in K?h Gil?yah.

24 in leagues districts among 16 lands1 climate

IBN-AL-BALKHI

are many There by 2 in width. length are fiefs and crown where these meadows, town lies among The ; and the chief gardens. is cold, their water is from springs, and they have

You except corn. hardly any fruit, nothing being grown a fearful road, by from here to the pass above M?yin, go reason of the of that infest all the villages footpads, who district. Kdmftr?z??A There Kur]. lying on the banks of [the River a great with forest of oak-trees, are met in great medlars and willows. Lions with numbers, very fierce and bold, and in no other place [in are they so numerous. is cold, but climate The F?rs] district is here from the river [Kur], and they get their water temperate, which is excellent and digestible. The chief town of the district
in ruin.

is [Tir M?yij?n],3 Fdruq, villages cold but and

but most

of

its villages small The

are now

Kamah, with many here is

Laslrd}?[Three] their districts. and

towns, climate

are many fine There temperate. is grown. fruit of all kinds and much streams, running near All the district is abound by. Hunting-grounds a mosque in the chief is for the and town populous, prayers. Friday Sdhah and Hardh.5?Two
here is temperate, but running

small

towns;
are

the
scarce.

climate
In

streams

S?hah other
1 2 3 Iqt?'i FNN. Blank

iron, and of the steel they get which the name blades, [after
wa mnlkl. 256. : see District The chief town of Istakhri Itinerary. town is probably the : exists, F?rOq (as the name in

make of the

swords town]

and are

the district, now, does not mention

is called its chief

P?langari. town. of the ; but found of tho

4 Kamah Kamin

the Kalllak, present the Upper Khafrak later), is no

capital District to be name

or Basira Lasira, on the map 260, 300). (FNN. 8 is modern Clmhak, ??hah as the Chahakl swords. Harat, also exists (FNN. 181, 301).

is spelt as name further

longer

shown

is written

by the in the Arab

geographers,

THE PROVINCE OF FARS called having

Bavvdn

25 each
with

Chahak?. a mosque
and

Both

these

towns prayers.
is

are
a

populous,
small town,

for the Friday

Marvast.1?Bavv?n

a mosque are There make Kirm?n. streams

for fruit The

a forest.

it. prayers Friday so extensive that their trees orchards, These two towns lie near the districts of is temperate, places are very and there are running

; and Marvast

is like

climate

populous. Abraj.2?A large village lying at the foot of a hill. This hill is their sure refuge, and they have dug their one above another in its flank. houses, them] [building An abundant stream flows down from its summit, and the water for the whole district is taken from this. in the days of the Istakhr3 Persian ancient It was, in fact, kings was their capital. first founded by Kay?marth, and after him each king on his accession added something to the city, more especially who built here many palaces. When Jamshid Tahm?rath, came to be king of [Persia the whole he world, and] made extended further 4 Istakhr from parts in the such llafrak of R?mjird an enormous or Khafrak city that its limits [on the east] to the the west], its area measuring [on 10 in breadth. Within the length by there were three castles, one Qal'ah city and Marvdasht.?Istakhr

; also, both

leagues of circuit

1 Bavv?n was below) Of this tho to be

with the valley of Bavv?n, mentioned (not to be confused the chief town of the district as the Bavv?n?t. still known now is S?riy?in, but Bavv?n town is more capital probably identified with modern which in the Arab geographers Muzayj?n,

is spelt Murayzijan town of The 181, 1st. (FNN. 101, Muq. 424). must not be confounded Marvast with the Marvdasht as is too district, often the case in the MSS. town exists The it is (FNN. 301) ; and the place mentioned for Marusf probably by Istakhri (p. 102), where in the text we should or Marvast read the variant Marfist in the given note. the emendation that this should (In BGA. be read iv, 390, Marvda*ht is certainly in error.) nor Neither Marvdasht district town Marvast is mentioned by any of the other Arab geographers. 2 is now the name of the district of which the chief town is Abraj Dashtak (FNN. 170). 3 (FNN. 293). Persepolis

26

IBN-AL-BALKHI

the second Qal'ah Shikastah Istakhr, [the Broken Castle], as and the third Qal'ah These were known Shakanv?n. the Three Domes.1 he built a palace at the foot Next was not to be found of the hill, the equal of which in the whole world the description and thereof is after ;

this wise.
Jamshid

At

the foot of the hill [north of Istakhr]

laid out a platform of solid stone that was black one side in colour, the platform being four-sided, against the hill foot and the other three sides towards the plain, the the height fore-face that of the thereof horsemen was on all sides 30 ells. platform so easy he built two stairways, could ride up without difficulty. columns that the like of solid blocks in wood turner's it art even

and In Then

of ascent

he erected upon the platform worked in white stone, so finely be to make

impossible by might or Some ; and these columns were very tall. by carving were one pattern, were while others after differently the rest there were carved ; and among two pillars in the palace], which stood before the threshold [of particular in shape, and formed of a white these being square stone Nowhere else in all the province that resembled marble. of F?rs whence [a stiptic] and when is any these stone blocks like hence has this found, and no This off* pieces one knows is were brought. they break stone

they on the piece of the stone down, and laying [the powder] The wonder is staunched. is how it forthwith wound ever these great stones were set up here, for each pillar more measures than 30 ells round and about, being also more only than two 40 or in height three [at most] ells
fol. Jamshid 15b of kept

for wounds, one any

received

a hurt

thereof, file some

; and each is built up there blocks. Further,

the author writes the that in the This

of is

1 Sih Gunbad?n.?At castle Istakhr his Shikastah of

the MS. his

treasurj'

storehouse of he established Shakanv?n name written is sometimes

[farr?sh-kh?nah], his [zarrcld-kh?nah]. armoury Shaukav?n.

[khazdnali], in and

in the castle of last

castle

THE PROVINCE OF F ARS to be seen

27

here the figure of [the steed] Bur?q,1 and : the face is as the face this fashion is after figure a beard and a crown set of a man with curly hair, with the the fore and hind head, but the body, with legs, a bull, and the tail is a bull's those of tail. Now all these columns had borne originally upper stories erected on their no trace now but of these buildings summits, the are clay, and the it ; and people going up there, dig out this clay and wash same is the clay Indian find in among which they tutty,2 a medicament for the eyes ; but no one knows how this has here come to be mixed with the clay. In Istakhr up everywhere of Jamshid, with hair. he faces and and he and about may be seen the sculptured portrait as a powerful he is represented] man [and a a handsome and curly beard, face, well-grown In many places his to] the sun. a censer, the left a wild likeness has been so set that one hand he holds a starF, In in which incense is burning, sun. hand places he is the neck of grasping the head, or again ass'by In other remains. Bound and about lie mounds of on

[south in the other

is worshipping with his represented a lion, or else seizing he is taking a unicorn in his hand

[or rhinoceros] by the horn, while holds a hunting-knife, he which right has plunged into the belly of the lion or unicorn aforesaid. a hot-bath, In the hill [above Istakhr] they have made he tanks into in the tanks hot solid from these rock; the and sides the and water the which

ceilings that goes to prove spring, which the source of the water lies in a sulphur-bed. On the are many hill-summit Dakhmahs,3 [beyond Istakhi'] great to which the people have given the name of the Prison is from a natural of
1

cutting flows

the Wind.
On which

the Prophet Muhammad made his NightJourney to Heaven. eh. xvii, the name of the steed is not however, Quran, where, mentioned. 2 is crude zinc oxide, which is found in many Tutty, parts of Persia. 3 Towers of Silence, So-called where the dead were exposed by the Guebres. See

28 The Marvdasht houses was of the city by

IBN-AL-BALKHI

District*

in part

was but

built the

over

by the portion The

occupied River Purv?b Istakhr but and are wholesome

past the Marvdasht district ; its waters through to drink. of Istakhr The climate is cold

[of Istakhr], of Jamshids the gardens stream is the celebrated

greater

palaces. that flows

In the and resembles that of Isfahan. temperate, was of Islam when Istakhr first conquered early days once and twice even the people revolted [by the Arabs],

which led to a massacre of the inhabitants, treacherously, as has been already mentioned in the first [historical] part Then of the present work, and the city was laid in ruins. long after this, in the latter part of the reign of B?k?lij?r there was a certain Wazir who, being at enmity [the B?yid], with another [noble], set out to contend with him. Upon 2 came this the Amir Qutulmish up with a [third] army, and all that remained of [ancient] they [fought], demolishing the whole Wherefore at Istakhr, and pillaged township. a mere village, with is become the present time Istakhr a hundred men Kur The River for population. only [as already its source Bakhtig?n, proper Nafasht, which [the
1 the 2 FNN. Arab

[the plain said] flows through and it flows is near Kall?r, the of which description Istakhr is seen Near was preserved revealed. Zoroaster lying
said

; of] Marvdasht out into Lake come mountain in its of

will the Book

place. on which

the

of Zand,3 the

Rdmjird.4?A
293,

prophet] district
hut, as

on the banks
(note to p. 25),

of

[Kur]
by

already

not mentioned

geographers. was the son of surnamed The Amir Shalmb-ad-Dawlah, Qutulmish, an uncle of and rival of Sultan the contemporary He was Beg. Tughrul He was in 456 (1004). and died x, 23, 24.) (Ibn-al-Athir, Alp Arsl?n, in Qfln?3rah M'ho ruled of the later Salj?q Sultans the ancestor (Iconium). 8 This of the Zand the revelation its connexion with mountain and No to be mentioned Avesta does not appear any other authority. by Arab seems to have noticed the name, geographer of translation in his is given by F. Rosenberg St. Petersburg, 1904). (Le Livre de Zoroastre, 4 FNN. 214. and the nothing Zaratitsht about N?mah it

THE PROVINCE OF FARS River. days water to In erected this of the stream

29

part a dam the

in order

they had in former to secure a sufficiency of

[when and all and

irrigate the Arabs

lands, but in the times of disorder overran this dam fell to ruin, Persia] the district of ll?mjird went out of cultivation. years

In recent the

the Atabeg has rebuilt Ch?uli this dam, round has again been brought under country This dam is named [after the cultivation. whose Atabeg surname is Fakhr -ad the Fakhrist?n. The Dawlah] is cold but temperate, climate of the district and there are corn-lands giving abundant

crops, but no fruit is grown. a small town with climate. Qutruh.1?A temperate are There and both corn and fruit are streams, running It is now under the rule of Hasuyah.2 There grown. are iron-mines is populous. here, and the district are two small and Nayrlz??These towns, Khayrah a castle. and Nay riz possesses here grow grapes They and most of the grapes to make abundantly, they dry The climate is temperate, raisins. and there are running In each town there is a mosque streams. for the Friday for they are very populous. Near prayers, by is the district and in Khayrah there is governed by HasC^ah, a very fortified castle 4 on a hill-top. strongly and Lower Kirb?l.5?[In these districts] Upper they have serve three dams across the Kur River, whose waters to irrigate their lands. Of these districts parts are of the hot region, parts of the cold, ?and there are corn-lands. small but well-built town, and the soil here Bayd?.0?A built
1 2 3 Khayrah, north FNN. Chief 308. of the a Now spelt Qatnl. Isma'?l? tribe ; see in the Introduction must have (p. 11). been the chief

stage

Itineraries,

hamlet

of the Khlr district, which lies on the south of Lake Bakhtig?n

of Istahb?n?t

to the

now pronounced 178 and 199). Nayr?z, (FNN. Nirlz, is a town and district to the east of the lake (FNN. 305). 4 6 Tir-i-Khud? 256. FNN. ; see below. 0 " Now called the Hill of Bayda, Tall Bayd? in Arabic the meaning " White Hill name The is pronounced the (FNN. 183). by Bayz? Persians.

30 and is white, name. Before a it

IBN-AL-BALKHI

is from the gate 10

this of

fact the

that

town

there

the place has its stretches out

fine meadow-land, in width, and in all There here

to equal it. fruit grown climate

in length by 10 leagues leagues round there is none other the country are many dependent and the districts, streams of running is populous, with a mosque the neighbourhood of Bayd? fortified is derived being and of all kinds. The

is cold

is excellent, but temperate, In

The good water abound. for the Friday prayers. lie the two castle. from lake The Abddah??A

town

of] Ash and T?r.1 [villages a strongly small town, having and its water is temperate, The climate of the Kur

the overflow

[of Bakhtig?n]. district [governed ? A and

for near by lies the River, in abundance here. grow Grapes is near here, and it is by] Has?yah but pleasant streams. a town, with Fruit and corn

very populous. Khurramah?

small

running temperate There is a castle here, on the hill-top, grow abundantly. as Qal'ah and known fortified is very strongly which for the Friday is a mosque Khurramah ; in the town
prayers.

climate

Dili Murd distance first-named

1 Neither position. 2 The 3 Now

and Rdddn.*?Two Bavv?n. myrtles

to exist at now (FNN.

from

The

villages lying at no great climate is cold, and in the abundantly.

day ; cf. Tashk Itinerary (FNN. for their

village
appears

grow
the

present

southern called

Ab?dah, Khir?mah

known 257).

as Ab?dah

170).

4Dili

M?rd, which still exists (FNN. 170), is called in Arabic Qariyat

signifying also geographers names "Myrtle Village" as Budanjan. ; and it was known to

or R?dh?n, is R?d?n, no mosque with for the mentioned (p. 102) as a village by Istakhri and Harat it as tying between (p. 457) gives prayer. Muqaddasi Friday to be one stage from either ; it no longer appears Shahr-i-B?bak, place on on the map. not be confounded with R?d?n, R?d?n must marked of Fars. the eastern frontier

both al-?s, the earlier