BAM, a town of Persia in the province of Kerman, situated about I2om. south-east of Kerman on the western edge of the great salt desert, Dasht-i-Lut, at an elevation of 3,600f t. Popu lation c. 8,500. The modern town, which may be described as an agglomeration of houses and extensive gardens and date-groves with post and telegraph offices, stands on both banks of the river Barn, and is unfortified. In the middle ages the great trade routes from Tiz, Siraf and Hormuz converged at Barn, where the caravans rested before they attempted the passage of the desert tract which intervened before they could reach the fertile lands of the Helmund. Outside the town stands the famous fortified citadel which owed its strength to the Afghans who took Barn in 1719 and were not finally expelled until 1801. Almost all the henna used in Persia is grown in this district.
See also BALUCHISTAN (Persian).