SHIRAZ , a pele,hrated city of Persia, and the capital of the province of Fars, in let. 29° 41' n., long. 53° 38' e., was formerly a very flourishing city, and the ordinary residence of the Persian monarchs, but is now singularly divested of its ancient splendor. It is sit uated in a wide plain, on one of the limestone ledges which shout out from the great west-Persian mountain system, 112 in. from the Persian gulf, and 33 s.w. of the ancient Persepolis (q v.). It is inclosed by walls nearly 4 m. in circumference, and, previous to the great earthquakes which have repeatedly laid it in ruins, contained many splendid mosques, bazaars, caravansaries, and other public buildings. The houses. which are mostly built of stone, are superior, in appearance to those of most other Persian towns; and the adjoining portion of the plain is of exuberant fertility, and is laid out in vine yards and in mse-gardens of great extent. The principal manufacturds are silk, cotton, and woolen goods, cutlery, fire-arms, glass, and earthenware. The wine of Shiraz, which is very wrong and resembles 'Poi:ay, is still famous throughout the east. Hose-water is also still prepared in large quantities. The trade of the town is transacted in the bazar Wakell,which is about a quarter'of a mile long by 40 ft. wide, and affords accommodation
to several hundred shop-keepers. Shiraz carries on trade Ispahan. and Bushire, from the last of which towns it receives Indian and European goods. The city was founded iu 697 A.D., and from its beautiful situation and charming climate became a favorite resort of the Persian princes; but a destructive earthquake in 1812 laid a large portion of it in ruins, and another in 1824, which cost the lives of 4,000 of the inhabitants, completed the wreck of its prosperity. It was, however, rebuilt. and had attained a pop. of 40.000 (its pop. previous to 1812 having been almost 60.000), when a third and more terrible visitation of this destructi Ye agent, in April, 1853, laid almost the whole town again in ruins, and cruised the death of 12,000 people. It has since been partially rebuilt in a somewhat inferior style, and its pop. is now estimated at 25,000. It is celebrated for the number and eminence of the scholars and poets to who:n it has given birth; chief of these is Sibuyah, the first of Arab grammarians: Idatiz (q.v.), the " Anacreon" of Persia. whose tomb is half a mile n.e. of the Ispahan gate; and Saadi (q.v.), whose mausoleum is 22 in. to the n e.—See History of Persia, by Clements Markham, 1874.