KHORASSAN. See Vol. XI. p. 613.
The principal cities of the Persian division of this pro vince are, Meshed, Nishapore, and Tursheez. Meshed, the capital, stands in a rich and well watered plain, and is surrounded with a strong wall. Although nearly one half of it is in ruins, it has a population of 50,000 souls. The houses are meanly built ; and the palace is unworthy of i the name. The bazar, which extends nearly three miles in length, is well supplied with fruits and provisions. Here is a manufactory of velvet of the finest quality ; and its fur pelisses arc. in great estimation. This city is deco rated by a very supurb sepulchre, in which repose the ashes of the Imaum Reza, and the Caliph Haruun ul Reeshd. Nishapore, formerly one of the richest cities of Khorassan, is now almost in ruins, and scarcely con tains 15,000 inhabitants, who occupy only a single quarter of the city. It was at one time irrigated by 12,000 aque ducts, most of which have fallen into decay, and are now destitute of water. This city was first destroyed by Alex ander the Great ; and after a lapse of many years was rebuilt by Sapor the First. It was taken by the Tartars in the 548th year of the Hegira, and so completely ruined that the inhabitants, on their return, could not distinguish the situation of their own houses. It, however, once more arose from its ashes, and regained its former splen dour, when it was a second time pillaged by these barba rians under Chenghiz Khan, from which it has never re covered. Tursheez, with the old city of SnItanabad, to which it is united, contains about 20,000 people, who carry on a considerable trade in indigo, drugs, wool, cloth, rice, and iron.
KER1kIAN. See Vol. XI. p. 611.
The population of this country has been variously esti mated. According to their own calculations, which are evidently much exaggerated, it is stated at upwards of 200 millions. Chardin makes it 40 millions ; while Pinker ton reduces it to 10, including Affghanistan, or Eastern Persia. Malte-Brun, who professes to give a table of the different nations and tribes who inhabit this country, makes the agricultural and manufacturing class, who live in fixed dwellings, alone amount to above 10,700,000, and estimates the wandering tribes at nearly 700,000 more. This is, perhaps, as near the truth as can well be ascer tained. It is supposed that the population of Persia has considerably diminished since the invasion of the Aff ghans. The Mahomectan portion of it, however, which comprehends nearly the whole, is greatly enlarged within the last thirty years ; and when we consider the salubrity of the climate, and the cheapness of provisions, we are rather astonished at the scanty numbers of its inhabitants.
There are, no doubt, many powerful checks to their in crease, arising from the oppressive nature of their govern ment, and their continual civil wars ; but were these re moved, the increase would be rapid and continued. The city of Ispahan has nearly doubled the number of its citi zans since the commencement of the century ; and this has been attributed entirely to the excellent local admi nistration of that city. The Jews arc evidently decreasing in numbers. and do not exceed twenty thousand ; and the Guebres, or ‘, worshippers of fire," may be computed at four thousand families. The Armenians, when enume rated by an order of the Bishop of Julfa, amounted to 12,383 souls.
The Persians are in general a fine race of men, as far as regards their personal appearance. The forehead high, the nose aquiline, the cheeks full, the chin large, the countenance generally oval, and the complexion vary ing from a dark olive to a slight tinge of yellow. They are of a middling stature. robust, and active, and well adapted for military service. They shave the head, ex cept a small tuft upon the crown, and a lock behind each ear ; but the beard is sacred, and cultivated with great care. The young men long for its appearance, and grease their chins to hasten its growth ; for without it they arc considered incapable of enjoying any place of trust. It is almost an universal custom to dye the beard black, and also to stain with khr7tna the hands and feet. The Persian dress has very materially changed within the last century. The turban is worn only by the Arabian inhabitants, and has given place to a high black cap covered with lambs' wool, and which, till very lately, used to be encircled with a Cashmirian shawl. This, however, is now prohibited, and is allowed only as a mark of distinction, which is con fined to the royal family and the principal officers of state ; and this prohibition was given in order to encourage the domestic manufacture of brocade shawls. The inhabitants of the principal towns are fond of dressing richly. Their upper garments are either of chintz, silk, or cloth of a dark colour, and often trimmed with gold or silver lace ; and, in winter, are lined with furs. The following ac count of the different parts of their dress is abridged form Morier.