Capt. Taylor's Notes to Account of the Ruins of Ahwaz. 209 



The notice of the earliest date is extracted from the Tohfet-ul-Ahm, a 

 modern work, composed for the information, and at the desire of the 

 celebrated Mir Alem of Hydrabad, by Mir Abdul Suli'f, a learned 

 relative, and native of Shuster, the present capital of Susiana ; it commences 

 with an excellent general description of the province. 



Etymology also favours the view taken above : Ah-wdz as well as Hatmozeh, 

 another town of Khuzistan, the ancient Susiana, are two Arabic forms of 

 one root. The earlier name of the former, according to Abulfeda, in his 

 geographical tables, was Humuzin Shehr, strictly a Persian appellation, a 

 compound too, evidently not of modern date ; while the various districts of 

 KMz (whence Susia or Ciassia) were combined under the common name 

 Alahwdz, and the capital was designated by the Arabic terms Suz-ulAkwdz, 

 that is to say, the mart or emporium of Al-Ahwaz, or the districts. 



According to Samaani, as stated in his Biographical and Genealogical 

 Dictionary, its pristine fame and prosperity no longer existed, any more 

 than its proud palaces, and learned, luxurious, and wealthy citizens, in the 

 middle of the twelfth century of our era. 



With the exception perhaps of Sistdn, no province of Persia is less 

 known or more worthy of investigation than Khuzistdn. To the antiquary 

 particularly it presents many objects of interest, in the ancient remains at 

 Alfwdz, Shuster and Desfiil. It may also put forth the additional claim of 

 possessing the last remnant of the Chaldees and Sabeans, the oldest people 

 upon earth ; the last depositaries, not improbably, of the earliest philoso- 

 phical and theological systems of the human race ; though, less fortunately, 

 the originators also of its most complicated mythology and most degradino- 

 superstitions. The professors at once of the purest notions of unrevealed 

 godhead ; and the source of the impurest heretical leaven which has deformed 

 Judaism, Christianity, or Muhammedanism. A considerable portion of their 

 earliest literature is preserved ; and it is not improbable that, with competent 

 aid, their hitherto mysterious doctrines may be satisfactorily elucidated. 

 I am, fortunately, in possession of their most important works, and of the 

 valuable services of their chief priest : and have already translated some of 

 the most interesting chapters of their Siddd Rabbd, or book of scriptures, 

 entitled by the erudite and indefatigable Horbary " Liber Adamii." 



" I. The city of Ahwdz is one of the largest cities of the earth ; and in 

 " Khuzistan, or indeed in the otiier kingdoms of the world, few are to be 

 Vol. II. 2 E 



