COUNTRY BETWEEN MOSUL AND QUWAIR. 33 



REPORT No. 6.— THE COUNTRY BETWEEN MOSUL AND QUWAIR 

 ON THE GREATER ZAB, AND ITS PROSPECTS AS OIL-PRO- 

 DUCING TERRITORY. 



Map.— I inch=l mile, PI. 3. 



Mosul. 



In the town of Mosul the gypsum of the Fars series is largely 

 used as an ornamental stone, and is known as " marble "or " Mosul 

 marble." Although it has no connection with marble, it is, when 

 dressed and polished, remarkably like that stone, especially when 

 streaked and veined with greyish impurities. It is, of course, softer 

 than marble, and can be scratched with the finger-nail ; nevertheless 

 it is surprising how the stone keeps its shape, even when intricately 

 carved, provided it is not subject to any but atmospheric abrasion. 

 I have remarked before on the surprising resistance of gypsum. 

 in situ to the weather, and this quality is well exemplified in 

 nearly every house of consequence in Mosul. For steps or stair- 

 cases or any purpose involving mechanical wear it is unsuitable, 

 but for window plinths, doorways, cornices, and especially for any 

 internal decorative stone-work, it serves well enough where cheapness 

 is a jiredominant consideration. It takes a fair polish, which, how- 

 ever, does not last very long. 



Gravel. 



The eastern half of the city of Nineveh contains a hard conglo- 

 merate, which has been mapped as the equivalent of the Alluvial 

 Gravel. It has no appreciable dip, is comparatively low-lying, 

 and newer-looking than thar mapped as Pleistocene at Fathah, 

 but there is very little difference in character between the two. 

 It is seen in many places further south-east, overlying Fars beds at 

 Hawi Arslan and near Salamiyah. Between Nimrud and Quwair 

 it appears to be interbedded between alluvial silt, like the gravel 

 described in former reports. Above Quwair its pebbles are of con- 

 siderable size and are, therefore, admirably suitable for breaking up into 

 road-metal. Fragments of silicified wood are not uncommon, and are 

 in all probability derived from the sandstones of the Kurd series* 



Anticlinal line in the Fars. 



Southwards from Nineveh, Fars beds first make their appearance 

 from beneath the alluvium near Kiz Fakrah, and from the Qarah 



