40 PASCOE: GEOLOGICAL NOTES ON MESOPOTAMIA. 



west of the village of Jaria (not marked on the map), and 75 yards 

 or so from the present telegraph line ; this point and indeed the 

 intervening tract between it and the cairn, are probably not much 

 inferior to the first location. The irregularities in the crest and 

 flanks cannot be of any serious economic importance, and it is doubt- 

 ful whether they persist to any depth ; some slight allowance for 

 them may be found necessary as development proceeds, but at 

 present they may be ignored. Oil is a capricious mineral, but, until 

 proved otherwise, this small area should be treated as one of value 

 and importance. There is a good road up to the location selected, 

 and along the crestal area ; water for the engine is of course avail- 

 able from the River Zab. 



6th February, 1919. 



REPORT No. 9.— OIL IN THE KIRKUK ANTICLINE. 



Maps. — 1 inch = 1 mile. PI. 5. 

 I inch = 1 mile. PL 4. 



Introduction. 



Since one flank of this anticline is almost entirely concealed 

 beneath the Alluvium and anything in the nature of an arch or 

 anticlinal crest is seen in a few places only, the precise condition of 

 the fold is largely a matter of speculation. A long narrow outcrop 

 of Fars beds extends in a general N.W. — S.E. direction through the 

 eastern outskirts of the town of Kirkuk. North-westwards it reaches 

 the village of Amshahr, beyond which an outcrop of Fars beds 

 along the same line of folding reaches and probably crosses the Lesser 

 Zab ; south-eastwards the outcrop was traced as far as the latitude 

 of Panj AH. The dip with few exceptions is north-easterly and from 

 moderate to steep. On the north-east the outcrop is succeeded in a 

 normal way by the Lower stage of the Kurd series and this in turn 

 by the Upper or Conglomeratic stage ; to the south-west the succes- 

 sion is obscured by Alluvium except in two or three places. The 

 clearest section is seen east of Panj Ali, where the Fars is succeeded 

 on both sides by red clays belonging to the lowest horizons of the 

 Kurd series. The structure is here seen to be that of an isocline 

 overfolded towards the south-west. North-west of this area the 

 anticlinal nature of the outcrop is surmised rather than proved. The 



