Sheki
Province
The province of Sheki is situated
between 40° 10' and 41° 16' N. lat., and 45° 56' and
48° 7' E. long. On the north it borders on a part of the
Caucasian ridge called Sal- vat-dagh and Shak-dagh, by
which it is separatee! from several independent tribes of
the Lesghis ; on the cast on the province of Shirvan ; on
the south on that of Karabagh ; and on the west on the
territory of the sultan of Elisooy and the district of
Elizabethpol. Its length from n-jrth to south is
something more than 70 English miles, and its breadth in
the northern part about the same ; but it narrows towards
the south. The surface is calculated at about 9000 square
versts. The country is generally mountainous, but there
are also some level tracts ; the climate is temperate,
except during the few summer months, when the boat
becomes oppressive in the plains. The products consist of
different kinds of grain, which arc cultivated in the
hilly part. Silk is produced in the plains: this latter
branch of industry has of late made great progress, and
may become very important by the, improvements introduced
into the preparation of the silk by an establishment for
preparing it after the European manner, which was made by
the government in 1829. Some cotton is also cultivated in
the plains ; but although circumstances arc favourable to
its growth, it is now produced to a very small ampunt,
and of a rather infurior kind. Some silks of a good
quality are manufactured by the women in several
villages. Great flocks of sheep and cattle are reared in
the province. The population of Sheki amounts, according
to the official returns of 1833, in the town of Nookha,
and 270 villages, or nomadic encampments, to 21,264
families, consisting of 55,773 males. This number
comprehends 46,30d Mohammedans, 8938 Armenians, and 485
Jews. What has been said about the Mohammedan and
Armenian populations of the other provinces is
applicable to those of Slioki. The Jews are engaged in a
petty retail trade. Nookha, the chief place of the
province, contains about 6000 inhabitants. It is in a
valley, inclosed on all sides by mountains, a
circumstance which prevent a free circulation of air, and
accounts for the unhealthiness of the place. Sheki, which
is now a small village, must have been a considerable
place, since it has given its name to the whole province.
Fitdagh, a little fortress situated on a mountain of the
same name, has naturally a very strong position, and in
former times served as a place of refuge to the khan,
when he was defeated by his enemies.
Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of
Useful Knowledge
By Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great
Britain)
Published by C. Knight, 1838
|