Page 250 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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302 HASA

at QaMf. and Indian eurrenej'-note.s arc changed at the same town
and at Hofuf. The official unit under Turkish administration was
the lira of 100 gold piastres (18.<?. English).' The following is a tablo
of coinage : ¥
Official Value Practical Value

1 Mardhuf — ilg 1 gold piastre . . muhammadlyah
1 Muhammadiyah = A y J ) > • jxo riyal
1 Rupee = 5£ yy y y * 5 yy
1
1 Tawllah = tVW y y y y • 100
142
(or ‘ long bit ’)
1 Riyal = ^ of 1 lira

The tawllah is an example of primitive currency, peculiar to Hasa
oasis. It consists of a strip of copper about 1^- inches long, V-shaped
at one end, and bearing a few Cufic characters said to indicate the
name of a Carmathian prince. Palgrave gave its value as about
three farthings.

Weights and Measures '

(o) For General Retail Purposes
(12 riyals
1 Ruba‘ = 0-68 lb. (but sometimes = • 28£ rupees
2S£ Indian tolas.
1 Thamin or huqqa = 4 ruba‘.
1 Qiyasah = 8 thamin (about 23 lb.).
1 Mann = 24 qiyasah (about 552 lb.).

(b) For Gold and Silver
1 Mithqal Shlrazi = §• Indian tdla (72 grs.).

(c) For Cereals (■wholesale)
1 Musmlyah = 10 qiyasah (230 lb.).

. . ■ ' V.-; - (d) For Dates (wholesale)
: •* : ■ • *
1 Waznah = a qiyasah (3|lb.).
The unit of linear measure is the dhr<V of 1S| in.

Recent History and Present Politics

Turkish rule in Hasa, which had extended without interruption
for 42 years from the occupation by Midhat Pasha in 1871, was
ended in 1913 by ‘Abd el-‘Aziz es-Sa'ud, Emir of Nejd, who on

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