Page 352 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

r 353
SOCIAL

hircrs-out of camd-transport. Hence
district, and especially its towns, has an exeef .
and cosmopolitan character. (Sec pp. 3 / traffic seems
Tn the rest of Ncjd comparatively little cara\an tr
to^o on. Leachman heard in 1912 that trade had dcc l‘.lccl t°
ahnost nothing in Riyadh; but .Shaqrah, though not what it^vns,
traffic hSl^ m^andfl^^h-wcSern disSts of the penin­

sula by way of Wadi Dawasir, but what its measure and character
■- •
<;_r
may be is not known.

D. Currency
The only currency in common use in Nejd is the silver dollar
(rit/dl); but when the Emirs’ dues arid the Meccan contributions
have been paid very few coins remain in circulation. There are no
smaller denominations except stray Turkish pieces, and these are
accepted only in Qashn. In S. Nejd even Turkish gold, in current
circulation in Hasa, is taken very reluctantly. Persian currency,
and the rupee, though common on the Gulf Coast, do not pass in
Nejd, except, possibly, with big merchants of Qashn towns or of
Shaqrah, and at heavy discount. Doughty, however, got riycils for
a cheque in Aneizah. Ordinary exchange is effected by barter in
kind calculated on a basis of date-fruits, measured by the Sa4 (see
below).

E. Weights and Measures
Dates are measured by weight, says Doughty, at Aneizah, but
what weights are used as a standard he does not say. Leachman
reports Indian weights and measures to be used at Shaqrah but
gives no details. (Compare Indian scales used at Muscat, p ’<>44 \
*- Doughty (1877) found a measure of content, the Sah or Sd' (of
Medina) in use as the basis of trade in dry commodities throughout
W . Central Arabia. He says it varies according to locality Imino-
equivalent to nearly 2 pints at Teima ; 2.V at 'Ha’il • nearly 3 at
el- Ala ; and 5 at Khcibar. He gaye the following table 3 3 &

12 Sahs = 1 Mcdega (a small palm-basket)
5 Medcgas = 1 Mejellad.
? Mejcllads = 1 Hashiah (i.c. Hashli/oh), a skinful of dates

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