AHVAZ  , a

town of Persia, in the province of Arabistan, on the left bank of the river Karun, 48 m . S. of Shushter,in 31° 18' N., 49° E . It has been identified with the Aginis of Nearchus, Soo stadia from Susa, a'nd occupies the site of what was once an extensive and important city . Of this ancient city vast remains are left, extending several miles along the bank of the river . Among the most remarkable are the ruins of a bridge and a citadel, or palace, besides vestiges of canals and water-mills, which tell of former commercial activity . There are also the ruins of a band, or stone dam of great strength, which was thrown across the river for the purposes of irrigation . The band was 1150 yds. in length and had a diameter of 24 ft. at its base . Remains of massive structure are still visible, and many single blocks in it measure from 8 to to ft. in thickness . Ahvaz reached the height of its prosperity in the 12th and 13th centuries and is now a collection of wretched hovels, with a small rectangular fort in a state of ruin, and an Arab population of about 400 . Since the opening of the Karun to foreign commerce in October 1888, another settlement called Benderi N6,ssiri, in compliment to the Shah Nassir ed din (d . 1896), has been established on a slight elevation overlooking the river at the point below the rapids where steamers come to anchor, about one mile below Ahvaz . It has post and telegraph offices; and agencies of some mercantile firms, a British vice-consul (since 1904) and a Russian consular agent (since 1902) are established there .

The new

caravan road to Isfahan, opened for traffic in 1900, promised, if successful; to give Ahvaz greater commercial importance . AI [Sept . `Ayyal, 'Ayyat and rat; Vulg . Hai], a small royal city of the Canaanites, E. of Bethel . The meaning of the name may be " the stone heap "; but it is not necessarily a Hebrew word . Abraham pitched his tent between Ai and Bethel (Gen. xii . 8, xiii . 3) ; but it is chiefly noted for its captureand destruction by Joshua (vii . 2-5, viii . 1-29), who made it " a heap for ever, even a desolation." It is mentioned by Isaiah (x . 28), and also after the captivity (Ezra ii . 28; Neh. vii .

32),

bat then probably was not more than a village . In the later Hebrew writings the name sometimes has a feminine form, Aiath (Is. x . 28), Aija (Neh. xi . 31) . The definite article is usually prefixed to the name in Hebrew . The site was known, and some scanty ruins still existed, in the time of Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast., s.v . 'Ayyal) . Dr E . Robinson was unable to discover any certain traces of either name or ruins . He remarks, however (Bib . Researches, ed . 1856, i. p .

443), that it must have been

close to Bethel on account of Biblical narrative (Josh. viii . 17) . A little to the south of a village called Deir Diwan, and one hour's journey southeast from Bethel, is the site of an ancient place called 'KhirbetHaiydn, indicated by reservoirs hewn in the rock, excavated tombs; and foundations of hewn stone . This may possibly be the site of Ai; it agrees with all the intimations as to its position . ; It has also been identified with a mound now called et-Tell (" the heap "), but though the name of a neighbouring village; Turin= Aya, is suggestive, it is in the wrong direction from Bethel . In this view recent authorities, such as G . A . Smith, generally coincide . See Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement, 1869, p . 123; 1874, p . 62; 1878, pp . 10, 132, 194; 1881, p .

254 . (R . A . S .