KISH, or KAIS (the first

See also:

• FORM (Lat. forma)

form is

See also:

• PERSIAN
• PERSIAN, SYRIAN, EGYPTIAN AND TURKISH

Persian and the second Arabic)  , an island in the Persian Gulf . It is mentioned in the 12th century as being the residence of an Arab pirate from Oman, who exacted a tribute from the pearl fisheries of the gulf and had the title of " King of the Sea.," and it rose to importance in the 13th century with the fall of Siraf as a transit station of -the trade between India and the West . In the 14th century it was supplanted by Hormuz and lapsed into its former insignificance . The island is nearly ro m. long and 5 M. broad, and contains a number of small villages, the largest, Mashi, with about roo houses, being situated on its north-eastern corner in 26° 34' N. and 54° 2' E . The highest part of the island has an elevation of 120 ft . The inhabitants are Arabs, and nearly all pearl fishers, possessing many boats, which they take to the pearl banks on the Arabian coast . The water supply is scanty and there is little vegetation, but sufficient for sustaining some flocks of sheep and goats and some cattle . Near the centre of the north coast are the ruins of the old city, now known as Harira, with remains of a mosque, with octagonal columns, rnasonry, water-cisterns (two 150 ft. long, 40 ft. broad, 24 ft. deep) and a fine underground canal, or aqueduct, half a mile long and cut in the solid rock 20 ft. below the surface . Fragments of glazed tiles and brown and blue pottery, of thin white and blue Chinese porcelain, of green celadon (some with white scroll-work or figures in relief), glass beads, bangles, &c., are abundant . Kish is the Kataia of Arrian; Chisi and Quis of Marco Polo; Quixi, Queis, Caez, Cais, &c., of Portuguese writers; and Khenn, or Kenn, of English .