Tawwaj


Tawwaj or Tavvaz was a medieval city in Fars in modern Iran, located southwest of Shiraz.

Description

Tawwaj was located on or close to the Shapur River in the region of Fars, about from the Persian Gulf coast. During the Sasanian and early Islamic period it served as an important commercial center. It was captured and garrisoned by an Arab Muslim army commanded by the brothers al-Hakam and Uthman ibn Abi al-As in. Tawwaj thereafter became Uthman's headquarters during his military campaigns against the Sasanians in Fars. A mosque was built in the town from that period, but had been completely ruined by the lifetime of the Persian geographer Hamdallah Mustawfi.
The 10th-century Persian geographer Istakhri describes Tawwaj as located in a lowland gorge with numerous date palms, a considerably hot climate and being close in size to the Fars town of Arrajan. It was major trade center, well known for its gold-embroidered, woven carpets. He reports that the town was populated by Arabs from Syria brought by the Buyid ruler Adud al-Dawla. By the 12th century, most of the town fell into ruins, and by the 14th century it was in a total ruinous state. Its site has not been identified.