Marco Polo in Central Asia: 07: Toris & Taurisians

Toris [*]is a great city, in a province called Yarc, containing many towns and castles; but as this is the chief I will tell you about it. The men live by merchandise, and by fabricating fine clothes of silk and gold. The place is so well situated that the merchants proceed from here to Hind, Baldach, Mosul Cremosor and many other places.[1] The Latin traffickers come to those of strange countries, from whom they purchase precious pearls and other valuable articles.  The men are of indifferent character and very mixed origin - Armenians, Nestorians, Jacobites, Georgians, Persians and Mohammedans.  The inhabitants of the city are called Taurisians.  Around it are very fine gardens full of fruits and vegetables.

The Saracens are most wicked and disloyal.  They maintain that whatever is robbed or plundered from men of a different creed is justly acquired; while they regard as martyrs those of their own sect who die by the hands of Christians.  If, therefore they were not checked by their present rulers, they would break out into many outrages.  These principles are common to them all.  At the point of death, the priest comes and demand whether they believe that Mohammed was the prophet of God.  If they profess this belief, they are assured of salvation; and through this easy absolution, which leaves scope for the perpetration of every crime; they have succeeded in converting many of the Tartars, who feel thus at liberty to indulge in worst propensities.  

Near Tories is a monastery named after St Barsamo, and famous for sanctity.  It contains an abbot and many monks, who dress like Carmelites.  Unwilling to lead an idle life, they are constantly weaving woollen girdles, which they place on the altar of their saint during divine service; and while going round the province to ask alms, they present these to their friends and persons of distinction, who value them as beneficial in the cure of rheumatism.

Notes:- 
* Toris: Modern day Tabriz of Iran. It was also called Tauris.
1.Cremosor:  Modern day Kermanshah, a city in Iraq.  It is as old as 390CE. Cremosor is a medieval European corruption of the name.
End of the Section 

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