Dehwar

Dehwar (Diwar, Dihkan), the collective name of the Persian-speaking communities scattered over eastern Irania (Afghanistan and Baluchistan); are numerous, especially in the Sarawan uplands, and in the Herat, Kabul, and Kalat districts. Many are now occupied with trade; but all were originally agricultural settlers, whence their name, which means "villagers" or "husbandmen," from deh, village. These Tajiks (Persians) "are Iranians, a remnant of the old Persian population subdued by the Afghans, but still speaking Persian and retaining the Persian type of features" (F. V. Stein, in Petermann, March, 1879). Those of Baluchistan are classed by Robertson (1841) in five main divisions - Sewa, Ali, Moghal, Tolonti, and Doda-khan. The total population probably exceeds one million.