Qanats as an Endangered Traditional Hydraulic Heritage. An Integrated Methodology for Documenting, Restoring and Reusing an Ancient Iranian

Abstract

Qanats represented a major technological solution for water supply in arid and semi-arid regions for millennia. Thanks to their multiple social and economic benefits, qanat-like systems spread from Iran through the Middle East in most of the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In recent years, this valuable traditional hydraulic technology has been neglected in preservation and reuse due to the lack of management as well as the lack of legal support. This precious heritage and sustainable water supply system according to their sustainable structural features has been replaced by modern water collection and management systems such as dams and other hydroelectric infrastructures along with new pumping technologies. However, there is a growing consensus on the number of short, medium and long-term issues emerging from these systems including pollution and other environmental damages, regional conflicts, political pressures as well as their limited lifetime and structural instability. The purpose of this paper is to show qanats as an example of endangered heritage which could also represent a sustainable and clean technology. To do so, we apply a multi-disciplinary perspective integrating archaeological, architectural, sociological and conservation methodologies on a specific case study from the Tabriz region in Northern Iran: the “No-Ras” qanat.

Applying ICOMOS-IFLA Principles for the Conservation, Management and Reuse of a Historical Hydraulic System: The No-Ras Qanat in North-Western Iran

“…The methodology used in this paper starts from the five issues and recommendations provided in Branduini et al [36] (Table 1). For identifying these issues our previous research, Branduini et al, applied a multidisciplinary approach including landscape architecture, archaeology, remote sensing, engineering and ethnography fields of study [36].…”

“…The methodology used in this paper starts from the five issues and recommendations provided in Branduini et al [36] (Table 1). For identifying these issues our previous research, Branduini et al, applied a multidisciplinary approach including landscape architecture, archaeology, remote sensing, engineering and ethnography fields of study [36]. In particular: (1) Landscape architecture and archaeology were used to conduct a thorough territorial and land-use analysis which highlighted the changes in the relation between the Tabriz urbanscape and the surrounding rural area which included also the No-Ras qanat.…”

“…The present research builds on a previous paper [36], which analysed the case study of No-Ras qanat, in the Tabriz region of North-west Iran as an example of an HHS at risk of abandonment and decay, that is instead an important cultural and natural heritage (as demonstrated by the UNESCO WHS qanat system of Yazd in central Iran) and that can newly represent a valuable economic resource, also enhancing and reviving the urban layout of a town.…”

“…The Qanats/Kariz Among the numerous examples of HHSs, a key role is played by the so-called qanat or kariz. This is an ancient system of underground tunnels and wells built for channelling water from a mountain to a generally dry lower region for multiple purposes, including irrigation and drinking water for humans and animals [36][37][38][39]. While there is no clear etymological evidence for the qanat or karez (others named it foggara, mayun, negula, etc.…”

“…Despite this long-term tradition, from the 19th century onwards, an increasing number of qanat/karez have been abandoned and replaced by modern water management systems, such as dams and other hydroelectric infrastructures [36,55,56]. However, recent research brought about a growing consensus on the multiple, often irreversible, issues inherent or caused by most of these modern systems, including pollution and other environmental damage, regional conflicts, political pressures, as well as structural instability [13,14,36,57,58].…”