Sasanian period drop-tower gristmills on the Deh Luran Plain, southwestern Iran

Neely, James A.

doi:10.1179/009346911x12991472411042

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The early spread of water-mills in Iran dates back to the Sassanids, especially at the time of King Shapur I 67 , Shapur II 68 , Kavad I 69 , and Khosrow I 70 (Djamaly et al, 2017;Neely 2011). In this era, farming and agriculture were the basements of the economy.…”

Section: Water-mills Building In the Sassanid Eramentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This mill was designed for grinding two kinds of grains at the same time. In fast-flowing permanent rivers, a string of water-tower mills, fed by a small canals system, was occasionally constructed at irregular intervals ranging between ∼50 m to 1,500 m (Neely 2011;Harverson 1993).…”

Section: Figure 7 Structure Of a Typical Horizontal Water-mill In Iranmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The remnants of a string of 22 pre-Islamic water-towers, covering a total distance of ∼6.5 km, are traceable in the Dehlorān Plain 79 (Neely 2011). Other examples can be seen in Jiroft 80 In some arid regions of Iran, where large permanent rivers are lacking, one or several water-tower mills receive waterpower from a qanat system.…”

Section: Figure 7 Structure Of a Typical Horizontal Water-mill In Iranmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water Resources Management, Technology, and Culture in Ancient Iran

Saatsaz

Rezaie

2021

Preprint

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Abstract. Iran is one of the countries facing high water risk because of its geographical features, climate variations, and uneven distribution of water resources. Iranians have practiced different water management strategies at various periods following the region's geo-climatological features, needs, tools, available resources (surface water and groundwater), political stability, economic power, and socio-cultural characteristics. This study is a brief history of water management in Iran from pre-civilization times to the end of the Islamic Golden Age (1219 AD). This study pointed out geo-climatological features have consistently been crucial intrinsic properties controlling water regime, settlement patterns, and other socioeconomic issues. These factors caused the early agricultural communities to emerge in water-rich regions of northwestern, western, and southwestern Iran. By the 4th Millennium BC, while water access became more difficult as population growth, economic activity, and urbanization progress, water resources' systematic development appeared in west and southwest Iran under the Mesopotamian civilization. However, despite all benefits, Mesopotamian water-based technology and administration could not meet all water demands in Iran's arid regions. For these reasons, qanats were developed in Persia by the First Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire). No doubt, the Achaemenids (550–330 BC) should be regarded as one of the early civilizations that emerged in a land without sufficient rainfall and major rivers. In this time, idle and marginal lands of Iran and neighboring regions of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia could be cultivated through the spread of qanat technology, enabling large groups of peasants to increase crop yields and incomes. After a period of recession during the Seleucid Empire (312–63 BC) and the Parthian Empire (247 BC–224 AD), water resources development gained momentum in the Sassanid era (224–651). In this period, the progress of urbanization was expeditious. Consciously, water resources development in Khuzestan plains (Shushtar and Dezful) was crucial for agricultural intensification, economic expansion, and civilization development. The Sassanids wisely adapted Greek watermills to the complicated topography, limited water availability, and variable climate of Iran to produce food. Although the Iranians practiced a new era of water governance under the Sassanid rule (224–651 AD), chaotic Iran in the Late Sasanian and Early Islamic Period led to severe weaknesses in water-related sectors. After Islam's arrival, the Muslim rulers turned their attention from fighting to set up an Islamic civilization to break the socioeconomic stagnation. To achieve the goal, they opened their scientific doors to science and technology centers. Despite all efforts made during the 8th–12th century, the lack of creativity and investment in promoting water technologies, prioritizing political considerations over social benefits, occurring wars, and poor water management have induced the Iranians to lose their power in developing water resources. In today's Iran, the past water-related problems have aggravated by uneven climate change, population rise, rapid industrialization, urban development, and unprecedented changes in lifestyle. Undoubtedly, solving these problems and moving towards a better future is not possible without addressing the past.

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Section: Water-mills Building In the Sassanid Eramentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figure 7 Structure Of a Typical Horizontal Water-mill In Iranmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figure 7 Structure Of a Typical Horizontal Water-mill In Iranmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water Resources Management, Technology, and Culture in Ancient Iran

Saatsaz

Rezaie

2021

Preprint

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“…Other buildings, like castles for example, were also encountered in the region (in Şuş and Akrê). Moreover, the team documented a group of industrial buildings, namely grist mills consisting of a stone drip tower and a mill-house at its base (Neely 2011), demonstrating that the tradition of horizontal water-wheel mills, known from Iran from the Sasanian period onward, had reached Iraqi Kurdistan as well.…”

Section: Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Settlement history of Iraqi Kurdistan: an assessment halfway into the project

Koliński

2018

Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean

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The objectives of the “Settlement history of Iraqi Kurdistan” project include the identification and recording of archaeological sites and other heritage monuments across an area of more than 3000 km2 located on both banks of the Greater Zab river, north of Erbil. A full survey of the western bank was carried out over three field seasons, in 2013, 2014 and 2015 (leaving the Erbil/Haūler province to be studied in the next two seasons). To date, at least 147 archaeological sites dating from the early Neolithic Hassuna culture to late Ottoman times have been registered. Moreover, the project documented 39 architectural monuments, as well as the oldest rock reliefs in Mesopotamia dating from the mid 3rd millennium BC, located in the village of Gūnduk. Altogether 91 caves and rock shelters were visited in search of Paleolithic and Pre-Pottery Neolithic remains. The paper is an interim assessment of the results halfway into the project, showing the trends and illuminating gaps in the current knowledge.

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“…The mills were all situated on the region's permanent watercourses, such as the Rubar Dohuk, Wadi Bandawai, Rubar Dashqalan, River Gomel and the Nardush, a tributary of the Al-Khazir, which fed the canals supplying the mills with water. The drop-tower gristmills were water-powered grain-mills (Neely 2011) that included a canal, which in its last stretch was stone-built and channelled the water to a masonry drop-tower supplying a head of water to drive the mill (Fig. 15).…”

Section: (Mi)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape and Settlement in the Eastern Upper Iraqi Tigris and Navkur Plains: The Land of Nineveh Archaeological Project, Seasons 2012–2013

Bonacossi¹,

Iamoni²

2015

Iraq

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This paper presents a preliminary report on the first two seasons of work by The Land of Nineveh Archaeological Project (LoNAP) of Udine University that aims to understand the formation and transformation of the cultural and natural landscape of northern Mesopotamia, (embracing large parts of the governorates of Ninawa and Dohuk) from the Palaeolithic to the Islamic period. Its purpose is to comprehend patterns of settlement, land use and management, based on a regional archaeological surface survey and excavation. These objectives are closely tied to the geoarcheological and bioarchaeological reconstruction of the ancient natural environment and its evolution as a result of global climatic fluctuations and human impact.

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Sasanian period drop-tower gristmills on the Deh Luran Plain, southwestern Iran

Cited by 13 publications

References 42 publications

Water Resources Management, Technology, and Culture in Ancient Iran

Water Resources Management, Technology, and Culture in Ancient Iran

Settlement history of Iraqi Kurdistan: an assessment halfway into the project

Landscape and Settlement in the Eastern Upper Iraqi Tigris and Navkur Plains: The Land of Nineveh Archaeological Project, Seasons 2012–2013

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