ICQHS - Famous & old Qanat of Iran > The proovince of Kerman

» Inauguration of the water museum coincided with the international symposium on Qanat in Yazd [May2000] brought about a situation in which qanat digging equipment could exhibit our cultural legacy partially to remind every individual of the diligence and sustainability of the people once lived here.

History Of Qanat

» Henry Gubler believes that around 800 BC. coal miners in north eastern Iran improvised some canals in order to extract the water from the coal mines. The technology was gradually applied by farmers and spread all over the plateau of Iran. About 525 BC. it reached Oman and Saudi Arabia by Iranians and Persian campaigns conveyed this technology through Egypt about 500 BC.
Qanat was introduced to Africans by Muslims and Yafuga (a Qanat) was created in Madrid by Muslims about 750 BC. The Spanish initiated qanats in Mexico in 1520 AD. From there, it was taken to Los Angeles in 1520 AD. This Hydraulic system was spotted in Chile , too. Creation of qanats in Asia enjoys great antiquity as well.

The Province of kerman
There is no unanimity regarding the longest qanat in kerman. For instance, Hashu-eieh located in Baghein (31 kms long with 22 liters discharge) is the longest qanat according to the authorities of the regional water organization. Mr. Safi-Nejad believes that the kerman qanat which is 40 km long with the depth of 120 m. of the mother well and 20 liters discharge per second is considerable. Mr. Petroshevski has recorded the Mahan qanat 50 km and Dr. Bastani- parizi believes that there is a qanat in kerman which is about 42 km long with a mother- well enjoying 145 meters of depth. The most splendid qanat of the province is called pa-ye-kam on the outskirts of Bam with a length of 4600 meters 4000 of which is the wet zone. The mother well is 47 meters deep. In Bam and Narmashir, Rashidi qanat in Barvat and Fazl-Abbad dates back to Rashid-Al-Din Fazlolah's Children and Gardun qanat precedes Mongols. Chupar is another qanat dating back to Annahita.