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

» 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 khorasan:
Bidokht and Saleh Abbad are the two well-known active qanats in Gonabad. Bidokht enjoys a mother well depth of 350 m. with a discharge of 150 liters per second irrigating 150 Hectares of the agricultural lands. Keikhosro is another qanat in Gonabad with 400 m. depth of the mother well according to Mr. Saed-lu. Mr. kurus believes that the biggest qanat gallery in Gonabad is 70 kms long. This is probably the one with a mother well depth of 140 meters according to Mr. saad-lu. It is believed that the sanabad qanat in Mashhad is 1200 years old and dates back to pre-Islamic-era.