ICQHS - Global distribution of qanats

» 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.

Global distribution of qanats

Concerned scientists have approved of the existence of qanats in 34 countries of the world. Some of those countries are as follows:

Asia:
Jordan, Afghanistan, The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkey, China, Syria, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Palestine, Cambodia, India and Yemen.

Africa:
Algeria, Tunisia, Sahara, Libya, Morocco and Egypt.

Europe:
Germany, England, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Cyprus and France.

America:
Peru, Chile and Mexico.