Paraw Kukherd (from , in is a

water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. These resources can be either freshwater from natural sources, or water produced artificia ...

system used. The ''Paraw Kukherd'' Qanat structures and ruins are located in the

Kukherd District Kukherdharang District () is in Bastak County, Hormozgan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Kukherdharang. History After the 2016 National Census, the village of Kukherd was elevated to city status as Kukherdharang. Demographic ...

(), in Hormozgan Province. They are under the administration of the city of kukherd In

Bastak County Bastak County () is in Hormozgan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Bastak. History After the 2016 National Census, the villages of Henguiyeh, Kuhij, and Kukherdharang were elevated to city status. Demographics Language Bastak ...

. The Paraw Kukherd are an archaeological site of

Sassanid architecture Sasanian architecture refers to the Persian architectural style that reached a peak in its development during the Sasanian era. In many ways the Sasanian Empire period (224–651 CE) witnessed the highest achievement of Iranian civilization, and ...

Technical features

Qanat A qanāt () or kārīz () is a water supply system that was developed in ancient Iran for the purpose of transporting usable water to the surface from an aquifer or a well through an underground aqueduct. Originating approximately 3,000 years ...

s are constructed as a series of well-like vertical

shaft Shaft may refer to: Rotating machine elements * Shaft (mechanical engineering), a rotating machine element used to transmit power * Line shaft, a power transmission system * Drive shaft, a shaft for transferring torque * Axle, a shaft around whi ...

s, connected by gently sloping

tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

s. Qanats tap into subterranean water in a manner that efficiently delivers large quantities of water to the surface without need for pumping. The water drains relying on

gravity In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force b ...

, with the destination lower than the source, which is typically an upland

aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeability (Earth sciences), permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics. The s ...

. Qanats allow water to be transported over long distances in hot dry climates without losing a large proportion of the water to seepage and

evaporation Evaporation is a type of vaporization that occurs on the Interface (chemistry), surface of a liquid as it changes into the gas phase. A high concentration of the evaporating substance in the surrounding gas significantly slows down evapora ...

Impact of qanats on settlement patterns

A typical town or city in Iran and elsewhere where the

qanat A qanāt () or kārīz () is a water supply system that was developed in ancient Iran for the purpose of transporting usable water to the surface from an aquifer or a well through an underground aqueduct. Originating approximately 3,000 years ...

is used has more than one qanat. Fields and gardens are located both over the qanats a short distance before they emerge from the ground and after the surface outlet. Water from the qanats defines both the social regions in the city and the layout of the city. The water is freshest, cleanest, and coolest in the upper reaches and more prosperous people live at the outlet or immediately upstream of the outlet. When the qanat is still below grade, the water is drawn to the surface via

water well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...

s or animal driven

Persian well A sāqiyah or saqiya (), also spelled sakia or saqia) is a mechanical water lifting device. It is also called a Persian wheel, tablia, rehat, and in Latin tympanum. It is similar in function to a scoop wheel, which uses buckets, jars, or scoops ...

s. Private subterranean reservoirs could supply houses and buildings for domestic use and garden irrigation as well. Further, air flow from the qanat is used to cool an underground summer room (

shabestan A shabestan or shabistan (; is an underground space that can be usually found in traditional architecture of mosques, houses, and schools in ancient Iran. These spaces were usually used during summers and could be ventilated by windcatchers and ...

) found in many older houses and buildings.

References

* :ar: باراو كوخرد Arabic Wikipedias. * :fa: پاراو کوخرد Persian Wikipedia. * الكوخردى ، محمد ، بن يوسف، (كُوخِرد حَاضِرَة اِسلامِيةَ عَلي ضِفافِ نَهر مِهران) الطبعة الثالثة ،دبى: سنة 199۷ للميلاد **Mohammed Kookherdi (1997) Kookherd, an Islamic civil at Mehran river, third edition: Dubai * محمدیان، کوخری، محمد ، “ (به یاد کوخرد) “، ج1. ج2. چاپ اول، دبی: سال انتشار 2003 میلادی Mohammed Kookherdi Mohammadyan (2003), Beyade Kookherd, third edition : Dubai. *محمدیان، کوخردی ، محمد ، '' «شهرستان بستک و بخش کوخرد» '' ، ج۱. چاپ اول، دبی: سال انتشار ۲۰۰۵ میلادی Mohammed Kookherdi Mohammadyan (2005), Shahrestan Bastak & Bakhshe Kookherd, First edition : Dubai. *عباسی ، قلی، مصطفی، '' «بستک وجهانگیریه»،'' چاپ اول، تهران : ناشر: شرکت انتشارات جهان * سلامى، بستكى، احمد. '' (بستک در گذرگاه تاریخ) '' ج2 چاپ اول، 1372 خورشيدى * اطلس گیتاشناسی استان‌های ایران

tlas Gitashenasi Ostanhai Iran TLA may refer to: Organisations * Tennessee Library Association, a professional organization for librarians in Tennessee * Texas Library Association, a professional organization for librarians in Texas * Tour de las Américas, a professional golf ...

(
Gitashenasi Province Atlas of Iran
') * درگاه فهرست آثار ملی ایران

External links

Kookherd website
{{Hormozgan Province Archaeological sites in Iran Kukherd District Bastak County History of Hormozgan province Sasanian architecture Monuments and memorials in Iran Buildings and structures in Kukherd District National works of Iran

Technical features

Impact of qanats on settlement patterns

See also

References

External links