Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts A short explanation

Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts A short explanation and a comparisson by W. D. Schram MSc

Overview Introduction on Roman aqueducts Introduction about Persian qanats Special topics Comparison Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: basic elements Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: tunnel Note: a masonry channel inside a tunnel (Cave de Curé, Gier aqueduct, Lyon, France) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: bridges The world known aqueduct bridge Pont du Gard, part of the aqueduct (50 km) of Nimes (France). Also represented on a banknote of 5 euro Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: arcade Two (!) aqueduct channels (70 and 88 km long, mainly subterranean) on top of a series of arches (Rome, Italy) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

The Roman empire Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: some 750 Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: the users Local fountain (Gerasa, Jordan) Baths (reconstruction) (Xanten, Germany) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts: examples Tunnel and pipes (550 BCE) (Samos, Greece) Akcay tunnel (Side, Turkey) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts Water distribution (Pompeii, Italy)

Qanats: basic elements Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: channel and shafts Qanat shaft (near Yazd) Shaft tops Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: from the air Persepolis Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: the users Place to scoop water Water distribution Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: works of art Qanat bridge (Kharanaq, Yazd) Ice house (Yazd) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: distribution worldwide Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: distribution 1 Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: distribution 2 Tehran (ca 1960 CE) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts Isfahan (1942 CE)

Qanats: distribution 3 Tafilalt (Maroc) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts Qanats in Syria

Qanats: in Europe 1 Madrid (Spain) = Madjira = place of qanats Near Selb and Asch (Germany) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: in Europe 2 The qanat of Walferdange (Luxemburg) with stepped channel and access shafts Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Qanats: construction Muqanni Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts Clay rings for reinforcements

Storage Water storage site Entrance Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Cooling Wind towers Technique Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Ice house Meybod Cross-section Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Subterrenean dam Dam in a qanat (Vazvan) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts Cross-section

Subterranean water mill Horizontal water wheel Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Comparison 1 Element Iranian qanat Roman aqueduct Climate Mainly in arid regions In arid and semi-arid regions Source Aquifer River, spring or dam (by exception: well or aquifer) Place in the landscape 100% subterranean 20% above ground (arcades, substructions) Construction Shafts every 50 – 100 m plus connecting channel Masonry channel (or pipe), sometimes in qanat construction (shaft every 35 – 70 m) Course Straight line Sinuous, following the contour lines Works of art Exceptional: subterranean dams Bridges, tunnels, arcades, siphons Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Comparison 2 Element Iranian qanat Roman aqueduct Users Public and farmers (private houses, bath houses? ) Public and bathhouses. Also: houses, farmers, ornamental fountains (grainmills) Distribution Channels and sluices; for irrigation timesharing Distribution stations plus lead pipes inside the towns Status Utilitarian / lifeline Additional to other sources (wells, rainwater); luxury (Baths); showcase (Show of pride and power) Builders Well paid specialists Slave specialist, contractors, sometimes support from the military Ownership Coorperative ( 10 – 250 p) Town council Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Comparison 3 Element Iranian qanat Roman aqueduct Finance Members of the cooperation Local meacenas, the emperor, twon council Surplus water (only in winter): ? To flush the sewers and toilets, fullers Storage Local in modest volumes No, only behind some large bath houses (e. g. Rome) Basics: - cross-section - typical length - typical discharge - typical depth - typical fall 0, 6 – 1, 2 m 10 km 2. 000 m 3/day 10 – 50 m 0, 07 – 0, 1 % 0, 6 – 1, 2 m 20 km 20. 000 m 3/day 5 m 0, 1 – 0, 5 % Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Conclusions Although there are similarities, qanats are quite different from roman aqueducts Most striking: the difference in the sources qanat(s) are often the only source of water Roman aqueducts are all out of use Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts

Problems ? ! Nonius Datus (150 CE) (Saldae, Algeria) Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts Tehran (2009 CE)

Usefull websites The International Center on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (ICQHS) in Yazd: http: //www. icqhs. org/English/Default. aspx The Water Museum in Yazd is part of the ICQHS Youtube film about qanats: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ie. BVMOPRYJ 0 Thank you Wilke Schram Persian qanats and Roman aqueducts