It is a vast and well preserved network of old irrigation channels. They are from the first Mileno AC found it in the Eridu region, in southern Mesopotamia. This sheds new light on primitive agricultural practices. The hidden Iraqi irrigation system is surprising.
The finding is directed by the geoarcheologist of the University of Durham, Jaafar Jotheri. It offers an unusual vision of how ancient farmers, from the seventh to the beginning of the first millennium a. C., they irrigated their fields using the Euphrates River. This discovery not only improves our understanding of ancient irrigation systems. It also highlights the ingenuity and adaptability of the first farmers. The research is published in the Tiquity magazine.
Advanced management
The Eridu region, near Basora in the current Iraq, remained intact for centuries. It happened for a change in the course of euphrates in the early first millennium a. C. This left the dry and uninhabited area, thus preserving the old landscape. In other parts of Mesopotamia the oldest irrigation systems were buried under newer channels or river sediments.
Geological maps, satellite images, photographs with drones and field work were combined. Thus identified more than 200 primary channels connected directly to the old Euphrates. In addition, more than 4,000 smaller secondary channels, linked to more than 700 farms, were mapped.
This complex irrigation network reflects the advanced water management skills of the ancient Mesopotamian farmers. They used the natural landscape for their benefit. The high dikes of the river allowed the water to flow by gravity to the surrounding fields. These techniques allowed farmers to grow crops on both sides of the river.
Evolution
The study also highlights how the irrigation system evolved over the centuries. The maintenance of the channels required a large amount of labor and specialized knowledge. Different parts of the network are likely to be used at different times.
The hidden Iraqi irrigation system still offers many questions. Future research aims to date each channel to better understand changes in agricultural practices over time. The comparison of channel designs with the descriptions of old cuneiform texts could provide even more information.
Leave your reaction
