Qanats were probably invented in Iranian Kurdistan – or so says this month’s Saudi Aramco magazine. I’m not so sure.
And I think it’s a lost opportunity that they don’t mention the water crisis which is threatening the very existence of the qanat, at least in Iran.
Click here to read about the dry qanat that I have donated to the Museum of Water.
And here to read my recent posting about the water crisis in Iran, summarised by one Iranian professor as “Given the current situation, we will either die of thirst or run away”
The Saudi Aramco article does have some lovely images – though I can’t show you them directly. Click here to view them yourself.
Or have a look at this to the right: one of George Gertser’s images: of a qanat watering a garden in Fars. This is a true garden paradise! I had wondered if the multiple lines represented deeper digging as the water table has gone down but then I saw the date: 1976. It’s only relatively recently that there’s been a problem.
Now, however, with the groundwater dropping 2 metres a year in some places, I’m worrying less about the first qanat – than where and when the last working one will be?!
I’ve been trying – and failing – to make some major changes on my website. So you might have missed some recent postings. I’m really sorry about that.
This week, though, I’m conceding defeat and going back to the old system to share something on the first – and even more importantly, the last – qanat.
I also wanted to let you know that I am teaching soon – as part of the IESA course on Collecting and Display of Islamic Art. It’s in Leighton House which, as I’m sure you know, is absolutely gorgeous, and going to be very exciting. I’m talking on Carpet Trading in Poland on October 21 – and on the 1910 Munich exhibition, and the 1931 Burlington House exhibition in December sometime. You can attend the whole course – or just choose particular days.
Also to remind you, if you haven’t already been part of these, of two appeals:
Most recently, the Amnesty appeal for Goncheh Ghavami – arrested and now in solitary confinement for trying to watch volleyball – click here to read more and then sign the petition;
And then there’s the Canadian-Iranian peepbox impounded in Canada for being Iranian – even though it was produced with an official Canada Council of the Arts grant.
Hope all good with everyone?!
Best wishes
Caroline
JH replies through me:
Hello. Good to hear of contact. J.
YC emails me to say: Good for you, teaching at Leighton House! For how long?
Thanks for the catching-up Mail. It would have been a pity to miss out on that lot of blogs!