Aflaj Irrigation System of Oman
Oman · Asia
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The Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman are ancient water harvesting, transportation, storage and distribution systems from AD 500 located in the Omani regions of Dakhiliyah, Sharqiyah and Batinah. They represent an ancient type of Middle Eastern irrigation system with a history going back 5,000 years in that region. One type is associated with a water system known as qanat or kariz, originating from Persia and present there and in countries of the Arabian Peninsula near Oman. Aflaj systems may include an underground horizontal section accessed by vertical shafts, which collects water from the aquifer by using the same technology as the Iranian qanat systems. They always include surface channels for transport and distribution.
"Aflaj" (Arabic: أفلاج) is the plural of "falaj" (Arabic: فلج), which means "split into parts" in classical Arabic. This irrigation system effectively divided the water among all the inhabitants; it flowed by gravity from its original sources to homes and cropland. The complex included watchtowers to protect it, but also mosques and other buildings.
In 2006, five aflaj were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites under the name "Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman": Falaj Al-Khatmeen, Falaj Al-Malki, Falaj Daris, Falaj Al-Mayassar and Falaj Al-Jeela.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.