2 February 2016

qanat

noun

a gently sloping underground tunnel for irrigation purposes, esp. in ancient Persia; also called kanat

Origin

Qanat is the Arabic word for “channel”. Qanats are also called kārīz (or kārēz from Persian: كاريز‎‎) (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, derived from Persian: كاهریز‎‎), kahan (from Persian: کهن‎‎), kahriz/kəhriz (Azerbaijan); khettara (Morocco); galería (Spain); falaj (from Arabic: فلج‎) (United Arab Emirates and Oman); Kahn (Baloch) or foggara/fughara (North Africa).[8] Alternative terms for qanats in Asia and North Africa are kakuriz, chin-avulz, and mayun. Common variants of qanat in English include kanat, khanat, kunut, kona, konait, ghanat, ghundat.

Examples

The oldest and largest known qanat is in the Iranian city of Gonabad which, after 2,700 years, still provides drinking and agricultural water to nearly 40,000 people.

Originating in northeastern Iran around 800 BC, qanats brought the water from the snow melt to the plains for irrigation and human use.

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Today’s quote

Freedom is the recognition of necessity.

– Friedrich Engels

On this day

2 February 1943 – the German 6th Army surrenders to Soviet forces in Stalingrad.

2 February 1964 – Hasbro launches G.I. Joe (‘Government Issue Joe), an Armed Forces toy.

2 February 1971 – Idi Amin declares himself President of Uganda and launches a genocidal program that massacres between 80,000 and 300,000 people.

2 February 1990 – South African President, F.W. De Klerk orders the release of Nelson Mandela from jail. Mandela had served 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid work with the African National Congress. De Klerk also lifted the 30 year ban on the ANC.