How did having falaj impact on human life in the region around 1000BC?
Answers
Answer:
The Falaj had a big impact on human life in the region. Around 1000 BCE, new villages and towns grew in the UAE interior, especially around al-Ain and on the edges of the Al –Hajar Mountains.
Answer:
Oman has an arid climate with an annual average rainfall less than 100 mm. Agriculture
production in Oman is almost fully dependent on irrigation in which more than one
third of irrigation water is supplied by aflāj. Prior to the 1970s, falaj (singular of aflāj)
systems were the backbone of agriculture in the northern parts of Oman. There are three
types of falaj in Oman: ghailī, da'ūdī and c
ainī. Among these three types, only the
da'ūdī falaj is similar to the qanat irrigation systems of Iran.
Aflāj are conduits dug in the ground to convey water by gravity from one place to
another; there are more than 4,000 aflāj in the Sultanate of Oman, of which 3,017 are
active. Many aflāj in Oman were built over 1,500 years ago and some of them may date
back over 2,500 years. There was a major period of construction during the Yac
āriba
Dynasty, by Imam Sultan bin Saif Al Yarubi between 1,060 and 1,070 Hijri (1,650-
1,660 AD). However, several aflāj were constructed only 150 years ago.
The falaj systems are still focal to agricultural communities in Oman as they represent
36% of the total water consumed in the agricultural sector and 38% of the total available
fresh water. Because of their historical and cultural importance, five representative falaj
systems, together with associated structures such as defensive towers, mosques sundials
and buildings for water auctions, have recently been designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage site.
Sustainability was the way of life of our ancestors: because falaj systems use gravity
flow, water use never exceeded water supply. The Sultanate's traditional methods of
water management provide important lessons for the future. Using water fairly in times
of plenty and times of scarcity is one of these lessons. Matching water use to water
availability, a fundamental characteristic of the falaj system, is an essential element in
planning water management in Oman's climatic condition