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Reconstructing irrigation at Otrar Oasis, Kazakhstan, AD 800–1700
Author(s) -
Clarke D.,
Sala R.,
Deom J.M.,
Meseth E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
irrigation and drainage
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.421
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1531-0361
pISSN - 1531-0353
DOI - 10.1002/ird.195
Subject(s) - irrigation , geography , water resource management , agriculture , archaeology , pastoralism , steppe , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , livestock , environmental science , forestry , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology
Irrigation has been practised near the Syr Darya river in Central Asia for over 1300 years. Low‐level aerial surveys were used to determine the extent of the former canal network and archaeological excavations have identified phases of expansion and contraction of towns that depended on irrigated agriculture. From AD 1000 onwards, extensive series of engineered canals were constructed, producing a rich agricultural society in a region formerly considered to be dominated by nomadic pastoralists. Phases and expansion of agricultural development are related to regional changes in climate. Modern irrigation models have been used to reconstruct likely crop water requirements. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.