The technique of the araban qanat in the low basin of the Henares river, an hidden heritage
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2020-03Subject/s
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Abstract
Until now, there were only brief and imprecise references on the use of the ancient technique of the Arab qanat, in the lower basin of the Henares River. It is not strange this circumstance because the Arabic voice qanat, refers to a gallery, which is used to capture the waters of an underground aquifer and transport them to their place of use. It is its underground layout that makes these infrastructures, true wonders of hydraulic engineering, so important in their time, remain hidden and forgotten. This technique is behind many of the famous desert oases. On the contrary, the transcendental relevance of the use of this water collection technique in the city of Madrid is well known. This importance made the current Law of Historical Heritage of the Community of Madrid, declared Assets of Patrimonial Interest. The investigations that originate this article have also served to document the existence of these infrastructures, acting as supply systems, in the main cities of the Henares river basin, the cases of Guadalajara and Alcalá de Henares. The work carried out to locate these galleries has been based: in the historical study of the data obtained in the primary sources, of the archives, in the hydrogeological study of the area and of the historical and current photography and cartography. On the other hand, modern topographic and graphic survey techniques have been used to carry out the survey and cataloging of its characteristics and its layout. The research has served to locate these galleries, document them, catalog them and represent them graphically, so that they can be shown, since their underground layout makes this essential for their dissemination, study and knowledge. The physical-chemical analyzes have allowed to know the quality of the waters and confirm the uses to which they were destined. It has also been noted, the important role they have played in the historical development of these urban centers, in the lives of their inhabitants, institutions and religious communities.
Until now, there were only brief and imprecise references on the use of the ancient technique of the Arab qanat, in the lower basin of the Henares River. It is not strange this circumstance because the Arabic voice qanat, refers to a gallery, which is used to capture the waters of an underground aquifer and transport them to their place of use. It is its underground layout that makes these infrastructures, true wonders of hydraulic engineering, so important in their time, remain hidden and forgotten. This technique is behind many of the famous desert oases. On the contrary, the transcendental relevance of the use of this water collection technique in the city of Madrid is well known. This importance made the current Law of Historical Heritage of the Community of Madrid, declared Assets of Patrimonial Interest. The investigations that originate this article have also served to document the existence of these infrastructures, acting as supply systems, in the main cities of the Henares river basin, the cases of Guadalajara and Alcalá de Henares. The work carried out to locate these galleries has been based: in the historical study of the data obtained in the primary sources, of the archives, in the hydrogeological study of the area and of the historical and current photography and cartography. On the other hand, modern topographic and graphic survey techniques have been used to carry out the survey and cataloging of its characteristics and its layout. The research has served to locate these galleries, document them, catalog them and represent them graphically, so that they can be shown, since their underground layout makes this essential for their dissemination, study and knowledge. The physical-chemical analyzes have allowed to know the quality of the waters and confirm the uses to which they were destined. It has also been noted, the important role they have played in the historical development of these urban centers, in the lives of their inhabitants, institutions and religious communities.
