Heritage with Related Tags
Dholavira: a Harappan City
The ancient city of Dholavira is the southern center of the Harappan civilization, located on the arid island of Kadir in Gujarat. The archaeological site, built between 3000-1500 BC, is one of the best-preserved urban settlements in Southeast Asia and consists of a fortified city and a cemetery. Two seasonal streams provided water to the walled city, a scarce resource in the region, and within the walls was a heavily fortified citadel and ceremonial grounds, with streets and houses of varying proportions and quality, testifying to the social order of the time. The complex water management system demonstrates the wisdom of the Dholavira people in surviving and thriving in a harsh environment. The site includes a large cemetery with six types of monuments, testifying to the unique Harappan view of death. Archaeologists have discovered bead-making workshops and a variety of crafts such as copper, shell, stone, semi-precious gemstone jewelry, clay, gold, ivory and other materials during excavations at the site, demonstrating the artistic and technological achievements of the culture. Evidence of inter-regional trade with other Harappan cities as well as cities in the Mesopotamian region and the Omani peninsula has also been found.
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe
The archaeological site of Meroe, a semi-desert landscape located between the Nile and Atbara rivers, was the heart of the Kingdom of Kush, a major power from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. The site includes the royal city of the Kushite kings at Meroe near the Nile, and the nearby religious sanctuaries of Naqqa and Sufra. It was the seat of the rulers who occupied Egypt for nearly a century and contains, among other remains, pyramids, temples and civil buildings, as well as major facilities related to water management. Their vast empire stretched from the Mediterranean to the heart of Africa, and the site bears witness to the exchange of art, architecture, religion and language between the two regions.
Maulbronn Monastery Complex
Founded in 1147, the Cistercian Abbey of Maulbronn is considered the most complete and best-preserved medieval monastic complex north of the Alps. The main buildings of the abbey were built between the 12th and 16th centuries and are surrounded by defensive walls. The abbey's church is mainly in the Transitional Gothic style and had a major influence on the spread of Gothic architecture throughout much of Northern and Central Europe. Maulbronn's water management system with its complex network of drainage systems, irrigation canals and reservoirs is very remarkable.
The Persian Qanat
In the arid regions of Iran, the ancient qanats system supports agriculture and permanent settlements. The system uses alluvial aquifers at the top of valleys to direct water by gravity into underground tunnels, often several kilometers long. The 11 qanats representing the system include rest areas for workers, reservoirs, and water mills. Traditional communal management systems still exist to share and distribute water resources equitably and sustainably. The qanats provide a remarkable testimony to cultural traditions and civilizations in desert regions with arid climates.
Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana
The Serra de Tramuntana Cultural Landscape is located in a steep mountain range that runs parallel to the northwest coast of Mallorca. Thousands of years of agriculture in a resource-poor environment have transformed the topography and revealed a tightly connected network of facilities for water management organized around agricultural units from the feudal period. The landscape features agricultural terraces and interconnected hydraulic structures, including water mills, as well as dry stone buildings and farms.
Pyu Ancient Cities
The Pyu ruins include the remains of three brick-walled, moated cities, Ha Rin, Bektano and Sriksettra, located on vast irrigated lands in the arid zone of the Irrawaddy River. They reflect the prosperity of the Pyu Kingdom for more than 1,000 years between 200 BC and 900 AD. The three cities are partially excavated archaeological sites. The remains include excavated palace castles, cemeteries and manufacturing sites, as well as huge brick pagodas, partially standing walls and water management facilities - some of which are still in use - that underpin organized intensive agriculture.
Defence Line of Amsterdam
This line of defence (built between 1883 and 1920) stretches 135 kilometres around the city of Amsterdam and is the only fortification system based on the principle of controlling water. The Dutch people have used their expertise in hydraulic engineering for defence since the 16th century. The centre of the country is protected by a network of 45 armed forts, which work in conjunction with temporary flooding of the polders and an intricate system of canals and locks.