Semnan’s ancient water-sharing system wins heritage award
An ancient water-sharing system in Semnan, central Iran, has won the Living Heritage and Water Award, recognizing a traditional method of managing scarce water resources that has remained in use for more than 1,000 years.
The system was among three initiatives selected from Iran’s Semnan, Hormozgan and Fars provinces for the award presented by the Regional Research Center for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in West and Central Asia.
The ceremony was held on Monday at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts in Tehran to mark the International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The recognition highlights the historical significance of Semnan’s water-management practices, which have continued across generations with little change, according to Mohammad Azizoddin, co-author of a book documenting the city’s water history.
Azizoddin told IRNA that the fourth-century Hijri geographical work “Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma’rifat al-Aqalim,” by al-Muqaddasi, referred to Semnan’s congregational mosque, canals emptied in rotation and urban reservoirs.
“The account showed that the water-sharing system had existed for more than a millennium,” he said.
He added that the reservoirs remained in their historical locations and that traditional methods of controlling water outlets and distributing supplies were still used.
Wooden devices continue to regulate water flows, preserving practices developed for the city’s dry climate.
The book, titled ‘A Thousand Years of Water and Irrigation in Semnan’, was written by Azizoddin, Mahmoud Daraei and Mohammad Amouzadeh, with financial and institutional support from Semnan Municipality.
Azizoddin said international recognition could help raise awareness of Semnan’s historical identity and cultural heritage, while supporting the city’s tourism potential. He also called for continued cooperation among local authorities, cultural heritage organizations and civil society groups to promote the city’s historical legacy.