Qanat Irrigation System

Timeline

1. c. 900–920Yazd oasis · Yazd ProvinceIn the early 10th century, oases across the Persian Plateau relied on dense qanat systems for irrigation; thousand-year-old shaft-and-channel remains can still be traced at places like Yazd, which already formed the lifeline of regional agriculture at the time.
2. c. 930–960Khwarazm · KhwarazmIn the mid-10th century, qanat technology expanded in places like Khwarazm alongside Islamic governance practices, supporting cotton and hemp cultivation and growing urban populations.
3. c. 970–1000Samarkand · UzbekistanBy the late 10th century, Central Asian oasis cities relied on qanats (locally called kariz) to maintain farmland irrigation, providing stable grain and horticultural output for Silk Road hubs such as Samarkand.