World Heritage Site:
Proto-urban Site of Sarazm
Publication Year:
2019
Publication Type:
Article
Publication Identifier:
WHEED48DDD60E
Summary
A groundbreaking geoarchaeological study of the Zeravchan Valley, Tadjikistan, reveals that human societies have significantly shaped its river landscape through sophisticated water management practices since the protohistoric era. The research demonstrates how interactions between riparian communities and a semi-arid, tectonically active environment led to the creation of complex irrigation systems over millennia. By integrating geomorphological analysis, Optically Stimulated Thermoluminescence (OSL) dating, and micromorphological studies of sedimentary backfill from a 3rd millennium BCE canal, the study highlights the rapid transformation of landscapes through socio-environmental dynamics. This finding underscores the enduring impact of human ingenuity in managing water resources in challenging conditions.
Citation
Cez, L. (2019). Le paysage fluvial et irrigué de Sarazm dans la moyenne vallée du Zeravchan, Tadjikistan, Asie centrale. Projets de Paysage, 20. https://doi.org/10.4000/paysage.705