Irrigation Systems in Samarkand

Dealing with the irrigation systems in the Samarkand oasis with a historical perspective means discussing both the canals watering the territory and the city supply. Commonly considered as the major center in the trade network along the Silk Road, since ancient times, the wealth of Maracanda (Samarkand in Greek sources) is based on a mixed economy, combining the irrigated agriculture in the floodplain with breeding and herding in the uncultivated steppe. However, like many other areas of Central Asia with low rainfall (ca. 350–400 mm/year) and arid environmental conditions, Samarkand and its territory could develop because of a complex irrigation network. The water of the Zeravshan, which is the third longest river of Central Asia, gives rise to the whole system. Springs and wells are less important and usually connected to the water supply in rural mountain areas.