Abstract:
Locating fort settlements in Iran's Sistan region during different historical
periods have always been associated with changes in the direction of
Hirmand River which often occurred due to various natural and human
factors. One of the most important determining factors in locating the
aforementioned settlements is changes in hydrographic network. This study
aims to identify the relation between the Iranian province of Sistan
hydrographic networks and the fort settlement during the Qajar era. The
research method applied, here, is descriptive-analytical, historicalcomparative,
documentary, library and the field study in Iran's Sistan area.
The main focus of the study is on the issue of changes in the hydrographic
network of the Hirmand River. The main question is to what extent have the
changes in the direction of the hydrographic network of Hirmand played a
role in locating fort settlements of the Qajar era in Iran's Sistan region.
Records, documents, data and historical information related to the Qajar era
were collected and comprehensively compared and analyzed regarding the
current and the past situations in the geographic information system (GIS)
using ArcGIS software. The results show that the highest number of the
locating and the density of fort settlements during Qajar are related to the
hydrographic basin of the Sistanriver. The main reason is branching of the
Hirmand River's Hydrographic Basin through the Sistan Canal or Sistan
River in the west. Also from 6 to 12 AH, in both the northern and southern
delta region of Sistan, there have been settlement areas. However, in the
Qajar era, 100 percent of the settlements in the northern delta area have
been site selected.
Machine summary:
The main question is to what extent have the changes in the direction of the hydrographic network of Hirmand played a role in locating fort settlements of the Qajar era in Iran's Sistan region.
By identifying Hirmand hydrographic network during the past three centuries, according to historical records, documents and evidences from ages 5 and 6 AH of Islamic era to the Qajar period, a sort of convergence with the hydrographic network and thus changes in the location of fort settlements can be studied.
Accordingly, the hypothesis is proposed as follows: The Hirmand hydrographic network route changes (from the south delta to the north) have been the most significant factor in the fort settlements during the Qajar period in Iran’s Sistan region.
(رجوع شود به تصویر صفحه) Figure 1 Displays a Three-dimensional (DEM) of the Hirmand River (UNEP & ITC, 2006 and Authors Changes, 2016) Research Results Considering redirecting of the Hirmand River and the hydrographic network of Iranian Sistan during historical periods and consequently locating of human settlements and considering the environmental conditions, first the distribution of ancient areas of the Islamic period (in northern and southern deltas) in relation to the hydrographic network of irrigation in Iranian Sistan is presented (Figure 2).
As it can be seen in Anandal’s map, the Girdi irrigation basin is located at the end of Sistan River (Figure (رجوع شود به تصویر صفحه) Adjustment of the Qajar-era Fort Settlements with Hydrographic Network in Iran’s Sistan Plain During 2014-2016, some field visits were carried out concerning the status of the natural environment and fort settlements of the Qajar era in Iran’s Sistan region, which include the analysis of factors related to the subject in further matching the documented data and historical information with objective and ancient evidences.