مجله کاشان شناسی
سال نهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 17، پاییز و زمستان 1395)

The farm of Najaf Abad is located in seven kilometers north of Aran and Bidgol and in the west of Dasht-e-Kavir and south of the Salt Lake. An area of 800 meters long (eastern-western) and 594 meters wide (northern-southern) of this farm has been purchased by the central municipality of Aran and Bidgol in order to transfer the workshops and factories of urban disturbing occupations. The experts of the Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization were of the opinion that presumably this purchased area bears historical traces. Therefore, implementing an archaeological speculation project was required to solve this problem and settle the dispute between the Cultural heritage organization and the Municipality of Aran and Bidgol. The main question raised by the researchers was that whether the vast volume of the preliminary data reveal historical traces in this area? The speculation project, therefore, was implemented aiming at recognizing the nature of the area as well as its probable chronology. Surveying the whole areas of the plain and taking various possibilities into account, 7 speculations raised as to the nature of the area. After the implementation of the speculation project, it was revealed that none of the speculations have architectural structure or cultural layer; However, waste and alluvium layers constitute the main layout of all speculations. All in all, the results of the study indicate that the vast volume of preliminary archaeological data in this area have been most probably transferred from the upstream areas to this plain due to floodwater over the consecutive years.

Agriculture has been a widespread activity in Kashan since a long time ago which has developed traditions and local skills. The said traditions and skills of earning living from farming has created a system which could be recognized as an agricultural heritage due to its values. This heritage possesses significant structural dimensions; as the form and feature of farms as well as their location and related buildings are noteworthy. The surveys indicate that many farms which might be fenced or unfenced could be consisted of buildings which are built inside or outside the farms. Apart from the buildings inside the fenced farms which are connected to the fence as well, types of farming mansions are recognizable which are located inside a fenced farm or among series of unfenced farms. At this moment, many of these buildings are forgotten or being destroyed. The values hidden in the agricultural heritage of the district as well as the traces in buildings indicating the mode of farming and working on farms highlight the necessity for further attention to and preservation of these buildings. Accordingly, first we should address the question of what are the common features in the buildings and farming mansions as one of the critical elements in describing the structural dimensions of the agricultural heritage of the district? This paper focuses on addressing this question and aims at recognizing some of these valuable buildings and stressing the necessity for preservation of the agricultural perspective of this district. The main part of this study has been carried out on the basis of field observation and analysis. It has been attempted to provide and evaluate the findings using library sources as well as reviewing aerial photographs. The findings of the study indicate that the surveyed farms consist of buildings inside or outside their fence. These buildings were built as mansions which provided the grounds for taking advantage of the landscapes inside the farm or plain.

Drought and water scarcity are one of the main issues raised in our country. The experts of this issue maintain that gradual global warming, groundwater overexploitation, interbasin water transfer, cropping pattern change and non-standard dam construction, etc. in our country, which is considered as one the dry and water-stressed countries in the world, are aggravating this problem and they have warned against the threat of these factors over and over. Given that development originates from the water as one of the god’s blessings, the human settlement, farms and gardens are often found where there is a spring, river, Qanat, canals, etc. Durability of water in any catchment area has led to durability of settlements and creation of farms and gardens and the routes among them, and promotion of culture and civilization as well as artistic and architectural achievements and traditions related to that area. This can be illustrated by the case of the catchment area of the Fin Plain of Kashan which farms and gardens has been existing therein since a long time ago and owes its brilliant civilization to the springs, seasonal rivers, Qanats, and tributaries existed therein. Taken together, there is a definite need for understanding and stressing the necessity for protecting groundwater and springs as well as dredging and restoration of the Qanats; accordingly, it is hoped that all of us will recognize and appreciate the value of its civil and biological evidences, and traditional methods of farming and gardening (besides the effective modern methods), as well as its valuable art and architecture as the blessings of this country.

Iranian garden is one of the most important elements of Iranian architecture and civilization which has maintained its identity as important type of gardens of the world. Today, there are many gardens around Iran which receive little attention and are being destroyed. One of the beautiful historical gardens remained from the Qajar dynasty is Mobarak Abad historical garden and edifice near the village of Varkan – an ancient and historical area in mountainous district of Kashan. The middle two-storied mansion is the main building of the garden which has modern design with almost symmetrical two stories. There is an octagonal springhouse in the ground floor besides corridor, staircase, rooms and two small verandas. The first floor constitutes of alcove, two sitting room in sides, and balconies in around. Other elements of the garden except the natural ground include walls, small towers, Qanat, Salkh, and a building in the south side. Apart from introducing these elements, this paper aims at describing the decorations and plastering of the building, changes and restoration made in the garden, structure of the garden, type of the garden’s trees and mode of irrigating the trees. Fortunately, due to its current owner’s interest and efforts in preservation and restoration, a bright future is anticipated for the garden.

The first step in protecting the remained architectural and urban developing heritage is to identify and introduce its valuable elements and urban structure. Fin of Kashan is one the districts with valuable historical texture which today is undergoing drastic and increasing changes in texture as well as new constructions. Introducing one of the valuable elements of the great Fin texture and highlighting its importance in describing the development process of Iranian architecture and engineering, this paper has aimed at taking a step towards recognition of this district. Homayoonfal springhouse is considered as one of the valuable and historical instances of the great Fin district, though has lost some parts of its surrounding texture and undergone significant changes as a result of human interference with its function and structure during recent decades, still is remained as a water related architectural instance which manifests itself in employing the elements of the nature for further welfare of human. Meanwhile, First the grounds of the Fin district as well as its natural elements and history, and subsequently, the structure of the building along with visual documents are introduced and presented. Finally, two other springhouses in Kashan are compared with each other in order to obtain better and more accurate understanding of the springhouses.

Ravand is one of the surrounding cities of Kashan which has numerous gardens owing to its climate features. There are edifices in some of these gardens named garden house; However, only 3 of them had been identified in this region at the time of writing the current paper. One of these garden houses is the Arbab Mashallah Mansuri garden house which seems that dates back to late Qajar and early Pahlavi I dynasty according to the current documents. At the time of documentation by the author, its garden had been dried and become an arid land. In spite of considerable damages, its edifice had been survived which, strangely enough, was suddenly destroyed by its owner. This paper aims to study and review this building especially its location and architectural features using photos and maps of this garden house provided by the author as well as field study.

Barzok mountainous district, located in the hillside of Karkas central mountain chain, is one of the catchment areas which has 30 large and small farms as well as numerous springs and Qanats; wherein the irrigation system and water rights had been primarily important according to the historical documents and watermarks. To highlight the importance of this issue, the present study was designed to review the various aspects of irrigation system, names and common expressions in the Barzok distric. The study has been carried out referring to the historical watermarks, documents and statements prepared by the Organization for Registration of Deeds and Properties as well as reviewing the traditions prevalent among the owners and farmers and personal information of the author. This paper discusses various issues including the springs and Qanats of Barzok, Rowzeqe (water rights) in Barzok, water brokers as well as glossary of common irrigation-related expressions in Barzok.