Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Who says Flintstones are gone?

Mount Sahand Kandovan - 700 years Old Village
In the north east of Iran at the foot of Mount Sahand in Kandovan, the villagers live in cave homes carved out from the volcanic rock.
The houses are of two to four storeys; the ground floor is used for animals, the first and maybe second floor as well, are used as living areas, whilst the top floor is used to store things.

Mount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old villageMount Sahad Kandovan 700 year old village
Most houses face south so residents enjoy sunlight during the day. The houses have windows with decorative glass. It is said that the houses have an “air circulation system that keeps the homes cool in summer and warm in winter”, but I suspect it is the great thermal capacity of the whole mountain rock that is doing the work. Nowadays the houses have electrical connection, water piped in and even waste plumbing.
The Sahand is well known for its spring-water which is believed to be able to cure diseases. A river runs through the valley in the village, providing water for the agricultural terraces and animal husbandry.

1 comments:

  1. There are no people in any of the pics. Why is that?

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