Irrigation in the medieval Islamic Fayyum: Local control in a large-scale hydraulic system

Yossef Rapoport, Ido Shahar

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Because of the unique set of sources available, the Fayyum in Middle Egypt offers a unique case study of large-scale irrigation from antiquity to the Islamic period. A close reading of a cadastral survey of the province from 641/1243-4 shows that the distinctive aspect of the Islamic period was the local control of water supply and management. Drawing on the engineering experience of the villagers, water allocation and management in the gravity-fed canals of the Fayyum were in the hands of iqtā holders and tribal groups along the main canals, a pattern similar to that which pertained in mediaeval al-Andalus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-31
Number of pages31
JournalJournal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient
Volume55
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Egypt
  • Fayyum
  • Nile
  • al-Andalus
  • al-Lāhūn
  • al-Nābulusī
  • iqtā
  • irrigation
  • tribes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • History
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Economics and Econometrics

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