From: mobarne@attglobal.net <mobarne@attglobal.net>
To: bulletin@saudicaves.com <bulletin@saudicaves.com>
Date: Wednesday, October 13, 1999 12:07 PM
Subject: qanats
 
 
I understand that while caveing you have encountered qanats, called
filtration galleries in English.  These are series of near-vertical
perforations to the water table linked by a slightly sloping tunnel.  Their
purpose is to recover and deliver water and they are quite common, and
sometimes ancient, in the Arab and hispanic worlds.  Can you tell us
anything about these?
 
Monica Barnes