ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 217

Figure 8: Wells in houses for daily water use in Evaz museum

History of Water Cistern (Berka) in Evaz
Hot and dry climate conditions and lack of adequate rainfall in more than six months in a year and
seasonal rivers were the reason to motivate architecture to create new ideas of the cisterns, bands
and canals. Cisterns were made to save water in rainy days. Water cisterns are important not only
as one of the most important structures of water, in fact, it were guidance for passengers and caravans in the past for whom were passing the way in the desert and plain (Fig.9).

Figure 9: Evaz cisterns, July 2011
Accordingly, the cisterns are a symbol for architecture of rural in Iran. The oldest water resource
in Iran belongs to Eilami Dorantash in Chaghazanbil of Khuzestan state (province). This water cistern is build 1250 years before BC. There are many water cisterns located in the south of Iran and
islands in Persian Gulf, which prove the value and importance of human to secure a vital element,
water (Kamal 1999:154). In Islamic duration, water cistern had increased rapidly and today there
are many historic places from those periods. Water cistern usually divided in two categories; the
water cisterns which are used generally by everyone in the area and region (more public), and the
second one more private water cistern for inside the houses.

Vernacular architecture of south of Iran, Evaz: developing a solution for future designs

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