Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017) • Hacker News Board

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#31

Post by bcraven » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 4:03 PM UTC

growlist wrote: post #28

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The distance these cover and the depth they tunnel into mountains is part of what makes them incredible, in case the description of underground aquaducts doesn't sound cool enough.

True! :) I first learnt of them years back on TV - think it was a Channel 4 (UK broadcast channel) documentary, in which they sent a British academic into somewhat hazardous situations. He walked underground along one of these tunnels. Haven't been able to find the documentary since, unfortunately.

I think Iain Stewart went down one for his "Rise of the Continents" series.

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#32

Post by jeltz » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 4:32 PM UTC

dghughes wrote: post #30

mehrdadn wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3000 years old: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/05/iran-qanat-i... > The technology spread, through Silk Road trade and Muslim conquest, and qanats can be found as far as Morocco and Spain.

Petra in Jordan also has water system although not tunnels.

Other ancient cities in Jordan had tunnels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadara_Aqueduct). These tunnels, which are thought to be originally from Iran but adopted by many cultures including the Romans, exist all over the world including in Luxembourg.

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#33

Post by dharma1 » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 4:35 PM UTC

Iran also has ancient natural air conditioning tech

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windcatcher

Persians are very smart people

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#34

Post by e40 » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 4:56 PM UTC

dharma1 wrote: post #33

Iran also has ancient natural air conditioning tech https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windcatcher Persians are very smart people

> Persians are very smart people

I agree, but doesn't this have more to do with the stability of their society, in that period?

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#35

Post by nick_g » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 5:20 PM UTC

andrew_c_v wrote: post #26

What are the windmills used for? Is it for milling grains?

Yes, wheat into flour for naan. In this video[0] linked by twic you can see them in operation

0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv3Pn2DFkDw

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#36

Post by Nasrudith » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 5:26 PM UTC

taneq wrote: post #19

gherkinnn wrote: post #18

Fascinating how these windmills come across as a symbiosis between man and nature. They’re an integral part of the landscape, part of the culture (or used to be), and harness the local environment to produce something. Same goes for rice terraces, vineyards, etc. And yet I see many people complain about us sticking wind turbines on top of hills. One can only imagine how the Iranian wind wills were received a thousand…

People whinge about new things. You don't see anyone complaining that the pyramids are an eyesore or the Arc de Triomphe is a waste of taxpayers' money.

The Eiffle Tower is the best example of this as it was derided as an eyesore allowed for the World Fair.

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#37

Post by Nasrudith » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 5:30 PM UTC

gherkinnn wrote: post #18

Fascinating how these windmills come across as a symbiosis between man and nature. They’re an integral part of the landscape, part of the culture (or used to be), and harness the local environment to produce something. Same goes for rice terraces, vineyards, etc. And yet I see many people complain about us sticking wind turbines on top of hills. One can only imagine how the Iranian wind wills were received a thousand…

I know that in Europe Millers were treated and depicted literally satanic for their use of cleverness to gather work passively and riches without conquest or subjugation. Their greatest sin was not fitting in with the expectations of the social order.

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#38

Post by noja » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 5:43 PM UTC

Leszek wrote: post #11

There's likely an interesting Ship of Theseus debate to be had about whether these are indeed thousand-year-old windmills, and whether it's accurate to consider the windmills build a thousand years ago to be "still standing".

Well so are you. None of you exists from ten years ago. Are you still you?

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#39

Post by saalweachter » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 6:21 PM UTC

gherkinnn wrote: post #22

taneq wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People whinge about new things. You don't see anyone complaining that the pyramids are an eyesore or the Arc de Triomphe is a waste of taxpayers' money.

The Eiffel Tower wasn’t well received at first, now it’s a part of Parisian identity. Gotta love that cycle.

My vague understanding is there are still mixed feelings about it.

Re: Thousand year-old windmills in Iran (2017)

#40

Post by behnamoh » Wed, Nov 27, 2019, 8:51 PM UTC

e40 wrote: post #34

dharma1 wrote: post #33

Iran also has ancient natural air conditioning tech https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windcatcher Persians are very smart people

> Persians are very smart people I agree, but doesn't this have more to do with the stability of their society, in that period?

What stability? Persia (current Iran) has been under constant attack from its neighbors for thousands of years, most notably Alexander's conquest, the Arab invasion, and the Mongols.