Kandovan, Osku
Village in East Azerbaijan province, Iran
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kandovan (Persian: كندوان)[a] is a village in Sahand Rural District[4] of the Central District in Osku County, East Azerbaijan province, Iran. It is situated in the foothills of Mount Sahand, near the city of Osku.
The village exemplifies manmade cliff dwellings which are still inhabited. The troglodyte homes, excavated inside volcanic rocks similar to dwellings in the Turkish region of Cappadocia, are locally called karaan.[5] Karaans were cut into non-welded ignimbrites, also called "ash-flow tuffs," of Mount Sahand. The cone form of the houses is the result of the erosion of ignimbrite layers consisting of porous, round and angular pumice together with other volcanic particles that were positioned in a grey, acidic matrix. During the eruption of Sahand, pyroclastic flows formed the rocks of Kandovan.[6] Around the village the thickness of this formation exceeds 100 metres (330 ft) and with time, due to water erosion, the cone-shaped cliffs were formed. Various grooves that were actually natural water passages have separated the cone-cliffs from each other and form the current streets of the village. Over some of these streets, bridges have been built that connect two karaans to each other. The karaans are developed in east–west direction and are mostly concentrated on the eastern side, whilst most entries and living units have a southward direction. Some karaans are as high as 30 to 40 m.[7]
Origin and stages of development
Mount Sahand is one of the most important mountains, the Silent volcano in Iran for one hundred and forty thousand years ago.[dubious – discuss] After the retreat of Kandovan Lake basin,[clarification needed] the stone of Kandovan has appeared.[clarification needed]
There are several narrations about the establishment of the village:
- The original inhabitants were nomads who had previously been Condon[dubious – discuss] this place was used as a summer house[clarification needed] and houses dug inside the cliffs, which they used temporarily. In order to reduce the hassle of moving, they later permanently settled there.
- Primary residents of Kandovan village, residents of the ruined and ancient village, was "Hilevar".[clarification needed] Those times Mongol attack from this village, which is about two kilometers from Kandovan, they had moved and lived in Kandovan.[clarification needed] [clarification needed]
- In ancient times, some of the warriors from this place passed,[clarification needed] due to the better military position of the place, Especially its topographic position that penetrates from above makes the domain impossible, use it as its own refuge they chose and started digging houses inside the rocks.[dubious – discuss][8]
Demographics
Gallery
Far view of a hotel on the left and the rock houses on the right
Closer view of the village
In the village
In the village
Interior of a traditional home
View of the village and surroundings from the rock houses
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See also
Media related to Kandovan at Wikimedia Commons
Notes
External links
- "Cones of Kandovan", JadidOnline.com
- "Kandovan: A Rocky Village Life in Iran", Amazingiran.media
