A qanat carries water through a gently sloping tunnel under the desert — ChillScroll

A line of qanat access shafts crossing a desert toward a green oasis

A qanat carries water through a gently sloping tunnel under the desert

Qanat builders dug a long underground channel from higher groundwater toward farms and homes below. A line of vertical shafts gave them air and access while gravity kept the water moving.

From above, the hidden river leaves a dotted line across the sand.

Source · UNESCO ↗