A large part of Turkmenistan id occupied with the Garagum, one of the largest deserts of the world. In the west, it is washed with the blue streams of the ancient Khazar and in the east the turbulent Amyderya crosses it and the southern lands are irrigated with the Murgap, Tejen, Sumbar, Etrek, numerous small rivulets and springs.
Geographers often call the desert a strange contrast and paradox. However, from time immemorial in it lived kumli, people of sands. They practiced cattle breeding, passing their shepherd’s stick from generation to generation as if a passing a baton.
One should admit that it is not so easy to provide oneself with food staffs and other necessities to live in the arid zone. The acute lack of water was felt and without it is not imaginable to live in the deserts and keep the household –to water hundreds of flocks of sheep, camels, and domestic cattle. Only camel differs with its special endurance overcoming the vast sands of the Garagum with a drop of water and for it is called the “king of deserts”.
The dream of our nation of large water has come true. With a view of a long-term perspective the realization of a grandiose project of the 21st century- construction of the Turkmen lake “Altyn Asyr” is carried on in the Garagum.
Once wells saved people in the deserts. There are a great number of them in the Garagum. From well to well, there were laid caravan paths of the great Silk Road, caravan leaders measured the distance of paths between wells, which served as a guide mark in the boundless limits of these sands. Near numerous wells with fresh drinking water there appeared settlements which acquired names of wells bearing names of masters who bored them. Indeed, to dig wells required a great deal of work, great skill, as well as true heroism!
In the village of Chagyl of Turkmenbashy etrap of Balkan velayat , for example, people still remember such masters of wells as Atabay aga, Nazar aga and their names have been given to two fresh drinking water wells. They take water from springs and are clean and sweet. Wells-old-timers which have gone down the history of our native land are numerous –Yak-guyi, Irikli, Ajy-guyi, Dongra, Tuver, Goymat, Garayman, all is impossible to recount. According to local people, each of these wells can irrigate 4-6 000 hectares of pastures.
Beyond the Balkhan range in the pasture of Cholun gyry there is a well called “Yedi suri”. The name itself speaks of abundant reserve of water, which is rather enough to quench thirst of seven flocks of sheep a day and not every well can provide it, especially in the sultry summer. Jemer seys has left an indelible trace in the memory of people. As they say, he was a great expert in Akhalteke racers and unmatchable master of well construction and well-respected man in the region. Many wells still working in the distant pastures of the velayat are associated with his name. One of them is called “Mouvchalan” - «in rage».
The tested practice of construction of wells, its protection from devolution and destruction, application of cottage products in this work, determination of presence of water in deep stratum without any equipment visibly testify to the fact that master of well building perfectly possessed all secrets of water located in the bowels of the Garagum. They unmistakably defined exact coordinates of fresh and saline waters in the deep stratum, and perfectly handled “technologies “ of digging of wells in the sandy ground and creation of inner walls with the help of branches of ammodendron and other shrubs not influencing the composition of water. The depth of wells can reach as much as 200 and more meters from the surface of the soil and deeper can be only artisan wells drilled with modern technologies.
Well are found in different deserts of the world, but the wells of the Garagum are the deepest ones in the globe! Constructed by the famous and unknown skilled masters they present a historical value. In its origin, they are unique monuments to the nation geniuses and one of the wonderful sightseeing of the Garagum.
Geographers often call the desert a strange contrast and paradox. However, from time immemorial in it lived kumli, people of sands. They practiced cattle breeding, passing their shepherd’s stick from generation to generation as if a passing a baton.
One should admit that it is not so easy to provide oneself with food staffs and other necessities to live in the arid zone. The acute lack of water was felt and without it is not imaginable to live in the deserts and keep the household –to water hundreds of flocks of sheep, camels, and domestic cattle. Only camel differs with its special endurance overcoming the vast sands of the Garagum with a drop of water and for it is called the “king of deserts”.
The dream of our nation of large water has come true. With a view of a long-term perspective the realization of a grandiose project of the 21st century- construction of the Turkmen lake “Altyn Asyr” is carried on in the Garagum.
Once wells saved people in the deserts. There are a great number of them in the Garagum. From well to well, there were laid caravan paths of the great Silk Road, caravan leaders measured the distance of paths between wells, which served as a guide mark in the boundless limits of these sands. Near numerous wells with fresh drinking water there appeared settlements which acquired names of wells bearing names of masters who bored them. Indeed, to dig wells required a great deal of work, great skill, as well as true heroism!
In the village of Chagyl of Turkmenbashy etrap of Balkan velayat , for example, people still remember such masters of wells as Atabay aga, Nazar aga and their names have been given to two fresh drinking water wells. They take water from springs and are clean and sweet. Wells-old-timers which have gone down the history of our native land are numerous –Yak-guyi, Irikli, Ajy-guyi, Dongra, Tuver, Goymat, Garayman, all is impossible to recount. According to local people, each of these wells can irrigate 4-6 000 hectares of pastures.
Beyond the Balkhan range in the pasture of Cholun gyry there is a well called “Yedi suri”. The name itself speaks of abundant reserve of water, which is rather enough to quench thirst of seven flocks of sheep a day and not every well can provide it, especially in the sultry summer. Jemer seys has left an indelible trace in the memory of people. As they say, he was a great expert in Akhalteke racers and unmatchable master of well construction and well-respected man in the region. Many wells still working in the distant pastures of the velayat are associated with his name. One of them is called “Mouvchalan” - «in rage».
The tested practice of construction of wells, its protection from devolution and destruction, application of cottage products in this work, determination of presence of water in deep stratum without any equipment visibly testify to the fact that master of well building perfectly possessed all secrets of water located in the bowels of the Garagum. They unmistakably defined exact coordinates of fresh and saline waters in the deep stratum, and perfectly handled “technologies “ of digging of wells in the sandy ground and creation of inner walls with the help of branches of ammodendron and other shrubs not influencing the composition of water. The depth of wells can reach as much as 200 and more meters from the surface of the soil and deeper can be only artisan wells drilled with modern technologies.
Well are found in different deserts of the world, but the wells of the Garagum are the deepest ones in the globe! Constructed by the famous and unknown skilled masters they present a historical value. In its origin, they are unique monuments to the nation geniuses and one of the wonderful sightseeing of the Garagum.
