Étude géoarchéologique du système d'irrigation de Sarazm (IVe-IIIe millénaires av. n. è) : de la gestion de l'eau à la fabrique du paysage fluvial de la moyenne vallée semi-aride et tectoniquement active du Zeravshan (Tadjikistan, Asie Centrale)

A groundbreaking geoarchaeological study of the Proto-urban Site of Sarazm in Tajikistan reveals sophisticated water management practices dating back to 3015 BCE, predating previously assumed timelines. The research demonstrates that an advanced irrigation canal system, fed by the Zeravshan River, was already operational during the late 4th millennium BCE, with evidence of controlled water flow and maintenance practices adapted to seismic disturbances. Using luminescence dating (OSL) and morphotectonic analysis, the study maps a dense network of faults influencing the region's drainage dynamics and landscape evolution. It highlights how Sarazm's development on a Pleistocene terrace was facilitated by strategic irrigation, with subsequent systems active during historical periods, indicating sustained agricultural adaptation in a tectonically active, semi-arid environment.

Cez, L. Étude géoarchéologique du système d’irrigation de Sarazm (IVe-IIIe millénaires av. n. è) : de la gestion de l’eau à la fabrique du paysage fluvial de la moyenne vallée semi-aride et tectoniquement active du Zeravshan (Tadjikistan, Asie Centrale). https://doi.org/10.70675/bfd2e66ez07aez4bf3z83e4z87019026f146