Hydraulic Infrastructures in South-western Iran during the Sasanian Period: Some Archaeological Remarks

On account of the peculiar geomorphological and geographical features of the Iranian territory, water has always been a fundamental element of the Iranian landscape. Surface water and groundwater reserves were extensively exploited during the Sasanian period - for freshwater supply and to enhance the agricultural productivity - by means of public as well as private programmes of management of the hydraulic issues. Focusing on archaeological evidence from South-western Iran and stressing the extent to which the cultural landscape of Sasanian Iran was influenced by the importance of water, this paper deals with topics related to the architecture and chronology of some hydraulic infrastructures in Fars and Khuzestan.