The Orontes River: On Water Imageries and Local Knowledge
Words by Joelle Deeb
Figure 1- Water Collecting on the Banks of the Orontes River by Harold Lamb- 1933
The Orontes River Amidst Shifting Borders
The Orontes stands out as the sole perennial river in Western Asia, meandering northward from Lebanon through Syria before merging its waters into the Mediterranean Sea. This geographical feature – having long held profound historical significance as a boundary marker since antiquity – has witnessed a series of shifts, embracing and bidding farewell to various attributes that have sculpted its being over time.
As Syria embarked on its journey of self-determination, the Orontes River stood as a silent witness to the region's struggles and triumphs.
In the backdrop of the Asia Minor Agreement of 1916 – a pivotal moment in the shaping of Bilad al-Sham – the Orontes River emerged as a critical geographical and geopolitical line. The agreement proposed the integration of the Orontes region of Syria into the French sphere of influence, and the river itself became a crude boundary between zones of influence: with the French administering territories to the west of the river and the Arab countries under French influence on the east. This division laid the groundwork for the establishment of the French Mandate of Syria, encompassing the Orontes region and adjacent territories. The agreement's reverberations echoed throughout the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, leaving indelible imprints on borders and territories.
Figure 2- Map by Hamdi Tarabein - 1930’s
More recently, a map by Syrian geographer Hamdi Tarabein in the 1930s showed the Orontes River within its natural raw boundaries, offering us a contradicting yet compelling window into how geographical features have been perceived and depicted over time in the region (Figure 2). Tarabein's map contributes to our understanding of the Orontes River's historical importance within its natural element during that time.
The Dissolution of the French Mandate and Reflections on Local Knowledge
Figure 4- During the French Mandate 1941 - Collection W Alostoiny
However, following the dissolution of the French Mandate in 1946, Syria underwent significant changes in its borders. It was during this moment that the Orontes River gained its transboundary characteristic between Syria and Lebanon.
As Syria embarked on its journey of self-determination, the Orontes River stood as a silent witness to the region's struggles and triumphs, its waters reflecting the collective knowledge of people living on its banks and reminding those who live along the lines of their shared water practices. Ironically, whilst borders were imposed, mentions from French Geographers for the collective effort came into light.
Figure 5- Hama, Syria During the French Mandate 1938
Nous voyons ainsi se dessiner les traits de l’hydraulique rurale au Levant … pas de plan général, pas d’effort collectif, pas d’ensemble rationnel, L’irrigation demeure du domaine de l’individu ou d’une collectivité restreinte: parfaite à l’échelle du village, elle a peine à dépasser ce cadre étroit.
Weulersse 1946: 41
This is the way I see the nature of the rural hydraulic [realm] in the Levant … no overall plan, no collective effort, no overriding rational conception of the individual or a limited collectivity: perfect at the village level, but unable to reach beyond this narrow context.”
French geographers like Jacques Weulersse, renowned for his seminal work L'Oronte: Etude de Fleuve published in 1946, observed during his studies the geographies of Syria and reflected on their practices in his works, tending to oversimplify complex cultural and environmental relationships and reducing them to stereotypes of local knowledge about the Orontes River. An effort that may be deeply nuanced and context-specific, can be overlooked or misrepresented in favor of short-sighted narratives that reinforce biased thought. Therefore, it has become imperative to critically examine and confront said narratives and intersect them with the reality of the river’s situation.
In this writing, we are going to interpret Weulersse’s view and counter-analyze his work from the eyes of local communities. As in the Orontes River’s context, indigenous knowledge processes often draw on generations of experience and observation, adapting to the specific cultural practices in the survival of the river's shifting nature. But when viewed through Western frameworks, these systems can be marginalized or misrepresented, leading to overgeneralized narratives that fall short to capture their structured complexity.
Examining the Profession: On Collective Effort on the Orontes River
Collective efforts incorporate the shared knowledge and resources of those who reside along its banks, working towards a unified purpose. In a more contextualized sense, in regards to water practices, the roots of water-lifting infrastructure along the Orontes River persist, shrouded in mystery. While the exact date of their formation is uncertain, findings suggest that these systems (including water wheels) existed and were used in the Byzantine era. A mosaic discovered in the town of Apameia (Afamia), dating back to 469 A.D, provides compelling evidence of their existence. However, the mosaic depicts a fully structured water-lifting element. Therefore, its gradual evolution lifespan to take its current form is currently undetermined.
Figure 6,7- Mapping of water lifting devices in Homs and Rural Hama, Source: The Orontes River Repository
Remarkably, whilst many are already acquainted with the recognized lifting structures that are situated in the center of Hama (Al Muhammadiya, Al Jisriyya), historical sources indicate that there were approximately 100 water-lifting elements along the body of the Orontes River alone, mostly situated in Homs, Hama, and its rural background, respectively. About 80 of them still exist to this day (De Miranda, 2004). These structures adhered to a consistent main principle and persisted in their construction through the dawn of the 21st century.
With Slight alterations, these water-lifting devices shared the same systematic composition along the entirety of the river’s banks, featuring bucket wheels crafted from wood and supported by pillars constructed of limestone, with different typologies depending on the water strength.
Figure 8- Previous documentation From Adriana De Miranda, Waterwheel Architecture in the Lands of Syria
It is a form of Art! – On the Composition of Limestone and Water
Conversation with one of the craftsmen of the Orontes River – whose role is to restore and maintain water wheels along the banks of the Orontes – he referred to the knowledge behind the durability of the limestone structures in the face of constant water flow. He explained how each waterwheel possesses stones intricately interlocked to form a cohesive whole. This positioning, he emphasized, contributes to the waterwheel's ability to withstand the constant flow of water. He elaborated on the practice of filling the waterwheel's interior with dirt or lime, which serves to reinforce its structure over time:
Figure 9- Grain Cultivation Around the Orontes River- 1913
The stones of the waterwheel. Every waterwheel has its own arch and its drawer. It is the stone, all tied together, and this interrelation made it better. From the inside it is filled with dirt or lime, they say that every time water comes on it... the more intense this lock is, it is a form of art! This year, due to the earthquake, more than one waterwheel has cracked. (2022)
The Collectivity of Social Performances
While the technical section of our local knowledge is deeply nestled within our collective consciousness, many agricultural performances with societal notions came to the surface within the local community that occurred on its banks. In a scene of ordered performance to carry the cultivated grains from the lands and towards the mills, merely right before they access the mill that is connected to the structure, farmers soak the grain within the Orontes waters in a process called “تصويل القمح” to clean and eliminate any additional contaminants that might be within the grain during the cultivation process.
Collective effort in that sense carries diverse aspects of the argument, evident in the formation of water-lifting infrastructure, material configurations, and agricultural practices. From The coordinated construction of approximately 80 water-lifting elements demonstrates shared knowledge and tradition to adjusting materials to ensure their endurance against the waters, while rituals including "تصويل" reflect communal performances connected directly to the river.
“Rationality and Overall Planning”
Figure 10- Waterwheel Typologies, The Orontes River Repository
In terms of rationality, Miranda referred to the functionality of the water-lifting systems in the Orontes River as “open form” shifting and changing according to the currents and water flow of the river during that period. The typologies of water-wheel systems along the Orontes River do not fall short from this perspective and vary depending on factors such as the section of the river and the power of the water flow. Typically, these systems can consist of either a single-wheel or a double-wheel configuration. In terms of the functionality of the wheel part, in a single-wheel system, a wooden wheel is fixed to a small water dam, harnessing the power of the river's flow to rotate the wheel and drive mills or irrigation mechanisms.
Figure 11- Depictions of a Single Waterwheel Structure on the Left and a Double Waterwheel Structure on the Right, The Orontes River Repository
Figure 12,13- Structural Analysis by Adriana De Miranda, Water Architecture in the Lands of Syria.
In contrast, a double-wheel system features two wooden wheels affixed to a small water dam. This configuration allows for increased efficiency as both wheels can simultaneously harness the hydropower created by the river's flow. In some cases, water wheels may be installed on opposite banks of the river (for example, Al Khattab Water Lifting System included four waterwheels).
In terms of modularity, the aqueduct (Figure 13) Serves as the route through which water is distributed among the irrigated lands. In Drawing B, the lower arches are mostly 1.5 in a span of the upper arches that you see in the same drawing (De Miranda, 2004). This ratio is evident in all typologies we currently have. It is the harmony between the components that we find an overall image created to form our perception of this practice.
Conclusion:
Tracing the historical trajectory of the Orontes River amidst geopolitical changes and shifting borders during the beginning of the 20th century, the narrative unfolds through contrasting lenses: Westernized viewpoints imposed during the French Mandate and the reality of indigenous communities. The gaze towards our waters in the Mandate period often simplifies complex local practices and environmental relationships, reducing them to stereotypes and overlooking their nuanced realities. While Jacques Weulersse exemplifies the illuminating geographical studies in the region, he failed to encompass the deeper cultural meanings embedded in water-lifting structures and agricultural practices along the Orontes. Conversely, perspectives of people residing along its banks offer a profound understanding rooted in centuries-old adaptive strategies. These perspectives view the Orontes as a vital lifeline intricately woven into the fabric of their survival.
As we confront a series of current conflicts and disputes in the region, the need to shift to local perspectives becomes imperative. It is through embracing diverse voices and experiences that we can truly appreciate the Orontes River's enduring character and its role in shaping collective consciousness. Local knowledge systems, from water-lifting techniques to agricultural rituals, extend to embody our continuity.
References:
Weulersse, J. 1946. Paysans de Syrie et du Proche-Orient. Paris: Gallimard Paris.
Map showing routes explored by the Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions (1899-1909) alongside the Orontes Basin: https://www.princeton.edu/~visres/rp/popAAES.html
The Orontes River Repository: https://sites.google.com/view/orontes-river-repository/home?authuser=1
WATER ARCHITECTURE IN THE LANDS OF SYRIA: THE WATER-WHEELS, Adriana De Miranda.
