TEHRAN -- A historic stone dam near Ahar in northwestern Iran has been added to the country’s National Heritage List, drawing attention to a hydraulic structure whose surviving remains may offer clues to past water-management practices, although its date of construction remains undetermined.
Ahmad Hamzehzadeh, director general of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of East Azerbaijan Province, announced the registration.
Known as the Choavush Goli dam, the structure stands approximately 20 kilometers north of Ahar, on the southern slopes of Mount Shivar and along the Darreh-ye Sharshar River. It was built across a narrow rocky gorge using stone and mortar, with the apparent function of controlling surface runoff from the mountain’s southern slopes.
Much of the dam has been destroyed over time, particularly by flooding. The principal surviving element is part of its western wall, which reaches approximately 15 meters in height, according to the provincial heritage authorities.
Examination of the remains indicates that the outer face was constructed from stone blocks of varying sizes, while the core consists of irregular stones bonded with mortar. These features provide evidence of the structure’s construction techniques, although they are not sufficient to establish its date or