Hasaka - Whenever norias (waterwheels) in Syria are mentioned, the image of Hama waterwheels immediately comes to mind. But very few people know that Hasaka, a northeastern province, had a number of waterwheels on al-Khabour River, which have become an important tourist landmark after the river water started to diminish.
In his book "Al-Mahshoush Waterwheels...Days Memory", Archeological researcher Abdulghafour al-Milhem revealed that the first waterwheels built in Hasaka were those erected by Mahshoush Barak al-Milhem, one of the city's dignitaries at the time, who sent for an Armenian skillful artificer in 1896 to construct waterwheels on the left bank of al-Khabour River.
In his attempt to document norias in Hasaka, the researcher showed that al-Mahshoush Waterwheel was mostly made up of oak and mulberry wood which were brought from Deir Ezzor and al-Bukamal in eastern Syria.
It took more than five months to build the waterwheels. They are mounted vertically and characterized by a continuous rotating movement adapted to lift water and pour it in channels which in turn drive it to houses and fields. The base of the waterwheel was often built of black stone and cement.
Agricultural activities and production increased in the region after building the waterwheels, which consequently led to a great wave of population to the surrounding areas in 1911 establishing later the nucleus for an important civil gathering that has become the center of the city.
Other waterwheels were built following the example of al-Mahshoush Norias which have now turned into remarkable tourist attractions adding to the archeological and tourist richness of the city of Hasaka.
By H. Said /Mazen
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2010
