Indigenous Knowledge in creating and benefiting from Zagheh in Bisotun Plain

Abstract

Bisotun plain is located in the west of Iran and many historical monuments from Pre-history to Islamic era have been identified in it. Man's understanding of nature showed itself in the construction of Bisotun Zagehs. The Zagheh was built in the villages of Zolm abad sofla, Bisotun, Kori zageh, Baqerabad and Zaloab. This research aims to answer the above fundamental questions: In which period did the construction of troglodytic architecture begin in Bisotun and how long did their use continue? What were the components and architectural structure of these handholds?. The results of the research show that based on the available evidence in the Bisotun Plain, during the Qajar and Pahlavi periods, the construction of zagheh in the form of handstands was common under village houses and in connection with the village fabric. These underground spaces with an almost similar plan have spaces such as sloping entrances, central space, side spaces, and ventilation, and were used by the villagers of the region to keep livestock in the autumn to early spring seasons. The size and number of spaces depended on the owner's economic status, topographical conditions, the type of soil in the area, and the proximity to empty spaces.

Keywords

• bisotun
• troglodytic architecture
• qajar
• indigenous knowledge
• zagheh
• architecture