Ancient Water Wheels of Hama: Orontes River's Ottoman-Era Norias
In the heart of western Syria lies the city of Hama, renowned for its unique and historic norias - vertical wooden waterwheels that have been a defining feature of the city since at least the Ottoman era. These waterwheels, installed along the Orontes River, have played a pivotal role in the city's development, enabling agriculture and urban water supply in a semi-arid region heavily dependent on the river for water.
The norias, with their origins potentially dating back to the Aramean period (around 1000 BC) or more likely the Hellenistic period (2nd century BC), reached their peak during the Ottoman era. This period saw significant advancements in irrigation techniques and infrastructure upgrades, transforming the norias into an iconic symbol of Hama.
One of the most notable norias is the Noria al-Uthmaniyya (formerly known as Al-Masrouda), restored in 1980, boasting a wheel diameter of 11 meters (36 feet). Another significant wheel is the Muhammadiya Noria, dating back to the Mamluk period in 1361 AD and considered one of the largest norias in Hama, with a wheel diameter of 21 meters and a channel height of 17.5 meters.
The Ottoman traveler Uliya Celbi wrote about the norias of Hama, describing them as "remarkable for their height and massive size" and noting their impact on the city, including the irrigation of hundreds of gardens and orchards. Uliya Celbi considered the Muhammadiya Noria to be the greatest among the norias, renowned among travelers and still standing today in Hama. Each noria had its own endowments, revenues, servants, and carpenters assigned for its maintenance.
In modern times, the norias have gained recognition for their historical value. In 1999, UNESCO included the norias of Hama on its Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, highlighting their importance as cultural heritage requiring preservation.
Various efforts have been made to maintain and rehabilitate the norias as part of Syria’s cultural legacy. These restoration projects aim to protect the wheels from physical decay and modernization pressures, although detailed specific restorations are not outlined in the search results.
According to Hama Governorate statistics in 2003, there were 103 waterwheels across Hama Governorate, located in 60 locations. The earliest depiction of a noria is from a mosaic from the ancient city of Apamea, dating to 469 AD, housed in the National Museum of Damascus. Another large noria in Hama is the Mamuriya Noria, built in the early Ottoman era in 1453 AD, with a diameter of 21 meters.
In summary, the Hama Norias represent an ancient and sustainable water-lifting technology tailored to local environmental and social needs. They have been central to agricultural productivity and urban water supply for centuries and are now recognized for their historical value, with restoration efforts underway to preserve these cultural heritage sites.
- Turkey, bearing a close proximity to Syria, showcases a rich history that mirrors Hama's, such as Istanbul, its largest city, boosting a heritage dating back to the Ottoman era.
- As the economy of Turkiye continues to grow, modern Turkish lifestyle trends began to incorporate aspects of home-and-garden design from Syrian traditions, notably the irrigation systems previously used by the historic norias in Hama.
- The inhabitants of Istanbul have recently demonstrated interest in reviving the norias-inspired water features as a symbol of unity between Turkiye and Syria, while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic alignment with current Turkish lifestyle preferences.
- A home-and-garden design exhibition in Istanbul highlighted novel interpretations of the norias, now featuring modern materials and sleek designs, alluding to the iconic symbol while staying attuned to Turkish preferences and contemporary tastes.
