See the Floating Basket Homes of Iraq (Unusual Iraq)

Little is known to the world about the Tigris-Euphrates marshlands in Iraq. It is an area which covered over 9,000 square miles at one time before it shrinked to What is left of it today Maybe due to negligence or other reasons.

According to reports, the marshland was bigger than Venice's lagoon and Florida's Everglades combined, inhabited continuously for over 5,000 years and at its peak, and home to half-a-million ‘Marsh Arabs’ or ‘Ma’dan’. The Ma’dan consisted of several tribes who developed a beautifully eco-friendly culture that centered on the marshes’ natural resources an dmirable aspects of  their lifestyle - floating houses made entirely out of reeds that were harvested from the open water were called ‘mudhif’. These pieces of architectural wonders were temporary structures built of reeds in space of three days, without nails nor wood balanced on carefully But complicated arrangements of mud and rushes.

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For centuries, the area has been a refuge for slaves and serfs, many of whom abandoned their homes and moved to other towns in Iraq during the government of Saddam Hussein, when the government ordered the complete draining of the wetlands, in order to punish the Marsh Arabs who protected the rebels. Currently, not more than 1,500 Marsh Arabs are estimated to be still living in the traditional housing.

The beautiful Arab paradise of the Marsh Arabs, however, will take longer years to restore but there is a single ray of hope through ‘Nature Iraq’ – an organisation founded by an Iraqi-American hydraulic engineer can transform this unique settlement. He is leading efforts to restore the Marsh Arabs to their homes with financial support from other countries. The organisation also recently re-constructed a traditional reed mudhif, demonstrating that the ancient architectural method can still be used today. As well as serving it as a guest house, offering accommodation for locals, travelers, and anyone who wants to have a discussion about the future of the marshes.

 

 

Sources: Messy Nessy Chic, Venice Blog

Photos: Google Images, Wikimedia Commons