| |
The extensive marshes in the South of Iraq seem to have dried out only a few years ago, because of the blocking of several rivers. The thousands of years old existence of the unique culture of the Marshes Arabs has come to an end thereby. Near Basrah we came across this authentic Marshes house. It was built by a family that lived in the Marshes for many years before. |
 |
The house consists of bound-together reed poles. They place two parallel rows of these poles in the bottom, and they bow them together at the top. All at once a 'gothic arch' appears! It is said that this way of contructing houses is thousands of yeaes old and that it has never really changed. |
 |
The marshes house on firm ground near Al-Basrah. |