Water Heritage
Throughout history, the presence of water has been a crucial factor in the founding of cities and the thriving of civilizations within them..
Water is the lifeblood of Agriculture
which in turn is the axis of the rural economy.
By examining the water facilities in the Kharga Oasis, we discover that history has offered us intricate depictions of a simple oasis community that recognized and valued the significance of water. This understanding led them to construct water facilities using the limited resources at their disposal. They relied on these facilities to enhance the use of existing water sources and to find ways to store and conserve water, preventing its loss.
The linguistic and technical name for the Outer Oasis
term “oasis” has its roots in ancient Egyptian, signifying a place of respite. It refers to a dispersed region of farmland situated in the desert, nourished by water from springs that burst forth from beneath the earth’s surface. In Greek, it was referred to as “Odous,” while in Coptic, it was articulated as “Wahah” or “Wah.”
The phrase “outer oases” is used to describe certain compounds. The term “oases” was combined with “al-Kharga” to set it apart from the inner oases. In Egyptian writings, it was typically called “wHAt – rsyt” oases. The ancient Egyptians also referred to both the inner and outer oases as “the southern oases.” In the fifth century, the Kharga Oasis became known as the Great Oasis due to its separation from the Dakhla Oasis.
