Sajjad Hosseyni - History student (M. A), Tehran University, Iran

History tells us about an old Jolfa in north- east of Iran. Jolfa is a village of Marand, a town in Azerbaiyjan, near Tabriz. It is understood from these reports that people of this region had had many problems in supplying water. Although they lived near the Aras river. They used water of fountains wells and subterranean canals. Why the people of these areas used small rivers, streams, wells and subterranean canals as their water supply, while the great river of Aras was just to their north. To answer this question we need to know geographical conditions of the region: Because the valley is so deep that only modern technology can make it possible to use the river’s water for farming purposes. Water is so important to the people of Jolfa that they consider it as the symbol of light, and respect it as a holy element. Maybe if people of Jolfa and Gargar did not have the water problem, water would not be so important in their customs. Only those who face water shortage need to pray for rain, so, respecting and praying for rain shows the need that the people of this region feel for water. Construction of the canals was done through cooperation of the natives. Some people did their best to build the canals and then all people could benefit from the result. One of most important affairs in water management in the region was its distribution water has been so important to the natives that many quarrels have happened over it. They usually disused the affairs in mosques. They talked each other until they com to an agreement yet sometimes discussions could turn into quarrels.