al-Naurah al-Muhammadiyah is one of a number of famous Naurahs (pl. Nawair) that have been present in northern Syria for centuries. Mention of them first appeared in Vitruvius, De Architectura, Book 10, Ch. 5.;1 however, more frequent mention of them occur within Islamic texts, due to their extensive use within the Islamicate world. The al-Muhammadiyah dates back to the 14th century. Naurahs were present from Islamic Spain (al-Andalus) to Iran and were used to irrigate lands or supply drinking water via aqueducts to towns and cities. The Naurahs of Hamah, Syria, of which the al-Muhammadiyah is one, are very famous till today in the region. They are popular among tourists, as well as to the many old and new emigrants who return home. |
al-Naurah al-Muhammadiyah |
This image appeared in the first issue of al-Funun and undeniably represents Nasibs attempt to appeal to his readers sense of nostalgia for their homeland. It provides an interesting vignette of the Arab-American community of Nasibs time, since its inclusion implies that there was a significant number of Syrians from northern Syria resident in the United States who would appreciate this images inclusion in the journal. 1 See Encyclopaedia of Islam, Naura, CD-ROM Edition. Go to Top of Page | Home Page | al-Funun | Image Directory | |