Hawraman/Uramanat Landscape – World Cultural Heritage in Iran

The remote and mountainous landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat is testament to the traditional culture of the Hawrami, an agricultural Kurdish tribe that has inhabited the area since about 3000 BC. The property, in the heart of the Zagros Mountains in the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah along the western border of Iran, consists of two components: the Middle-Eastern Valley (Zhaverud and Takht, in the province of Kurdistan); and the Western Valley (Lahun, in Kermanshah province). Human habitation in these two valleys has been adapted over millennia to the rugged mountainous environment. Multi-storey sloping architecture and planning, horticulture on dry stone terraces, livestock rearing, and seasonal longitudinal migration are among the features of local culture and local life. The Hawrami semi-nomadic people live in the lowlands and highlands during different seasons of each year. Their continued presence in the landscape, which is also characterized by exceptional biodiversity and endemism, is evidenced by stone tools, caves and rock shelters, mounds and mounds. , ruins of permanent and temporary settlements, and workshops, cemeteries, roads, villages, castles, and more. The 12 villages included in the property illustrate the growing response of the Hawrami people to the scarcity of productive land in their mountainous environment over the millennia. It is also characterized by exceptional biodiversity and endemism, as evidenced by stone tools, caves and stone shelters, mounds, remnants of permanent and temporary settlements. era, and workshops, cemeteries, roads, villages, castles, etc. The 12 villages included in the property illustrate the growing response of the Hawrami people to the scarcity of productive land in the environment. their mountains over millennia. It is also characterized by exceptional biodiversity and endemism, as evidenced by stone tools, caves and stone shelters, mounds, remnants of permanent and temporary settlements. era, and workshops, cemeteries, roads, villages, castles, etc. The 12 villages included in the property illustrate the growing response of the Hawrami people to the scarcity of productive land in the environment. their mountains over millennia.

Accreditation year: 2021
Criteria: (iii)(v)
Area: 106,307 ha
Buffer zone: 303,623 ha

Table of Contents

Outstanding global value

The cultural landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat lies in the heart of the Zagros Mountains in the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah along the western border of Iran. It consists of two components: the Middle-Eastern Valley (Zhaverud and Takht, in the province of Kurdistan); and the Western Valley (Lahun, in Kermanshah province). Human habitation in these areas has been adapted over millennia to the rugged mountainous environment.

Archaeological finds dating back about 40,000 years, caves and stone shelters, ancient paths and passages along the valleys, motifs and inscriptions, cemeteries, mounds, castles, settlements and other historical evidence attesting to the continuum of life in the Hawraman/Uramanat region from the Paleolithic to the present time and the existence of a semi-nomadic lifestyle and customs agriculture of the inhabitants of the area.

The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat is an exceptional testimony to the cultural tradition of the semi-nomadic agrarian lifestyle of the Hawrami, a Kurdish tribe that has resided in the Zagros Mountains for millennia. This outstanding cultural tradition is expressed in the sublime practices of the ancestors, the seasonal way of living in Havars, steep terraced agriculture, land and water management, traditional knowledge for planning and the construction of steep terraced villages, and the rich diversity of intangible heritage, all reflecting a harmonious coexistence with nature.

Criterion (iii): The Cultural Landscape of the Hawraman/Uramanat is an exceptional testimony to the evolution over the millennia of the traditional semi-nomadic agricultural lifestyle of the Hawrami. This cultural tradition is expressed in the tangible and intangible elements of the landscape that persists to this day and continues to be the foundation of the local socio-economic system, including villages and gardens. steep stairs, transfer routes, seasonal housing, and the traditional knowledge and practices associated with them. The property provides outstanding living proof of the various traditions that testify to a well-organized, rural, semi-nomadic kingdom.

Criterion (v): The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat constitutes an outstanding example of human interaction with and adaptation to the surrounding environment. In the high mountains of Zagros, a challenging setting where very little fertile land is available, the Hawrami people, through the skillful application of agricultural technology and an ecologically lucid worldview, have developed a way of life. extraordinary semi-nomadic agriculture. They have successfully created an efficient, harmonious and sustainable socio-economic system.

Integrity

The Series Attribute includes all the attributes necessary to convey its Outstanding Universal Value. Its constituent parts exhibit the complexity of cultural, residential, architectural, environmental and agricultural aspects as evidence of the property’s centuries-old tradition. The form and architectural structure of the 13 villages – one of the essential attributes of the heritage – are mostly intact. The historical environment and natural landscape are still relatively well preserved, largely due to the existence of rural populations engaged in farming and livestock farming activities that optimally interact with the rich environment. challenge.

Modern infrastructure, amenities and building materials in some cases have a negative effect on the historic character of the village. However, their visual impact and overall functionality are not overwhelming. The spoilage process is controlled and in some cases reversed. The overall aim is to preserve to the greatest extent possible the dynamic historical functions and vitality of the villages and cultural landscapes.

Authenticity

The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat retains a high degree of authenticity in terms of materials, form and design, use and function, location and context, spirit and feel, as well as traditions, customs and life style. A substantial resource provides documentary and photographic evidence of the importance of Hawraman/Uramanat – and of its culture and traditions in general – in the region since ancient times.

The authenticity of the form and layout of the fabric built in the thirteen villages of the property is preserved. The characteristic organization of villages and public space features, such as public rooftops, continue to dominate.

Most historic buildings retain their traditional form and design, and these types of forms and designs are often followed on the rare occasions when new homes are built. Most of the buildings retain authentic materials, including traditional interiors, although in some cases repairs or expansions have been carried out using modern materials such as concrete blocks. , metal doors and windows as well as aluminum panels for roofing.

Traditional dry stone terraces and water management practices are maintained and practiced, as are seasonal migrations to Havars, cattle ranching, and traditional agriculture. The local economy continues to produce an important source of fresh agricultural produce for the Iranian market. This factor, together with responsive and sustainable tourism management, will play an important role in long-term asset conservation.

Protection and management requirements

The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat is registered in the National List of Monuments of Iran. A number of national acts and regulations, as well as strategies, support the long-term conservation of assets.

The Cultural Landscape of the Hawraman/Uramanat Campus (CLH/U), of Iran’s Ministry of Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Crafts, is tasked with supporting, expertise, and funding research. and property preservation. Bases management of the area in collaboration with local communities, providing advice and approval on key developments, regulation and control of building and change permits, and providing support finance for conservation. Decision making is supported by an interdisciplinary steering committee composed of local, regional and national participants and a technical committee established within the CLH/U Campus. All local management activities and programs in the villages are carried out through the village council and village council chief (Dehyar).