ABSTRACT
Jawad'Aligivesadescriptionofthesechannelsonpage648of parttwoofhisbookal-11.rabqablal-Islam,andbelievesthatthey resembletheirrigationchannelsinBahrain.Thechannelsandthe typeofstructuresindicatethesystemofirrigationandthewayin whichwaterwaschanneledanditslevelmaintainedinsuchawayas toirrigatethegreatestpossibleareaofagriculturalland.(Archaeologicalsurveyreportfor1977,p.302.)Cornwall,whovisitedthe areain1940,thinksthattheyresembletheirrigationchannelsin Iran.Ithinkthatthesystemofirrigationinthisareawasdictatedby thenatureoftheagriculture,andthatastheareaishistorically ancientitisprobablethatitwasanindigenoussystemcommonin BahrainandthatitwasadoptedbytheSassanidcivilisation.Thisis determinedbythefactthatthevariouscivilisationsintheGulfwere physicallyclosetoeachotherandthattherewascommercialcontact betweenthem.ThepoliticalweightofPersia,theinfluenceof economics,andthefactthattheSassanidshadsilverdirhamsandthat theArabcountriesdidnot,madeitinevitablethattransactions shouldbemadewithSassanidsilverdirhams.
