Ancient Iranian refrigerators: how the Persians received ice in the desert and stored it in the summer

Tourists traveling in Iran can see unusual structures - yachchals. These domed clay structures are a brilliant invention of the ancient Persians, which allows ice to be produced and stored for a long time in hot climates. Today we will talk about unique Iranian refrigerators - yachchals.

Yakhchal, which is translated from Persian means "ice pit", the oldest invention of the Persians, which is already more than 2,000 years old. The unpretentious-looking building is the prototype of the refrigerator, and its design is such that it allows you to produce a large amount of ice and even store it in the summer. The resulting ice was used for storage of products, as well as for the manufacture of desserts, soft drinks and ice cream. Its construction did not require any expensive materials or special knowledge, so yachchals were widely distributed in the territory of modern Iran.

Yakhchal - this is not just a clay dome, but a whole work of engineering. The traditional yachchal consists of the aboveground part - the dome, which is visible on the surface, and the underground storage, where there were ice and food supplies. Ice in yachchals is formed from water that flows through the aqueduct system or is brought from the mountains. Water flowing through the underground tunnels enters the lower part of the yachchal and freezes here during cold nights.

The walls of the yachts, made of adobe bricks, were coated with a special mixture, which, after solidification, increased the thermal insulation properties of the building and prevented the effects of precipitation. The composition of this mixture, in addition to traditional clay and sand, included animal hair and egg white. The walls of the yachchal are very thick, about 2 meters at the base, which also serves as additional thermal insulation in the summer.

There is a hole in the upper part of the yacht through which warmer air leaves the freezer. In addition, the yachts were also equipped with a ventilation system, which made it possible to maintain a low temperature inside the refrigerator compartment.

Today, when modern houses have long had electricity and refrigerators, yachchals are no longer used for their intended purpose. But they can still be found in some settlements of Iran, and large grocery freezers or refrigerators here are often called yachchals.

Watch the video: ADOBE ICEHOUSE OLD CYPRESS ABARKUH YAZD IRAN 2019 (April 2024).