Advanced Experiments in the Use of Land-Water Resources in the
Khiva Khanate and Its Environmental Significance
Sanjarbek Davletov
1
, Sadoqat Matkarimova
1
, Kudrat Masharipov
1
and Umida Tajieva
2
1
Ma'mun University, Department of history, 220901 Khiva city, Republic of Uzbekistan
2
Urganch State University, Academic High School, 220100 Urganch City, Republic of Uzbekistan
Keywords: Experiment, Land, Water, Environment.
Abstract: The The article analyzes the advanced historical experiences of the use of land and water resources in the
Khiva Khanate and their environmental significance even for today. In it, the authors covered the rational use
of Natural Resources, artificial irrigation systems and traditional farming methods in the Khorezm Oasis. In
the Khiva Khanate, the population used natural humus as fertilizer, mainly along with mineral-rich clays of
Amudarya, to increase land fertility. These methods had a positive effect on ecology, helping to develop
agriculture in harmony with the natural environment. Plants such as saxaul were used to stop sand migration
in the area, knowing natural drainage techniques in lowering groundwater, which served to reduce soil
salinity. Based on the information presented in the article, it was noted that the experience of the inhabitants
of the Khiva Khanate in rational use of land and Water Resources, the targeted use of the flood waters of the
even Amudarya, the issues of water conservation and maintenance of land productivity are also relevant for
the current period. At the same time, the article highlights the importance of these experiments in the
development of modern approaches to ecology and agriculture. This study demonstrates that the rich
knowledge and traditional methods accumulated in the past are also important for the present.
1 INTRODUCTION
Natural resources are one of the foundations of the
cultural development and economic well-being of
countries and peoples. Therefore, the historical
progress of society was in connection with the
effective use of Natural Resources. The processes of
globalization in recent years have also taken their toll
on natural balance, and urgent problems are emerging
before the world community, such as solving the issue
of improving the ecological state along with the
socio-economic situation on planet Earth. Of great
importance is the adoption of the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals, an international
document aimed at uniting efforts in this regard.
Especially at the present stage of human
development, environmental problems are
increasingly becoming a topic of discussion among
scientists, politicians, civil society institutions.
During the years of independence, the restoration,
preservation, study, spiritual ownership of the
historical heritage created by the Uzbek people by their
ancestors was raised to the level of state policy. In the
field of historical knowledge, research is carried out on
various aspects of the history of the world and
Uzbekistan. In this regard, one of the new directions of
this field is considered the history of the environment.
This direction serves to enrich the aspects of the history
of Uzbekistan and its integral part of the history of
Khorezm related to the relationship of “nature and
society”, expand the population's knowledge of
ecological culture, preserve ecology and the
environment, rational use of Natural Resources, study
and improve modern approaches to finding solutions to
environmental problems.
In this regard, the population of the khwarezmian
Oasis at the heart of traditional agriculture and water
industry is revealed by the fact that the population
used natural resources wisely, based on climatic and
natural conditions, their knowledge of the work of
continuous fertilizing, watering, crop rotation.
2 LITERATURE ANALYSIS AND
METHOD
In the years of independence on the topic, a number
of studies have been carried out in Uzbekistan. To
786
Davletov, S., Matkarimova, S., Masharipov, K. and Tajieva, U.
Advanced Experiments in the Use of Land-Water Resources in the Khiva Khanate and Its Environmental Significance.
DOI: 10.5220/0013425400004654
In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Humanities Education, Law, and Social Science (ICHELS 2024), pages 786-790
ISBN: 978-989-758-752-8
Copyright © 2025 by Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Them I.Jabborov, H.Ziyaev, R.Ballieva,
M.Jumaniyazova, Yu.Rakhmonova, U.Abdurasulov,
S.Saymanov, S.Matkarimova, N.Kamolova,
M.Karlibaev, S.It is possible to include the work of
Suleymanov and others. They analyzed the issues of
land ownership in the Khorezm Oasis, Land-Water
relations and other aspects.
The role of modern foreign research is also
important in this regard. Among the works belonging
to this group, foreign specialists-scientists C.Becker,
J.Zeiss, E.Brit, P.Sartori, K.Bichsel, V.Naumkin,
E.Burnakova, U.An example can be made of
juzbaeva and others. The issues reflected in their
research are in accordance with the goals set by the
authors to their forefathers, and within them are also
references to certain aspects of the use of nature. For
example, the American scientist s.Of importance is
Becker's work dedicated to the Khanate of Khiva and
Bukhara, in which aspects of economic growth in the
Khanate are embodied using materials on the agrarian
life of Khiva [1].
V.In Naumkin's fossil dedicated to Khiva, it can
be observed that there is evidence to substantiate
aspects related to the nature of the Khiva Khanate and
the issues of its use [2].
J.Irrigation and agricultural life in the Khiva
Khanate was studied in the Zeiss studies using the
example of 1768 1914. The author covered the
transformation and continuity of irrigation farming in
the Khiva Khanate in the periods before and after the
invasion of the Russian Empire of 1873 [3].
E. In his study, Brit made a comparative analysis
of two irrigation periods in the Khorezm Oasis, the
first ancient and the second modern systems. In the
opinion of the author, distinctive features in historical
periods were considered an important influencing
factor for environmental stability and human well-
being [4].
In the preparation of this article, based on the
method of historical-comparative analysis, a study
was carried out using the results of historical sources,
in particular documentary materials, as well as
scientific literature, modern research.
3 DISCUSSION AND RESULTS
The centuries-old culture of land cultivation of the
peoples of Central Asia was primarily based on
artificial irrigation. Traditional and forgotten methods
of land and water use in the region have adapted to
climate change.
The soils of the Khorezm Oasis are mainly
composed of alluvial deposits of the Amudarya. In the
composition of this soil, the fact that the climate is
sharply Continental, the air is dry, and human
economic activity has served as an important factor.
The fertility of the soils in the Oasis area was not very
high, but the turbid and various mineral salts brought
by the river greatly increased the fertility of the soil.
Amudaryo's kayaks and Kohna kayars have
grassland, gravelly-marshy soils over alluvial
deposits, and swampy soils in the weirs. Weaving
plants have been found in large numbers in amudarya
kayirs. Shrubs and grasses such as poplar, willow,
jiyda, nettle trees, yulghun, kandir, chiy, quagha,
Birch, etc. The fact that poplar and smoke-free nails
were made for ships was recorded in the memoirs of
19th-century authors [4, 49].
One of the rare parts of the nature of amudarya
weaving was dates. The webs contained a wide
variety of natural vegetation, reedbeds, especially in
abundance. In areas with gravelly soils of the OASIS,
a succulent plant was found in rye, wheat, acorns and
sandy areas, and in the salty lands-a succulent plant.
The Saxons slowed sand migration. Therefore, the
establishment of ixota Groves has also long been
considered important in maintaining the fertility of
agricultural lands [6, 38-39].
By the 11th century, the main type of Agriculture
in Khiva had become composed of wheat. A lot of
information on the fact that a rich harvest of wheat
was obtained was recorded in the archival documents
of the Khiva Khanate [7]. More than half of the arable
land was earmarked for wheat and oats, and about a
fifth was earmarked for cotton. Barley, rice, flax,
sesame, melon and watermelon were planted in the
rest of the land. Residents have also grown Sesame, a
crop that requires little water in its fields. This plant
species was widely used by craftsmen who took oil
and in confectionery. N who was in the city.
Muravyov (1819) noted that in Khiva “they consume
incomparable sesame oil” [8, 87].
Residents also planted the rootstock and produced
red dye from its root. This plant was grown in 3 years.
The roots are taken, washed, dried, milled, sifted Gan
til boil in pots. The annual Root was better, but gave
little paint [5, 25].
Although horticulture plays a much smaller role
in agriculture, but Oaks, peaches, vines, apples,
pomegranates, pears and other fruits have also been
grown in Hiva Gardens [9, 18]. 1819 in Khiva n.
Muravyov wrote about the country's gardening,
noting that Khiva is devoid of forests by nature, but
has a huge abundance of fruits, sweet and health-
beneficial Gardens, which are overflowing with the
labor of the population [8, 87].
Advanced Experiments in the Use of Land-Water Resources in the Khiva Khanate and Its Environmental Significance
787
In the Khorezm oasis, from time immemorial,
there was also a lot of cultivation of cereals. Sesame
and flax, melon from melons crops, watermelon,
pumpkin, carrots, onions occupy wide areas. Khiva
melons have been world famous for many centuries.
Farmers knew that these melons grew well on loamy
soil and reached the peak of sweetness only if they
were allowed to ripen during periods of low rainfall.
Historical sources record that these melons, which
formed the bulk of Khiva's exports, were wrapped in
special paper made of dice and transported to distant
lands [11, 334].
The khwarezmian gourd was sent to France in the
1890s with large Caravans through Orenburg and
used to make the best quality cognacs exported to
Russia. Academic N.I.Vavilov estimated in 1928 that
the average weight of Khwarezmian melons was 10-
14 kg.having determined the equivalent of,
Khwarezmian melons are recognized as unequal in
the world in size, sugar, flavor, long storage, long
Transport [12, 7].
Khwarezmian farmers have long developed
complex methods of crop rotation, which allowed
them to process the soil almost continuously during
the growing season without rapid exhaustion. A
number of tourists have reported on the ability of
Khorezm farmers to crop alternately to get the
maximum benefit from their fields without losing
productivity.
The high water of amudarya was one of the main
sources of productivity in Khorezm. Amudarya is
known for its muddy nature, and its floodplains have
accumulated a large amount of fertile soils. There is
reliable evidence that the main fertilizer of the grazier
khwarezmians was humus. Local humus is still the
most environmentally friendly and effective way to
enrich the soil to improve plant growth.
One of the Russian authors noted the practice of
applying fertilizers in Khorezm, “... he noted that
instead of manure, on some lands they prepared fertile
fertilizers from a mixture of dry grass, sometimes ash
and other things with the remains of housing
estates”[13, 210].
Indeed, it is noteworthy that when talking about a
farming culture that represents the productive use of
land resources by the inhabitants of the Khanate, the
population prepared fertilizer-ointments for the fields
in the autumn and winter seasons in order to increase
soil fertility. To do this, somewhere around two
meters of sand was thrown. Then the local fertilizer,
the soil standing in the sun, was mixed several times.
This ointment was prepared in 500 carts, sometimes
even more. In general this method, fertilizer
preparation work could be carried out at any time of
the year. It was also used to trade fertilizer. KHiva
had a large fertilizer trade, and landowners purchased
the fertilizer and spread it to their fields from the
beginning to the middle of spring.
All irrigated fields in the region received water
from the Amudarya, the river transported large
amounts of mud, and thus a layer of mud settled in the
fields irrigated annually. In addition, fertilizers
applied on arable land also contributed to the
strengthening of the cultural and irrigation layer of
the soil. To increase the yield of fields, farmers
carried out special measures that were formed over
the centuries, that is, sand mixed with soil and manure
from the lands of old buildings was thrown into the
fields. In this, manure was fertilizer, and sand
improved the physical properties of clay soils. 22% of
the working time spent by farmers during the entire
agricultural period went to fertilize the land [14, 200].
Thus, irrigation water was involved in the creation of
a cultural-irrigated layer of soils, on the one hand, the
peasant himself on the other.
Foreign experts have noted that during the study
period, the level of productivity of Khwarezmian
agriculture is sharply different compared to the
average productivity in other regions of the world.
Fertilizing and irrigation, using high seeding
standards, Khwarezm farms in the years when
farming came well every acre[ acre (Eng. acre) is a
unit of surface in the English system of measurement.
1 A. = 4840 sq. yard = 4046.86 m2.] 36 to 42 bushels
from the ground[ Bushel (Eng. bushel) is a measure
of volume of liquids and solvents. It is mainly used in
England and the USA. 1 B. = 36.4 l. (In England); 1
B. = 35.2 l. (In the US).] up to harvest. The average
yield per acre of land in Khiva was at least 30 bushels.
In 1900, the average yield of wheat in only 4 states in
the United States exceeded 20 bushels per 1 acre of
land, while one-third of the states had half that [15,
22].
The Russian zoologist scientist Bogdanov had
great respect for the inhabitants of the Khanate,
highly appreciated their skill and laboriousness,
because of this, the Agriculture of the Khiva Oasis
was at a high level. “These peaceful desert cultivators
did not destroy anything in nature, "wrote modest
Nikolaevich," but enriched the local fauna. They were
not mistaken in choosing a place. It took a lot of work
to turn the lifeless Tair lands into a flourishing Oasis,
now surrounded by arid deserts, Sandlands, this area
is the most suitable places for farming, horticulture,
winemaking and silkmaking in terms of its
productivity and healthy climate” [16, 132]. Similar
information is given in large numbers in the materials
of the authors of the XIX century.
ICHELS 2024 - The International Conference on Humanities Education, Law, and Social Science
788
In conditions of water scarcity, specific methods
of preparing, fertilizing and watering land in the Oasis
have been formed. In particular, the preparation of the
field for cultivation began with the leveling of the
surface of the earth, that is, the hills of the earth are
plowed and the swamps are filled. For more
convenient irrigation, it is divided into separate small
areas separated from each other by soil ridges. Then
the field was washed with salt several times in a row
by repeated watering. The soil, especially during the
first irrigation, quickly absorbed the water and
dissolved salts surfaced. Thus, the layer in which the
plant roots mainly develop is cleaned. A method of
draining (draining) water to the other side, saturated
with salt and not yet having time to be absorbed into
the soil, was also used.
In the context of the Khorezm Oasis, there has
long been a tradition of breeding gujum and willow
trees due to the proximity of the waters of the erosti
(sizot). The roots of these trees pulled the sizot into
the underlying layers of the Earth, which, in addition
to improving the reclamation, gave a large amount of
wood product, and for building it was an important
resource. In particular, the resistance of gujum Wood
to different conditions was taken into account [17,
124]. Under the shade of cersoia and the exotic gujum
tree, the temperature of the basin decreased. The
gujum tree is suitable for the hot and dry climate of
Khiva, and because it also feeds on salt water, in 50
degrees of heat, the temperature in its shade can drop
to 35 degrees.
The rich experience accumulated over many years
in irrigation work has made it possible for local
residents to create complex water management
techniques and develop certain skills in its
implementation. As a result, in the process of long
Progress, a kind of irrigation technique arose,
gradually moving from the simplest methods of water
extraction mechanisms to much more complex ones.
While in Khorezm the simplest ways to extract water
from canals to fields were "sepma", "depma" and
"Nova", the so-called "Pig" ancient water outlet has
become the most "improved" method.
Another feature of the Khanate's natural
conditions is the issue of flooding in the river. These
events, on the one hand, necessitated the adoption of
measures to protect the fields in agriculture, and on
the other, encouraged the productive use of it in the
irrigation of land areas in conditions of water scarcity.
The water of amudarya was flooded several times a
year. As these floods coincided with a time when
crops needed water, local farmers compiled a flood
calendar based on centuries of experience. Therefore,
there were also special people in the Khorezm Oasis
who knew when the river flood began and told how
the river flow changes [18, 32]. According to their
calendar, irrigation farming in the oasis (during the
growing season of the crop) was based on 4 Floods of
the Amudarya: 1) Blue cane; 2) white fish; 3) star; 4)
forty chiles.
In particular, the "Blue Reed flood" (late March),
that is, in the lakes, begins at the moment when the
Reed has just sprouted. Depending on the rate of
growth of the Reed, the flood has been found to be
timely or delayed. In mid-April, Whitefish began to
cross the Island Sea into the upper reaches of the
Amudarya. It is said to be a" Whitefish Stingray". The
"starburst" (mid-may) is designated by the time of
appearance of the Hulkar constellation. The "forty-
childish rash" (summer chilla) began in the second
half of June and lasted up to 40 days. If the floods
were delayed or not at all, it alarmed the whole
country and signaled the destruction of the farm [19,
305]. During the winter months in the Khiva
Khanate, ice formed in large channels, Lakes, was
crushed and buried in one place in a very large
volume, with soil after covering the top. Such
fragments of ice in garams were used as a source of
coldness during the summer period. The
environmental advantage of this is that the ice has
reduced the environmental heat in the summer during
the melting process.
It is known that salt water, when freezing, is
squeezed out by its salt molecules, ice crystals. As a
result, when the ice dissolves, fresh water is formed.
Therefore, the ice formed during the winter period
served as a source of fresh water and coldness during
the summer [20, 26].
4 CONCLUSION
The rich experience accumulated over many years in
the use of land and water resources in the Khorezm
Oasis made it possible to create a complex water
management technique and introduce it, to form a
certain skill in the formation of ground handling
technology. In conditions of water scarcity, specific
methods of preparing, fertilizing and watering land in
the Oasis have been formed.
In the Khiva Khanate, humus served as the
main fertilizer. In addition to humus, in some cases,
household residues, ash mixture also served as
fertilizer. It should be noted that the rich experience
accumulated by khwarezmian peasants during a long
historical period in irrigation work made it possible to
create complex water management techniques.
Advanced Experiments in the Use of Land-Water Resources in the Khiva Khanate and Its Environmental Significance
789
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