Show BIG CANALS IN mesopotamia bagdad once had the most remarkable system of irrigation that has ever been constructed many years ego ago great irrigation schemes enabled mesopotamia armenia and other countries in the near and middle east to become the seats of empires in spite of their arid ell mates today writes dr arthur sel wyn brown in the scientific american they have few cities of any importance bagdad bici has a population of about had ten centuries ago the difference between mesopotamia then and today Is the result of the destruction of the I 1 canals in the height of its prop prosperity erity bagdad lind hd the most remarkable system of irrigation that has ever been constructed the canals about the city meas measured ared over miles in length there are others both north and south of the city that joined the euphrates with the tigris and there were several that ran parallel with the rivers the largest was known as the Chos roos canal it was built in early historical times to connect bagdad with v ith the city ot of dur about miles n orth north whenever this canal passed through loose soil it was over feet in width and six feet deep where rethe the ground became rocky it was reduced to a width of 40 or CO 50 feet between dur and bassora bassoon therl ther were over 50 trunk canals between the tigris and the euphrates and they irrigated square miles of rich farming land |