Iraq

Iraq

Floating architectures and traditional boats on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Iraqi river and wetland heritage, including vernacular architectures and boats, demonstrate rich craftsmanship and traditional ecological knowledge. Boats, making effective and elegant use of local materials, were key to accessing resources and connecting communities throughout the region for millennia.

Along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, locally-led Heritage Boat Clubs and workshops are reviving ancient crafts on the verge of extinction following decades of war and escalating climate change. A remarkable set of ancient boat types has been recovered, including the Meshouf and Tarada (wooden canoes of the marshes), Shasha and Zaima (cane or plant fibre boats), Isbiya (barge of Anbar), and Guffa (coracle of central Iraq).

Building on this knowledge, the Open Museum Initiative for Water Culture revitalises the rivers’ role as a means of connection and cultural knowledge-sharing.