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Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive synthesis of twenty-first-century English-language archaeological research on Central Asian irrigation civilizations, with a primary focus on the Amu Darya and Surkhan-Bactria oases. Drawing on a wide range of interdisciplinary approaches, including remote sensing, GIS-based landscape analysis, paleohydrological reconstruction, isotopic studies, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, and archaeogenomics, the article examines the technological, ecological, and social dimensions of irrigation systems spanning the Bronze Age through the Medieval period. The analysis highlights that ancient irrigation networks were dynamic socio-ecological systems, characterized by adaptive engineering, decentralized governance, and flexible integration of sedentary agricultural communities with mobile pastoral groups. Evidence from satellite imagery, sediment cores, and isotopic data indicates that these societies responded proactively to environmental variability, including river avulsions, soil salinization, and climate fluctuations, by modifying canal systems, relocating fields, and adjusting agricultural and herding strategies. These findings challenge deterministic models of hydraulic control and centralized authority, suggesting instead that long-term resilience and sustainability depended on the interplay of environmental monitoring, technological innovation, and collaborative social strategies.
The study further proposes an Eco-Connectivity framework, situating irrigation infrastructure within a triad of hydrological, ecological, and social connectivity. This framework provides a holistic perspective on the emergence, maintenance, and transformation of irrigation societies, emphasizing the interconnectedness of natural and human systems. By integrating scientific datasets with archaeological interpretation, the article demonstrates how multi-proxy and interdisciplinary methodologies can illuminate complex patterns of human-environment interaction. The findings have broader implications for understanding adaptive strategies in arid and semi-arid regions, both in the past and for contemporary environmental and water management. This synthesis underscores the importance of integrating ecological, technological, and social perspectives to reconstruct the nuanced histories of Central Asian civilizations and their enduring responses to environmental challenges.
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