The Historic Ab-Anbar

From the photographer: “The Ab-Anbar of Biabanak, located in Iran’s central desert,  Isfahan province, is a traditional underground water reservoir built during the Qajar era. These structures were essential for survival in arid regions, ingeniously designed to store and preserve water for long periods in harsh climates.

On this rare night, a power outage reduced light pollution to nearly zero, allowing the Milky Way to appear in striking clarity above the historic monument. The contrast between human ingenuity beneath the ground and the cosmic spectacle above highlights the enduring relationship between culture, survival, and the universe.”