Jump to content
Spartans Home

Iraq...compounds?


Ebden~SPARTA~
 Share

Recommended Posts

While looking up Avgani, Iraq for another post, I saw a few compound-looking structures east of Avgani at 36d 29'5"N, 42d 25'27"W

 

What would those be? And how hold?

 

I put those here since those who were in-country on service would probably have the best idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a proper set of coordinates so you can cut/paste into google earth - +36° 29' 6.63", +42° 27' 28.24"

 

Yeah, you could call them "compounds." They are just housing areas mud/stone walls, depending on how hard the family wants to work. Most of those farming areas are made out of a dried mud compound, with either a mud roof or a thached roof. They are a haven for flies and other such nastiness. Who knows how old they are, but definately not ancient. You can see the Wadi (dry river bed) and the farming land up to the North. This is a farming community, and I've probably driven by it a time or two. It looks really barren, but for a couple months in the Winter, that place will be as green as Ireland, but just after Spring, it goes dry again.

 

If you look about 35mi to the west, you'll see Sinjar mountain. At the base there's a road and some towns scattered along the sides. I did an engineering mission there, trying to get water pumped from the mountains down into those towns, but some shieks were arguing about who gets the water, not to mention a dangerous group on top of the mountain who wanted it all for themselves as well. Those mountains are made of mostly volcanic rock, which is wierd, not to mention the horizontal lay of them. Time spent in Sinjar was my favorite mission by-far. The people were great, and I got to climb a mountain by myself only to find old old stone ruins on top. Below are some photos of buildings similar to what you're looking at...

 

User posted image

 

 

Home at the base of Sinjar Mountain

User posted image

 

 

You can't tell from the photo really how high I am, but my buddies are on the bottom as just tiny little dots. I also climbed the hill to the right. It was beautiful from up there, and I could see Syria easily.

User posted image

 

 

Another shot from the mountain top, with the ruins in the foreground. Again, very little perspective on this one.

User posted image

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...