“Makhonik”, the home of the real Smurfs .. What you do not know about the dwarf village in Iran, “photos”
“Makhonik”, the home of the real Smurfs .. What you do not know about the dwarf village in Iran, “photos”
In a remote place in the southern province of Khorasan in Iran, near the border with Afghanistan; There is a village inhabited by short people for nearly a century.
Evidence for this dwarfing phenomenon was found through the architecture of the local village. Among the total of 200 houses that make up the village, which are made of stones and mud, there are about 70 to 80 houses of very low height.
The height of these dwellings is less than two meters, and they are distinguished by their narrow entrances that a person cannot pass through without bending over, as the ceilings of some of these houses may reach only 140 centimeters.
First-degree inbreeding and a poor diet, in addition to the mercury-contaminated drinking water, are likely one of the main reasons why the population of Makhonik was so tall at that time.
Houses showing the local architecture of the dwarf village (Makhonik) in Iran - Photo: hoomanb.com
The ancestors of the villagers lived in almost complete isolation from modern civilization, and remained so for centuries, as the area they inhabited was dry and arid, which made growing crops and preserving animals difficult.
Vegetables such as turnips, barley, and grains, and a date-like fruit called jujube, constituted the only agricultural crops in the village. People were able to fend off hunger by relying on simple vegetable dishes such as Kashk-beneh (a mixture of whey and a type of pistachio grown in the mountains) and Pokhteek (a Also a mixture of dried whey and kale).
Malnutrition was a major factor in shortening the population's height. Isolated life forced relatives to marry each other, allowing bad genes shared by both parents to be passed on to their offspring. Some of these genes clearly contributed to dwarfism.
Despite the shortness of these people, height was not the only factor behind their construction of small houses, as the small house needed less building materials, and it was suitable for people in that period, as there were few animals that had a suitable size for pulling carts, and the transportable roads were limited, which made The locals were forced to carry equipment in their hands, covering many kilometers.
Small houses have another distinctive feature, they can be easily heated and cooled unlike large houses, and they blend easily with the landscape, making it difficult for invaders to detect.
In the middle of the 20th century, this region witnessed a boom in urban development with the construction of roads and the presence of automobiles, which allowed the villagers to bring a variety of foods to their dishes such as rice and chicken. The children of the village grew up healthier and taller than their parents. With the improvement of health care; This phenomenon began to disappear.
Change in the stature of the children of the village (Makhonik) in Iran - Photo: tripyar
Nowadays, the population of (Makhonik), who number 700, has changed in height and has become of average stature. Many years have passed since they left their ancestral homes and moved to brick and mortar houses, but regardless of this simple development in dwelling and length; Nothing significant has improved in the lives of these villagers. Life is still tough and agriculture is weak due to the ongoing drought. Younger people go to nearby towns to work while women do sewing. Older people depend on government handouts.
Makhonik has a unique architecture and an important heritage, which raises the possibility of revitalizing tourism in this area, and this is what the villagers hope, as tourism can create job opportunities and jobs in the village.
Houses illustrating the local architecture of the dwarf village (Makhonik) in Iran - Photo: Mohammad M. Rashed
Houses illustrating the local architecture of the dwarf village (Makhonik) in Iran - Photo: Mohammad M. Rashed
The height of the ceilings of the houses of the village (Makhonik) compared to the height of an ordinary person.
The overlapping of the new brick houses with the houses of the old (Makhonik) village.
Makhonik village houses are one meter high from the ground, and they have to crouch to pass through the wooden doors to enter - Photo: tripyar
Houses illustrating the local architecture of a dwarf village (Makhonik) in Iran.
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