Alqosh - Economy

Economy

Most of Alqosh inhabitants practiced dry agriculture since the olden days and relied on the fertile plains to the south, protecting the city on the parameters of the village to have the necessary agricultural products like grain, wheat, beans and summer products such as cantaloupe and cucumber. Farmers followed old non-technological methods in their farming for several centuries, and their livelihood was always threatened due to nature's betrayal in situations of lack of rain or plant epidemic such as soona and grasshoppers.

Towards the beginning of the sixties, Alqosh was introduced to agricultural machinery such as tractors, harvester-threshers (reapers), in addition to methods of treating and curing plant epidemic. However, irrigation means were and still are missing in the area, and farming still relies on rain. Currently, farms belong to the government and are deputized to their owners to use them after they were completely owned by their rightful owners.

Besides these huge lands, grapevines spread all over the village and produce various types of grapes, among which are the black grapes that are well known in the northern region. Some of those who are interested in the history of Alqosh believe that there were over two hundred vineyards in the village. Below are names of some of these vineyards:

Kerrmanneh D’Deyrra, Kerrma D’Rrheyqah, Kerrma D’Be Jemma, Kerrma D’Be Jaoroo, Kerrma D’Be Jejoo Rayes, Kerrma D’Be Sadeq Rayes, Kerrma D’Be Houbentta, Kerrma D’Be Zorra, Kerrma D’Be Ptooza, Kerrma D’Be Qoodda, Kerrma D’Be Peeyous Chiekho, Kerrma D’Be Mogeena Zorri, Kerrma D’Be Tayzee, Kerma D’ Reysha, Kerma D’Be Kottrra, Kerma D’Be Selow Be Dayy, Kerma D’Be Sayddah, Kerma D’Be Yaqou Gorjee, Kerma D’Be Mercous Pouleth, Kerma D’Be Shemaa’on, Kerma D’Be Benna, Kerma D’Be Yako Zorra etc.

Up until recently, Alqush enjoyed being an important trade center for the Kurdish, Yezide, and Arabic villages surrounding it as it housed an active market and many cabins receiving agricultural and animal products from all of these villages. Its market are full of stores and shops containing all types of commodities for shoppers of the region. A number of trades helped manufacture many of the goods used by the residents of the city and rural areas:

• Shoe making
• Carpentry - making agricultural tools such as sickles
• Smithery
• Making packsaddle for mules and donkeys
• Knitting - needle work
• Dying - dying local yarns
• Tailoring - tailoring the clothes of the region using local or imported fabric
• Tinsmithery - whitening kitchen utensils that were made of tin in the past
• Jewelry making silver and golden ornaments
• Sesame mills to produce Tahiniyi (Metthanat Bet Yaldkou, Metthanat Bet Khoubear, Metthanat Bet Bejee)
• Prepare annual ration from wheat such as Bulgur (crushed wheat), Granule, and Grits. The important tools used for this purpose are Denng, granulating machine, and Reshda making machine.

In addition to that, the residents of Alqush raised cattle, sheep, and bees. It is important to note that Alqush has no river, and it used to rely on springs and wells water that were dug by their forefathers in the beginning of life on Earth. It also has some valleys that have winter water which run through them, though some had water passing through them during summer as well. Some of these water wells and water fountainheads are:

• Aaynna Mehalat or quarter Sainna- the old fountainhead (Aaynna Aateqtta)
• Keshffah - it was in Mehalat or quarter Sainna previously
• Aaynna Mehalat or quarter Qasha
• Aaynna Albaladiya - used to be in Hamietha area
• Aaynna Al Zeqayee - a very old fountainhead that used to be in Mehalat or quarter Qasha on Aaynna Zeqyaa valley. It was filled up with earth more than two centuries ago after an Alqushean girl from Shekwana family was killed there by the Persians.

Following are some of the wells:

• In Mehalat or quarter Qasha: Shushani, Kakka, Ballo,Ramo, Khubeir, Shekwana, Bernno, Rayess
• In Mehalat or quarter Khteytha: Khabeen, Ghazala, Khesrou, Cholagh, Jaji Kherou, Shahara, Khoushou, Shmoona, Semaa’n, Sheaa’ya Babee, Beloo, Naim Goula, Matti Goula, CHenou.
• In Mehalat or quarter Sىinna: Odisho, Zorra Kchoucha, Toma Qenaya, KKina, Yeldkoo, Sippo, Goharah.

The most well known families in Alqosh were: Boudagh, Shikwana, Shahara, Zoree, Tomas, Aboona, Shushani, Kakka, Khubeir, and Malakha. Some remnants of these families remain in Alqosh, but many of their kin have emigrated from the region.