Yakhchāl

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A yakhchāl (Persian: یخچال, lit. 'Ice pit'; yakh meaning 'ice' and chāl meaning 'pit') is an ancient type of ice house, which produced ice and desserts associated with it, like faloodeh, or sorbets. They are primarily found in the Dasht-e Lut and Dasht-e-Kavir deserts, whose climates range from cold (BWk) to hot (BWh) desert regions. In modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan the term yakhchāl is also used to refer to modern refrigerators. The structure typically had a domed shape on the ground, a subterranean storage space, shade walls, and icy pools. It was often used to store ice, but sometimes was used to store food as well as produce ice. The subterranean space and thick heat-resistant construction material insulated the storage space year-round. These structures were built and used since ancient times in Persia.

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