Azerbaijan
Sand Origin
Sumqayit by the Caspian Sea
Random Sand Fact
On old rooftops in Azerbaijan, two of the country’s most characteristic materials meet: oil and sand.
On the Absheron Peninsula, traditional houses have flat roofs. To make them more watertight, hardened petroleum was once mixed with sifted sand and sticky clay.
The petroleum repelled water. Sand and clay gave the mixture body and made it possible to spread a dense layer across the roof.
In a country known for oil, petroleum did not only end up in lamps and fuel. It also ended up mixed with sand on top of houses.
