- Architecture, Sustainable Architecture, Sustainable Water Resources Management, Integrated Water Resources Management, Water Resources Management, Water Management, and 18 moreTraditional Architecture, Traditional Techniques, Sustainable Water Management, Qanats, Qanat systems, Yazd, Iran Qanats, Anthropology, Art History, Ecology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Prehistory, Rock Art (Archaeology), Religion and ritual in prehistory, Prehistoric Art, European Prehistory (Archaeology), Prehistoric Rock Art, Image, Metaponto, and Islamic Garden and Persian Gardensedit
Ars Excavandi, utopias and dystopias, is the brochure of the great exhibition that opened the celebrations of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019. The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to... more
Ars Excavandi, utopias and dystopias, is the brochure of the great exhibition that opened the celebrations of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019.
The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to architectures, civilisations and rocky landscapes through the centuries. It reinterprets the culture of underground art from a modern perspective, from the initial use of natural cavities and incisions in the rock to the creation of grottoes, dwellings, monuments, waterworks, cities and landscapes based on excavation.
The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to architectures, civilisations and rocky landscapes through the centuries. It reinterprets the culture of underground art from a modern perspective, from the initial use of natural cavities and incisions in the rock to the creation of grottoes, dwellings, monuments, waterworks, cities and landscapes based on excavation.
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Si tratta del dossier che ha accompagnato l'inserimento del "paesaggio evolutivo" del Parco nazionale del Cilento nella Lista del Patrimonio Mondiale Unesco . v. (download) http://www.studioanzani.eu/pubblicazioni/
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Water is so important for the life of all organisms that even animals have developed useful behaviours to manage it. In the desert many species of mammals dig holes to facilitate natural water harvesting and some animals, like the... more
Water is so important for the life of all organisms that even animals have developed useful behaviours to manage it. In the desert many species of mammals dig holes to facilitate natural water harvesting and some animals, like the beavers, build dams to control water. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first hominids built surfaces and dikes for water harvesting. The most archaic structure of this kind that has been identified so far could be that found in the site of Isernia, exactly in La Pineta area, where a paleosurface dating back to 700,000 - 500,000 years ago was made up of several travertine stones, bone remains and calcareous handmades that formed a primordial layer (Peretto 1991). However, the techniques used during the Paleolithic by nomadic Hunters-Harvesters belonging to our Sapiens species are more certain. They could move from place to place thanks to the good knowledge of the territory and in particular of the methods of water findings and supply. The Paleolith...
While most books examine only the classical aspects of hydrology, this three-volume set covers multiple aspects of hydrology, and includes contributions from experts from more than 30 countries. It examines new approaches, addresses... more
While most books examine only the classical aspects of hydrology, this three-volume set covers multiple aspects of hydrology, and includes contributions from experts from more than 30 countries. It examines new approaches, addresses growing concerns about hydrological and ecological connectivity, new quantitative and qualitative managing techniques and considers the worldwide impact of climate change. It also provides updated material on hydrological science and engineering, discussing recent developments as well as classic approaches. Published in three books, Fundamentals and Applications; Modeling, Climate Change, and Variability; and Environmental Hydrology and Water Management, the entire set consists of 87 chapters, and contains 29 chapters in each book. The chapters in this book contain information on: • The anthropocenic aquifer, groundwater vulnerability, and hydraulic fracturing, and environmental problems • Disinfection of water, environmental engineering for water and sanitation systems, environmental nanotechnology, modeling of wetland systems, nonpoint source and water quality modeling, water pollution control using low-cost natural wastes, and water supply and public health and safety • Environmental flows, river managed system for flood defense, stormwater modeling and management, tourism and river hydrology, and transboundary river basin management • The historical development of wastewater management, sediment pollution, and sustainable wastewater treatment • Water governance, scarcity, and security • The formation of ecological risk on plain reservoirs, modification in hydrological cycle, sustainable development in integrated water resources management, transboundary water resource management, and more Students, practitioners, policy makers, consultants and researchers can benefit from the use of this text.
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The misuse and the overexploitation of resources are the main causes of desertification which according to the United Nations Convention is defined as: “deterioration of the lands in the arid, semiarid and semi humid dry areas due to... more
The misuse and the overexploitation of resources are the main causes of desertification which according to the United Nations Convention is defined as: “deterioration of the lands in the arid, semiarid and semi humid dry areas due to different factors including climate changes and human activity” (UNCCD 1994, article 1a, 1995, 1995a). The definition highlights two fundamental aspects of desertification: a) desertification is not the creation of a desert but of soil degradation; and b) human intervention is a fundamental factor besides the role of climate conditions.
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ABSTRACT We present a geological and architectural Integrated pilot study, aiming at the preservation of the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church, located in Lalibela, the worldwide known Ethiopian rock hewn monumental site protected by UNESCO... more
ABSTRACT We present a geological and architectural Integrated pilot study, aiming at the preservation of the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church, located in Lalibela, the worldwide known Ethiopian rock hewn monumental site protected by UNESCO since 1978. The town developed since the Neolithic up to the medieval age, as inferred from the traces of three distinct architectural phases. Lalibela was built on a geological substratum made of rocks belonging to the Ethiopian Plateau suite, which is mainly composed of basalts of fissural origin or derived from shield volcanoes. The geological units are composed of alternating massive and scoriaceous basalts. The main scoriaceous basalt level, embedded within the massive basalts, is 30-40 m thick and corresponds to the horizon within which the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church all the other monuments of Lalibela have been carved. Therefore, the evolution of the town was strongly conditioned by the occurrence and extent of the softer scoriaceous basalt level. Many Fracture systems of both natural (i.e. geological) and anthropic origin (these latter connected to the carving of the church), were recognized. The fracture pattern determined the subdivision of the church into different blocks that can behave independently, thus compromising the stability of the monument. A net of deformometers and fracture gauges was installed for the monitoring of the fracture system and a preliminary Finite Element analysis, following the approach used for underground excavations, was performed, with the aim of elucidate the mechanical behaviour of the rock. The integration between geo-mechanical approach to the rock mass and the architectural study of the critical situation due to the carving and connected to buildings, resulted in the precise individuation of future interventions devoted to the conservation of these monuments.
�onflict is a nor�al social pheno�enon that occurs because in�ivi�uals an � groups that have �ifferent nee�s an � prospective, but it can be an i�portant force for positive change when han�le� constructively. Disputes over water have been... more
�onflict is a nor�al social pheno�enon that occurs because in�ivi�uals an � groups that have �ifferent nee�s an � prospective, but it can be an i�portant force for positive change when han�le� constructively. Disputes over water have been for a long ti�e an issue associate � with provi�ing water for hu�an settle�ents, irrigation an � ani�al watering. Historically, there is clear evi�ence
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Article available on line / Article disponible en ligne à l’adresse :... more
Article available on line / Article disponible en ligne à l’adresse : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://om.ciheam.org/article.php?IDPDF=800933 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 University of Jordan, Faculty of Agriculture 2 SRU, National Water Research Centre, MWRI Egypt 3 Dep. of Geotechnical Engineering and GeoscienceBarcelona, Spain 4 Dep. Desertificacion y Geoecologia, �stacion ��peri�ental �e �onas �ri�as... more
1 University of Jordan, Faculty of Agriculture 2 SRU, National Water Research Centre, MWRI Egypt 3 Dep. of Geotechnical Engineering and GeoscienceBarcelona, Spain 4 Dep. Desertificacion y Geoecologia, �stacion ��peri�ental �e �onas �ri�as ������� �l�eria, �pain. 5 Dept. �e �cono�ia, �ociologia y Politica �grarias, Universi�a� �e �or�oba, �pain 6 �entro �e ��afologia y Biologia �plica�a �el �egura ��B��. ����. �urcia, �pain. CSIC M S 7 Ipogea, Florence, Italy. 8 Enviros-Barcelona, Spain 9 IUAV University of Venice, Italy. 10 Opti�al Territorial �rea �uthority ���TO�� Venice, �taly. 11 �talian �entre for River Restoration ���RF��, Venice, �taly. 12 CSIC, Seville, Spain
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The Mediterranean climate is typified by an enormous irregularity in the distribution of rainfall in space and time. Although the entire Mediterranean catchment area receives a total average volume of precipitation estimated at 1100km3... more
The Mediterranean climate is typified by an enormous irregularity in the distribution of rainfall in space and time. Although the entire Mediterranean catchment area receives a total average volume of precipitation estimated at 1100km3 (1000 million cubic meters) per year, nearly twothirds of this volume is concentrated in onefifth of the Basin’s surface area. While three countries, France, Italy and Turkey, receive half of the total precipitation, the southern countries receive only 13 per cent.
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This report was prepared for the secretariat and presented to the ad hoc panel meeting on traditional knowledge in Matera, Italy, 15 to 18 July 1999. It was subsequently presented to the Bureau of the Committee on Science and Technology... more
This report was prepared for the secretariat and presented to the ad hoc panel meeting on traditional knowledge in Matera, Italy, 15 to 18 July 1999. It was subsequently presented to the Bureau of the Committee on Science and Technology at the Committee’s session in Bonn from 27 to 28 July 1999. The Bureau noted the report with satisfaction and requested the secretariat to make it available at the third session of the Conference of the Parties. It is reproduced without formal editing by the Convention secretariat.
Description of the integrated ecological system of the grand erg occidental, algeria, (geographical context, climate, typology of the territory, population, history, architectural structure), with special reference to the fortified... more
Description of the integrated ecological system of the grand erg occidental, algeria, (geographical context, climate, typology of the territory, population, history, architectural structure), with special reference to the fortified villages (ksour) and their present state of repair. Proposals for a protective inventory of the outstanding vernacular structures of unbaked earth, water and palmwood, threatened by importation of modern building techniques and materials. With 15 figures, 29 notes and bibliography. -- ICCROM
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Water is so important for the life of all organisms that even animals have developed useful behaviours to manage it. In the desert many species of mammals dig holes to facilitate natural water harvesting and some animals, like the... more
Water is so important for the life of all organisms that even animals have developed useful behaviours to manage it. In the desert many species of mammals dig holes to facilitate natural water harvesting and some animals, like the beavers, build dams to control water. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first hominids built surfaces and dikes for water harvesting. The most archaic structure of this kind that has been identified so far could be that found in the site of Isernia, exactly in La Pineta area, where a paleosurface dating back to 700,000 - 500,000 years ago was made up of several travertine stones, bone remains and calcareous handmades that formed a primordial layer (Peretto 1991). However, the techniques used during the Paleolithic by nomadic Hunters-Harvesters belonging to our Sapiens species are more certain. They could move from place to place thanks to the good knowledge of the territory and in particular of the methods of water findings and supply. The Paleolith...
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... Dentzer M. e altri , 1989 Contribution Fran?aise à l'archéologieJordannien, Ifapo Amman Di Lernia S. e al., 1990, Gargano ... Laureano P., 1988, Sahara, giardino sconosciuto, Giunti, Firenze, II edizione 1989 edizione francese... more
... Dentzer M. e altri , 1989 Contribution Fran?aise à l'archéologieJordannien, Ifapo Amman Di Lernia S. e al., 1990, Gargano ... Laureano P., 1988, Sahara, giardino sconosciuto, Giunti, Firenze, II edizione 1989 edizione francese Sahara jardin méconnu, Larousse, Paris, 1991. ...
... Sassi of Matera, urban ecosystems, natural resource management IPOGEAResearch Centre on Traditional and Local Knowledge, Matera, Italy C. Lee and T ... On the island of Ibiza, there is a similar irrigation practice called feixes,... more
... Sassi of Matera, urban ecosystems, natural resource management IPOGEAResearch Centre on Traditional and Local Knowledge, Matera, Italy C. Lee and T ... On the island of Ibiza, there is a similar irrigation practice called feixes, which uses an ingenious hydraulic system. ...
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The aim of this paper is to propose a journey through the history of water and wastewater management technologies in the ancient civilizations, a sort of Appian Way (“Via Appia”, the “regina longarum viarum”) through the Centuries.... more
The aim of this paper is to propose a journey through the history of water and wastewater management technologies in the ancient civilizations, a sort of Appian Way (“Via Appia”, the “regina longarum viarum”) through the Centuries. Moreover, this paper is a sort of short summary of papers presented in the first two IWA Specialty Conferences on Water and Wastewater Technologies in Ancient Civilizations with particular emphasis on the later one. The main topics considered are: aqueducts and tunnels, cisterns and reservoirs, water distributions systems, fountains, toilets and other purgatory structures, drainage and sewerage systems, irrigation systems and, finally, qanats and other similar systems. Upon completing the journey, we have arrived at the conclusion that the meaning of sustainability in modern times should be revaluated in light of ancient hydraulic water and wastewater works and management practices.
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Ars Excavandi, utopias and dystopias, is the brochure of the great exhibition that opened the celebrations of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019. The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to... more
Ars Excavandi, utopias and dystopias, is the brochure of the great exhibition that opened the celebrations of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019.
The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to architectures, civilisations and rocky landscapes through the centuries. It reinterprets the culture of underground art from a modern perspective, from the initial use of natural cavities and incisions in the rock to the creation of grottoes, dwellings, monuments, waterworks, cities and landscapes based on excavation.
The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to architectures, civilisations and rocky landscapes through the centuries. It reinterprets the culture of underground art from a modern perspective, from the initial use of natural cavities and incisions in the rock to the creation of grottoes, dwellings, monuments, waterworks, cities and landscapes based on excavation.
Research Interests:
Ars Excavandi, utopias and dystopias, is the brochure of the great exhibition that opened the celebrations of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019. The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to... more
Ars Excavandi, utopias and dystopias, is the brochure of the great exhibition that opened the celebrations of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019.
The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to architectures, civilisations and rocky landscapes through the centuries. It reinterprets the culture of underground art from a modern perspective, from the initial use of natural cavities and incisions in the rock to the creation of grottoes, dwellings, monuments, waterworks, cities and landscapes based on excavation.
The exhibition investigates the art and practices of excavation that have given rise to architectures, civilisations and rocky landscapes through the centuries. It reinterprets the culture of underground art from a modern perspective, from the initial use of natural cavities and incisions in the rock to the creation of grottoes, dwellings, monuments, waterworks, cities and landscapes based on excavation.
Research Interests:
Il giardino persiano, la sua cultura e simbolismo, è oggetto di numerosi studi. La sua poetica e struttura si ritrova nei giardini murati di tutto il mondo arabo, dall’oriente all’Andalusia, e nei chiostri medioevali e giardini... more
Il giardino persiano, la sua cultura e simbolismo, è oggetto di numerosi studi. La sua poetica e struttura si ritrova nei giardini murati di tutto il mondo arabo, dall’oriente all’Andalusia, e nei chiostri medioevali e giardini rinascimentali d’Europa. Questo studio indaga sui caratteri dei giardini persiani e la loro origine attraverso la genesi e struttura delle Oasi interpretate non come fenomeni naturali, frutto del caso, ma il prodotto dell'ingegno umano. La loro realizzazione è collegata alla più antiche esperienze di domesticazione delle piante, di irrigazione tramite canalizzazioni idriche e di protezione dei suoli tramite perimetri murati. L’idea di albero della Vita nel Paradiso dei testi Sumeri è collegato alla domesticazione della Palma realizzata nell’area del Golfo nelle prime oasi-isola sulle sue sponde. Non sorprende quindi il simbolismo di questa pianta nei chiostri e giardini islamici e europei e che, ancora oggi, nel Sahara le coltivazioni delle oasi si chiamino jennat, che significa giardino e Paradiso.
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Research Interests:
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Mohamed Shatanawi 1, Maysa Shammout 1, Sawsan Naber 1, Nahla Aboul-Fotouh 2, Alaa Eddin Abdin 2, Samir Sedky 2, Lucila Candela 3, Francisco Domingo 4, Julio Berbel 5, Juan José Alarcón 6, Pietro Laureano 7, Karim Tamoh 3, Wan Von Igel 8,... more
Mohamed Shatanawi 1, Maysa Shammout 1, Sawsan Naber 1, Nahla Aboul-Fotouh 2, Alaa Eddin Abdin 2, Samir Sedky 2, Lucila Candela 3, Francisco Domingo 4, Julio Berbel 5, Juan José Alarcón 6, Pietro Laureano 7, Karim Tamoh 3, Wan Von Igel 8, Maria Escobar Soler 3, Eric ...
Traditional Knowledge are ancient techniques and practices of a territory passed on through the generations and used for water harvesting, soil management, use and protection of natural areas, rural architecture and for organising urban... more
Traditional Knowledge are ancient techniques and practices of a territory passed on through the generations and used for water harvesting, soil management, use and protection of natural areas, rural architecture and for organising urban centres. They are the historical knowledge of humanity that allowed building architecture and landscapes with a universal value protected by UNESCO in the category of cultural landscapes. An appropriate use of natural resources such as water, soil and energy is made possible by using traditional knowledge that establishes the harmony of architecture with the environment, the symbiosis of the techniques of organisation of space with the traditions, the social habits, the spiritual values and the fusion between practical aspects and beauty.
Today, traditional knowledge is in danger and its disappearance would not only cause the loss of people’s capability to keep and pass on the artistic and natural heritage, but also of an extraordinary source of knowledge and cultural diversity from which appropriate innovative solutions can be derived today and in the future.
UNESCO launched a global programme for an inventory assigned to IPOGEA – Research Centre on Traditional and Local Knowledge. The project gathers and protects historical knowledge and promotes and certifies innovative practices based on the modern re-proposal of tradition as well. The main targets are the firms, the natural areas and the historical centres which will be assigned quality trademarks and acknowledgements of international excellence in production or use of good practices and innovative solutions. Each technology, proposition and experience achieved will provide a spin-off on an international scale and each good practice will contribute to safeguarding the whole planet.
Today, traditional knowledge is in danger and its disappearance would not only cause the loss of people’s capability to keep and pass on the artistic and natural heritage, but also of an extraordinary source of knowledge and cultural diversity from which appropriate innovative solutions can be derived today and in the future.
UNESCO launched a global programme for an inventory assigned to IPOGEA – Research Centre on Traditional and Local Knowledge. The project gathers and protects historical knowledge and promotes and certifies innovative practices based on the modern re-proposal of tradition as well. The main targets are the firms, the natural areas and the historical centres which will be assigned quality trademarks and acknowledgements of international excellence in production or use of good practices and innovative solutions. Each technology, proposition and experience achieved will provide a spin-off on an international scale and each good practice will contribute to safeguarding the whole planet.
We present a geological and architectural integrated pilot study, aiming at the preservation of the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church, located in Lalibela, the worldwide known Ethiopian rock hewn monumental site protected by UNESCO since... more
We present a geological and architectural integrated pilot study,
aiming at the preservation of the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church, located
in Lalibela, the worldwide known Ethiopian rock hewn monumental
site protected by UNESCO since 1978. The town developed since the
Neolithic up to the medieval age, as inferred from the traces of three
distinct architectural phases. Lalibela was built on a geological substratum
made of rocks belonging to the Ethiopian Plateau suite,
which is mainly composed of basalts of fissural origin or derived
from shield volcanoes. The geological units are composed of alternating
massive and scoriaceous basalts. The main scoriaceous basalt
level, embedded within the massive basalts, is 30-40 m thick and corresponds
to the horizon within which the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church
all the other monuments of Lalibela have been carved. Therefore,
the evolution of the town was strongly conditioned by the occurrence
and extent of the softer scoriaceous basalt level. Many fracture
systems of both natural (i.e. geological) and anthropic origin (these
latter connected to the carving of the church), were recognized. The
fracture pattern determined the subdivision of the church into different
blocks that can behave independently, thus compromising the
stability of the monument. A net of deformometers and fracture
gauges was installed for the monitoring of the fracture system and a
preliminary Finite Element analysis, following the approach used for
underground excavations, was performed, with the aim of elucidate
the mechanical behaviour of the rock. The integration between geomechanical
approach to the rock mass and the architectural study of
the critical situation due to the carving and connected to buildings,
resulted in the precise individuation of future interventions devoted
to the conservation of these monuments.
aiming at the preservation of the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church, located
in Lalibela, the worldwide known Ethiopian rock hewn monumental
site protected by UNESCO since 1978. The town developed since the
Neolithic up to the medieval age, as inferred from the traces of three
distinct architectural phases. Lalibela was built on a geological substratum
made of rocks belonging to the Ethiopian Plateau suite,
which is mainly composed of basalts of fissural origin or derived
from shield volcanoes. The geological units are composed of alternating
massive and scoriaceous basalts. The main scoriaceous basalt
level, embedded within the massive basalts, is 30-40 m thick and corresponds
to the horizon within which the Biet Gabriel-Rufael church
all the other monuments of Lalibela have been carved. Therefore,
the evolution of the town was strongly conditioned by the occurrence
and extent of the softer scoriaceous basalt level. Many fracture
systems of both natural (i.e. geological) and anthropic origin (these
latter connected to the carving of the church), were recognized. The
fracture pattern determined the subdivision of the church into different
blocks that can behave independently, thus compromising the
stability of the monument. A net of deformometers and fracture
gauges was installed for the monitoring of the fracture system and a
preliminary Finite Element analysis, following the approach used for
underground excavations, was performed, with the aim of elucidate
the mechanical behaviour of the rock. The integration between geomechanical
approach to the rock mass and the architectural study of
the critical situation due to the carving and connected to buildings,
resulted in the precise individuation of future interventions devoted
to the conservation of these monuments.
L’amnesia e il riemergere di un’idea, l’abbandono e la rigenerazione di una città, Matera, l’apparire nel contemporaneo di un mondo primordiale, negato dall’affermazione della società opulenta, eppure eterno presente nello scrigno segreto... more
L’amnesia e il riemergere di un’idea, l’abbandono e la rigenerazione di una città, Matera, l’apparire nel contemporaneo di un mondo primordiale, negato dall’affermazione della società opulenta, eppure eterno presente nello scrigno segreto del nostro più profondo pensiero. La sintesi della interpretazione che ha portato all'iscrizione UNESCO del 1993 ed è stata la base della rinascita della Città dei Sassi e il successo come Capitale Europea della Cultura 2019
Research Interests: Arte Rupestre, Ambiente, Archeologia dei paesaggi, Antropologia Urbana, Storia Urbana, and 10 moreUrbanistica, European Capital of Culture, Architettura Del Paesaggio, Rigenerazione Urbana, UNESCO world heritage, Matera, Troglodytic Architecture, Sassi di Matera, Patrimonio Mondiale dell'Umanità, and economia circolare
The rapid technological progress in the twentieth century created a disdain for the past achievements. Past water technologies were regarded to be far behind the present ones; signified major advances achieved in the twentieth century.... more
The rapid technological progress in the twentieth century created a disdain for the past achievements.
Past water technologies were regarded to be far behind the present ones; signified major
advances achieved in the twentieth century. There was a great deal of unresolved problems related
to the management principles, such as the decentralization of the processes, the durability of the
water projects, the cost effectiveness, and sustainability issues such as protection from floods and
droughts. In the developing world, such problems were intensified to an unprecedented degree.
Moreover, new problems have arisen such as the contamination of surface and groundwater.
Naturally, intensification of unresolved problems led societies to revisit the past and to reinvestigate
the successful past achievements. To their surprise, those who attempted this retrospect,
based on archaeological, historical, and technical evidence, were impressed by two things: the
similarity of principles with present ones and the advanced level of water engineering and management
practices in ancient times.
Modern-day water technological principles have a foundation dating back 3000–4000 years
ago. These achievements include technologies such as dams, wells, cisterns, aqueducts, baths,
recreational structures, and even water reuse. These hydraulic works and features also reflect
advanced scientific knowledge, which for instance allowed the construction of tunnels from
two openings and the transportation of water both by open channels and closed conduits under
pressure. Certainly, technological developments were driven by the necessities for efficient use
of natural water resources in order to make civilizations more resistant to destructive natural
elements, and to improve the standards of life. With respect to the latter, certain civilizations
developed an advanced, comfortable, and hygienic lifestyle, as manifested from public and private
bathrooms and flushing toilets, which can only be compared to our modern facilities which were
reestablished in Europe and North America in the beginning of the last century [5].
The principles and practices in water management of ancient civilizations are not well known
as well as other achievements of ancient civilizations, such as poetry, philosophy, science, politics,
and visual arts. A lot is to be learned from ancient technologies and practices. Different remnants
are available in various parts of the world allowing us to study the development of water
technologies through centuries. To put in perspective the ancient water management principles
and practices, it is important to examine their relevance to modern times and to harvest some
lessons. Furthermore, the relevance of ancient works has to be examined in terms of the evolution
of technology, technological advances, homeland security, and management principles. Finally,
a comparative assessment of the various technologies among civilizations should be considered.
Past water technologies were regarded to be far behind the present ones; signified major
advances achieved in the twentieth century. There was a great deal of unresolved problems related
to the management principles, such as the decentralization of the processes, the durability of the
water projects, the cost effectiveness, and sustainability issues such as protection from floods and
droughts. In the developing world, such problems were intensified to an unprecedented degree.
Moreover, new problems have arisen such as the contamination of surface and groundwater.
Naturally, intensification of unresolved problems led societies to revisit the past and to reinvestigate
the successful past achievements. To their surprise, those who attempted this retrospect,
based on archaeological, historical, and technical evidence, were impressed by two things: the
similarity of principles with present ones and the advanced level of water engineering and management
practices in ancient times.
Modern-day water technological principles have a foundation dating back 3000–4000 years
ago. These achievements include technologies such as dams, wells, cisterns, aqueducts, baths,
recreational structures, and even water reuse. These hydraulic works and features also reflect
advanced scientific knowledge, which for instance allowed the construction of tunnels from
two openings and the transportation of water both by open channels and closed conduits under
pressure. Certainly, technological developments were driven by the necessities for efficient use
of natural water resources in order to make civilizations more resistant to destructive natural
elements, and to improve the standards of life. With respect to the latter, certain civilizations
developed an advanced, comfortable, and hygienic lifestyle, as manifested from public and private
bathrooms and flushing toilets, which can only be compared to our modern facilities which were
reestablished in Europe and North America in the beginning of the last century [5].
The principles and practices in water management of ancient civilizations are not well known
as well as other achievements of ancient civilizations, such as poetry, philosophy, science, politics,
and visual arts. A lot is to be learned from ancient technologies and practices. Different remnants
are available in various parts of the world allowing us to study the development of water
technologies through centuries. To put in perspective the ancient water management principles
and practices, it is important to examine their relevance to modern times and to harvest some
lessons. Furthermore, the relevance of ancient works has to be examined in terms of the evolution
of technology, technological advances, homeland security, and management principles. Finally,
a comparative assessment of the various technologies among civilizations should be considered.