Technology > Petra Hydraulic Technologies
Petra Hydraulic Technologies
Background
The city of Petra was described by the Roman geographer Strabo in the late-first century BC who stated that there were “abundant springs for both domestic purposes and watering gardens.” (Geographica XVI.4.21). In the beginning archaeologists assumed this could have been nothing more than small household reservoirs for growing plants as their perception of the city and its inhabitants was primitive. However, subsequent archaeological discoveries have yielded information that completely alters this archaic perception of Petra and suggests the region was inhabited by a highly successful and intelligent culture that managed massive public works projects for civic and municipal benefit as well as public displays of wealth and art.
The urban core of the city itself lies in the center of a valley surrounded by high mountainous terrain. During the annual rainy season the area is inundated with water that passes through the valley and is channeled into stream-beds called wadis that rain into the Wadi Siyagh. In order to contain the flooding of the Wadi Mousa River the ancient Nabataeans constructed a series of dams and reservoirs that allowed them to divert the course of the river around the area known as the Siq. (Ortloff 2005)
Examples of dams such as those at the entrance to the Siq and in the Wadi Al-Mudhlim helped alleviate massive flooding from the torrential rain that threatens inhabitants. However, in modern times these structures are no longer in use and this lead to dangerous flash floods in the region such as those which killed a group of French tourists. (Akasheh 2002). The modern Jordanian authorities have attempted to implement measures to prevent this from happening but none are as effective as the ancient technologies were.
Later developments and urbanization show the construction of cisterns, pipelines, underground reservoirs, as well as sand-particle filtration systems that all helped alleviate the impact of the annual rainfall as well as helped store it for year round consumption and use. Throughout the city of Petra there are noted to be hundreds of cisterns. These cisterns were lined with waterproof cement that helped alleviate water seepage back into the ground. (Bebel 2002)
Petra
See Petra
The city of Petra is presently believed by archaeologists to have been established around 300 BC from nomadic settlements in the region of modern day Jordan. There are arguments between archaeologists weather the Nabataeans had lived among the Edomites for hundreds of years previously or had migrated into the Edomite territory after they migrated north. However, Assyrian texts from the Sargonic Era suggest that around 715 BC the territory contained tent cities and the famous rock cut city and its associated hydraulic technologies had not yet developed. (Ortloff 2005)
Petra was located at the confluence of the borders of many great territories and served as the economic hub of the regional caravan trading network. Surrounding it were major great civilizations such as Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, the Roman Empire, Parthia and more. As a result of its lucrative location in the caravan trading network the city would be fought over not only by Alexander the Great during his conquests in the 3rd century BC but by the Hellenistic forces of the Seleucids and the Ptolemies as well. Following the decline of these powers towards the turn of the millenia an independent Nabataean polity would arise that became politically and economically involved with the growing Roman Empire.
Water in Nabataean Religion
In addition to providing massive civic benefit the public display of water was also a status of wealth and prosperity in the ancient world and the veneration of water formed the basis for part of the Nabataean pagan religion. Water in was sacred to the Nabataeans and veneration of water is tied to the Nabataean goddess Al-'Uzza who was the consort to the patron deity of Dushares.
A comparable Greco-Roman deity was Aphrodite-Atargatis who was related to the life giving forces of water and earth. Other massive structures such as the Pool Complex show that the Nabataeans used water for much more than just consumption which suggested they had an abundance of it based on the examples such as the proposed Hellenistic style gardens at the Palace Complex. Overall it can be noted that the Nabataeans display some of the greatest mastery of water of all the Near East cultures.
Nabataean Kingdom
Cultural Influences
It cannot be said that the Nabataeans developed any of their hydraulic technologies in a vacuum as archaeologists have noted elements from Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Minoans as well as Hellenistic Greeks and the Romans that were incorporated into the construction of the cities water structures. In fact the larger city also shows developments from all of the aforementioned cultures as well as Syro- Phoenicians, the Seleucids and more. (Ortloff 2005). Given the cultural diffusion of information, artistic styles, technology and more that must have occurred here in ancient times it only makes sense.
Archaeologists have noted that hydraulic technologies at Petra draw inspiration from the Temple of Knossos on Crete (2,100 BC) which contains conical, interlocking terracotta pipes. Also noted is the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (800 BC) which contains similar elements of socketed and mortared terracotta pipes as well as lead pipe segments and stone connectors. Other major influential structures noted include Nebuchadnezzar II's fabled Hanging Gardens of Babylon which utilized a massive reservoir that delivers water to terraces and fountains through pressurized terracotta pipelines networks.
Archaeologists also note influences from the Temples at Abusir which date from the 5th Dynasty of Egypt such as the copper and brass pipes that were used in the temple drainage systems that fed to the Nile River. Finally the Greek settlements of Athens and Olynthos contained terracotta pipe systems that were locked with mortar and the Ionian settlement of Priene even contained water filtration and purification systems. (Ortloff 2005)
Nabataean Engineering
Petra Structures
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Petra Water Channels
Petra Pool Complex
See Petra Pool Complex<
Sources
Primary Sources
Strabo, Geographica
Secondary Sources
Akasheh, T. S.. (2002) Ancient and Modern Watershed Management in Petra. Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 65, No. 4, Petra: A Royal City Unearthed, pp 220-224. The American Schools of Oriental Research.Bedal , L. (2002) Desert Oasis: Water Consumption and Display in the Nabataean Capital. Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 65, No. 4, Petra: A Royal City Unearthed, pp 225-234. The American Schools of Oriental Research.
Bedal, L. (2001). A Pool Complex in Petra's City Center. Bulliten of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No 324, Nabatean Petra, pp. 23-41. The American Schools of Oriental Research.
Ortloff, C. (2005) The Water Supply and Distribution System of the Nabataean City of Petra (Jordan), 300 BC – AD 300. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 1. April 2005, pp. 93-109. The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.
