Download or read book Water Engineering in the Ancient World written by Charles R. Ortloff and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Ortloff provides a new perspective on archaeological studies of the urban and agricultural water supply and distribution systems of the major ancient civilizations of South America, the Middle East, and South-East Asia, by using modern computer analysis methods to extract the true hydraulic/hydrological knowledge base available to these peoples. His many new revelations about the capabilities and innovations of ancient water engineers force us to re-evaluate what was knownand practised in the hydraulic sciences in ancient times. Given our current concerns about global warming and its effect on economic stability, it is fascinating to observe how some ancient civilizations successfully coped with major climate change events by devising defensive agricultural survivalstrategies, while others, which did not innovate, failed to survive.
Download or read book Water Engineering inAncient Civilizations written by Pierre-Louis Viollet and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-10-02 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new book offers an engineer's perspective on the history of water technology and its impact on the development of civilisation. A Second Edition and translation into English of the French book "L'Hydraulique dans les Civilisations Anciennes".Water professionals, engineers, scientists, and students will find this book fascinating and invaluable
Download or read book Thirst written by Steven Mithen and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2012-11-26 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Water is an endangered resource, imperiled by population growth, mega-urbanization, and climate change. Scientists project that by 2050, freshwater shortages will affect 75 percent of the global population. Steven Mithen puts our current crisis in historical context by exploring 10,000 years of humankind’s management of water. Thirst offers cautionary tales of civilizations defeated by the challenges of water control, as well as inspirational stories about how technological ingenuity has sustained communities in hostile environments. As in his acclaimed, genre-defying After the Ice and The Singing Neanderthals, Mithen blends archaeology, current science, and ancient literature to give us a rich new picture of how our ancestors lived. Since the Neolithic Revolution, people have recognized water as a commodity and source of economic power and have manipulated its flow. History abounds with examples of ambitious water management projects and hydraulic engineering—from the Sumerians, whose mastery of canal building and irrigation led to their status as the first civilization, to the Nabataeans, who created a watery paradise in the desert city of Petra, to the Khmer, who built a massive inland sea at Angkor, visible from space. As we search for modern solutions to today’s water crises, from the American Southwest to China, Mithen also looks for lessons in the past. He suggests that we follow one of the most unheeded pieces of advice to come down from ancient times. In the words of Li Bing, whose waterworks have irrigated the Sichuan Basin since 256 BC, “Work with nature, not against it.”
Download or read book Engineering in the Ancient World written by John Gray Landels and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1978-01-01 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greeks and Romans were considerable engineers. They made many remarkable machines, which where not betttered until the Industrial Revolution. Landels shows how these machines were developed and made. He draws together evidence from archaeological discoveries and from literary sources.
Download or read book The Hydraulic State written by Charles R. Ortloff and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2020-08-12 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Hydraulic State explores the hydraulic engineering technology underlying water system constructions of many of the ancient World Heritage sites in South America, the Middle East and Asia as used in their urban and agricultural water supply systems. Using a range of methods and techniques, some new to archaeology, Ortloff analyzes various ancient water systems such as agricultural field system designs known in ancient Peruvian and Bolivian Andean societies, water management at Nabataean Petra, the Roman Pont du Garde water distribution castellum, the Minoan site of Knossos and the water systems of dynastic (and modern) China, particularly the Grand Canal and early water systems designed to control flood episodes. In doing so the book greatly increases our understanding of the hydraulic/hydrological engineering of ancient societies through the application of Complexity Theory, Similitude Theory and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, as well as traditional archaeological analysis methods. Serving to highlight the engineering science behind water structures of the ancient World Heritage sites discussed, this book will be of interest to archaeologists working on landscape archaeology, urbanism, agriculture and water management.
Download or read book Ancient Water Technologies written by L. Mays and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-05-19 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is no more fundamental resource than water. The basis of all life, water is fast becoming a key issue in today’s world, as well as a source of conflict. This fascinating book, which sets out many of the ingenious methods by which ancient societies gathered, transported and stored water, is a timely publication as overextraction and profligacy threaten the existence of aquifers and watercourses that have supplied our needs for millennia. It provides an overview of the water technologies developed by a number of ancient civilizations, from those of Mesopotamia and the Indus valley to later societies such as the Mycenaeans, Minoans, Persians, and the ancient Egyptians. Of course, no book on ancient water technologies would be complete without discussing the engineering feats of the Romans and Greeks, yet as well as covering these key civilizations, it also examines how ancient American societies from the Hohokams to the Mayans and Incas husbanded their water supplies. This unusually wide-ranging text could offer today’s parched world some solutions to the impending crisis in our water supply. "This book provides valuable insights into the water technologies developed in ancient civilizations which are the underpinning of modern achievements in water engineering and management practices. It is the best proof that "the past is the key for the future." Andreas N. Angelakis, Hellenic Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Association, Greece "This book makes a fundamental contribution to what will become the most important challenge of our civilization facing the global crisis: the problem of water. Ancient Water Technologies provides a complete panorama of how ancient societies confronted themselves with the management of water. The role of this volume is to provide, for the first time on this issue, an extensive historical and scientific reconstruction and an indication of how traditional knowledge may be employed to ensure a sustainable future for all." Pietro Laureano, UNESCO expert for ecosystems at risk, Director of IPOGEA-Institute of Traditional Knowledge, Italy
Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World written by John Peter Oleson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 884 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nearly every aspect of daily life in the Mediterranean world and Europe during the florescence of the Greek and Roman cultures is relevant to engineering and technology. This text highlights the accomplishments of the ancient societies, the research problems, and stimulates further progress in the history of ancient technology.
Download or read book The Flow of Power written by Vernon Lee Scarborough and published by School for Advanced Research Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A major contribution to one of the central themes in social theory, this book integrates multiple case studies of the relationship between water control and social organization. Substantial in empirical detail and featuring powerful theoretical extensions, Scarborough's analysis encompasses early Harappan society in South Asia, highland Mexico, the Maya lowlands, north-central Sri Lanka, the prehistoric American Southwest, and Bronze Age Greece. This book is the first longitudinal study to consider water management worldwide since Karl Wittfogel put forth his "hydraulic societies" hypothesis nearly two generations ago, and it draws together the diverse debates that seminal work inspired. In so doing, Scarborough offers new models for cross-cultural analysis and prepares the ground for new examinations of power, centralization, and the economy.
Download or read book Engineering in the Ancient World written by John Gray Landels and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1978 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a new edition of this highly acclaimed book, the author reveals the engineering know-how of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In fascinating detail he describes how they developed and constructed their machines, and considers how the same principles are used in modern-day engineering.
Download or read book Water Distribution in Ancient Rome written by Harry B. Evans and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 1997 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the water system that made ancient Rome possible
Download or read book Ancient Technology written by John W. Humphrey and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2006-09-30 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since ancient times, technological advances have increased man's chances for survival. From the practicality of a Roman aqueduct to the art of the written word, man has always adapted his environment to meet his needs, and to provide himself with sustenance, comfort, comfort, leisure, a higher quality of living, and a thriving culture. This concise reference source takes a closer look at six technological events that significantly impacted the evolution of civilization, from the Palaeolithic age to the height of the Roman Empire. As he touches on the common elements of ancient technology—energy, machines, mining, metallurgy, ceramics, agriculture, engineering, transportation, and communication—Humphrey asks questions central to understanding the impact of ancient tools on the modern world: What prompts change? What cultural traditions inhibit change? What effect do these changes have on their societies and civilization? Humphrey explores technologies as both physical tools and as extensions of the human body, beginning with the invention of the Greek alphabet and including such accomplishments as early Neolithic plant cultivation, the invention of coinage, the building of the Parthenon, and Rome's urban water system. Detailed line drawings of tools and machines make ancient mechanics more easily accessible. Primary documents, glossary, biographies, and a timeline dating from the Palaeolithic age to the Roman Empire round out the work, making this an ideal reference source for understanding the tools of the ancient world.
Download or read book Environmental History of Water written by Petri S. Juuti and published by IWA Publishing. This book was released on 2007-02-01 with total page 642 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The World Water Development Report 2003 pointed out the extensive problem that: 'Sadly, the tragedy of the water crisis is not simply a result of lack of water but is, essentially, one of poor water governance.' Cross-sectional and historical intra-national and international comparisons have been recognized as a valuable method of study in different sectors of human life, including technologies and governance. Environmental History of Water fills this gap, with its main focus being on water and sanitation services and their evolution. Altogether 34 authors have written 30 chapters for this multidisciplinary book which divides into four chronological parts, from ancient cultures to the challenges of the 21st century, each with its introduction and conclusions written by the editors. The authors represent such disciplines as history of technology, history of public health, public policy, development studies, sociology, engineering and management sciences. This book emphasizes that the history of water and sanitation services is strongly linked to current water management and policy issues, as well as future implications. Geographically the book consists of local cases from all inhabited continents. The key penetrating themes of the book include especially population growth, health, water consumption, technological choices and governance. There is great need for general, long-term analysis at the global level. Lessons learned from earlier societies help us to understand the present crisis and challenges. This new book, Environmental History of Water, provides this analysis by studying these lessons.
Download or read book Roman Aqueducts Water Supply written by A. Trevor Hodge and published by Bloomsbury Academic. This book was released on 1992 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "How did Roman waterworks work? How were the aqueducts planned and built? What happened to the water before it got into the aqueduct conduit and after it left it, in catchment, urban distribution and drainage? What were the hydraulics and engineering involved? And what was hydraulic technology like throughout the provinces, far from the often-studied system of metropolitan Rome? In a comprehensive study that ranges through the Roman aqueducts of France, Germany, Spain, North Africa, Turkey and Israel, Professor Hodge introduces us to these often neglected aspects of what the Romans themselves would certainly boast of as one of the greatest glories of their civilisation. Although often technically oriented, the book is aimed at non-engineers (there is a chapter on basic hydraulics, and an appendix on the use of formulae), and historians of society and the economy are not overlooked. Above all, the book looks on aqueducts as functioning machines rather than as static archaeological monuments." -- Provided by publisher
Download or read book The Ancient Engineers written by L. Sprague De Camp and published by Barnes & Noble Publishing. This book was released on 1990 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes methods used by early irrigators, architects, and military engineers to build and maintain structures to serve their ruler's wants.
Download or read book Groundwater Hydrology of Springs written by Neven Kresic and published by Butterworth-Heinemann. This book was released on 2009-08-29 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Groundwater Hydrology of Water Resource Series - Water is an essential environmental resource and one that needs to be properly managed. As the world places more emphasis on sustainable water supplies, the demand for expertise in hydrology and water resources continues to increase. This series is intended for professional engineers, who seek a firm foundation in hydrology and an ability to apply this knowledge to solve problems in water resource management. Future books in the series are: Groudwater Hydrology of Springs (2009), Groudwater Hydrology of River Basins (2009), Groudwater Hydrology of Aquifers (2010), and Groudwater Hydrology of Wetlands (2010). First utilized as a primary source of drinking water in the ancient world, springs continue to supply many of the world's cities with water. In recent years their long-term sustainability is under pressure due to an increased demand from groundwater users. Edited by two world-renowned hydrologists, Groundwater Hydrology of Springs: Theory, Management, and Sustainability will provide civil and environmental engineers with a comprehensive reference for managing and sustaining the water quality of Springs. With contributions from experts from around the world, this book cover many of the world's largest springs, providing a unique global perspective on how engineers around the world are utilizing engineering principles for coping with problems such as: mismanagement, overexploitation and their impacts both water quantity and quality. The book will be divided into two parts: part one will explain the theory and principles of hydrology as they apply to Springs while part two will provide a rare look into the engineering practices used to manage some of the most important Springs from around the world. - Description of the spring and the aquifer feeding it - Latest groundwater and contaminant transport models - Description of sources of aquifer use - Understanding of contamination and/or possible contamination - A plan for management and sustainability
Download or read book Ancient Engineers Inventions written by Cesare Rossi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2009-03-13 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in an age in which one can easily think that our generation has invented and discovered almost everything; but the truth is quite the opposite. Progress cannot be considered as sudden unexpected spurts of individual brains: such a genius, the inventor of everything, has never existed in the history of humanity. What did exist was a limitless procession of experiments made by men who did not waver when faced with defeat, but were inspired by the rare successes that have led to our modern comfortable reality. And that continue to do so with the same enthusiasm. The study of the History of Engineering is valuable for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it can help us to understand the genius of the scientists, engineers and craftsmen who existed centuries and millenniums before us; who solved problems using the devices of their era, making machinery and equipment whose concept is of such a surprising modernity that we must rethink our image of the past.
Download or read book Engineering in the Ancient World Revised Edition written by J. G. Landels and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2000-10-27 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a new edition of this highly acclaimed book, the author reveals the engineering know-how of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In fascinating detail he describes how they developed and constructed their machines, and considers how the same principles are used in modern-day engineering.
