Ancient Water Harvesting Methods in the Drylands of the Mediterranean and Western Asia

Abstract

Water harvesting methods were a vital part of the water supply system of many ancient settlements in the drylands of the Mediterranean region andWestern Asia. Various water harvesting techniques evolved during the Bronze Age or earlier, and some of these remain in use even today. Based on literature we give a brief overview and present a tentative classification of these water harvesting methods and present the basic concepts behind these techniques supplemented with references to archaeological case studies.