Posted on 09/08/2012 9:30:00 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
About 15 km to the east of the ancient city of Petra, archaeologists from the University of Leiden have discovered an impressive network of ancient water conservation measures and irrigated field systems...
In Antiquity, an ingenious system of underground canals, hacked out of the limestone bedrock, in addition to specially built aqueducts and reservoirs with capacities of millions of litres of water, transformed this marginal region into a complex man-made landscape. This is a fantastic example of ancient water-management technology, constructed to irrigate the surrounding terraced field systems...
It is possible that parts of this agricultural system -- which was certainly exploited in the 6th century CE -- were already well established at least 2000 years ago...
Surveys carried out in June and July in and around the Roman fort of Udhruh have resulted in many more interesting discoveries.
Exploration of the 4.7 hectare Roman fort of Udhruh shows that this is probably the most intact fort of the entire Roman Empire.
In several places the outer walls and towers still stand several metres high and the interior buildings lie under a layer of construction debris more than 2.5 metres thick. The quarries that provided stone for fort construction have been extensively surveyed. They cover an area of several hectares and are amongst the largest to be identified in the Roman provinces.
The site of Udhruh most probably played an important logistical role in the trade of myrrh and frankincense through which the Nabateans acquired their wealth, and their capital Petra its prosperity...
Greening a now barren desert is only part of the technological benefits that could have uses today.
(Excerpt) Read more at pasthorizonspr.com ...
That literally (Hi Joe) stoppedme in my tracks!!
If youd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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As was parts of Gaza, at least in the greenhouses, till recently.
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