Where the most ancient aqueducts were built. The aqueduct is a Roman idea implemented throughout the world

Aqueduct (from Latin aqua - water and ducere - news) is a water conduit (channel, pipe) for supplying water to populated areas, irrigation and hydropower systems from sources located above them.

An aqueduct in a narrower sense is a part of a water conduit in the form of a bridge over a ravine, river, or road. Aqueducts that were wide enough could also be used by ships. An aqueduct is similar in structure to a viaduct, with the difference that it is used to carry water instead of organizing a road or railroad track.

Aqueducts are constructed of stone, brick, reinforced concrete or steel. Such structures consist of a base on which stone, cast iron or brick supports are erected (usually stone arches are placed between them for stability), and a coastal abutment on which pipes are laid or ditches are arranged.
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Pont du Gard, France, an ancient Roman aqueduct that has survived to this day, one of the most visited tourist places in France

Although aqueducts are most associated with the Romans, they were invented centuries earlier in the Middle East, where the Babylonians and Egyptians built complex irrigation systems. Roman-style aqueducts were used as early as the 7th century BC. BC, when the Assyrians built a limestone aqueduct 10 meters high and 300 meters long to carry water across the valley to their capital, Nineveh; the total length of the aqueduct was 80 kilometers.

The Romans built numerous aqueducts to transport water to cities and industrial sites. The city of Rome itself was supplied with water through 11 aqueducts, which were built over 500 years and had a total length of almost 350 kilometers. However, only 47 kilometers of them were above ground: most were underground (the Eifel Aqueduct in Germany is a very well-preserved example of this). The longest Roman aqueduct was built in the 2nd century AD to supply water to Carthage (now this place is located in modern Tunisia), its length was 141 kilometers.

During construction, advanced building materials were used, such as waterproof pozzolanic concrete.

Roman aqueducts were extremely complex structures, technologically they were not obsolete even 1000 years after the fall of the Roman Empire. They were built with remarkable precision: the Pont du Gard aqueduct in Provence had a slope of only 34 cm per kilometer (1:3000), descending only 17 meters vertically over its entire length of 50 kilometers.

Transporting water by gravity alone was very efficient: 20,000 cubic meters of water per day passed through the Pont du Gard. Sometimes, when crossing surface depressions with a difference of more than 50 meters, pressure water pipelines were created - siphons (although almost always the insides of bridges were used for these purposes). Modern hydraulic engineering uses similar techniques to allow sewers and water pipes to cross various depressions.

Much of the Roman engineering experience was lost during the Dark Wars, and aqueduct construction virtually ceased in Europe until the 19th century. Water was often obtained by digging wells, although this could cause health problems when the local water supply became polluted.

One notable exception was the New River, an artificial waterway in England opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water. Its length was 62 kilometers. The development of canals gave a new impetus to the construction of aqueducts. However, it was only in the 19th century that their construction resumed on a large scale to supply water to rapidly growing cities and industrial sites in need of water. The development of new materials (such as concrete and cast iron) and new technologies (such as the steam engine) allowed for many significant improvements. For example, cast iron allowed the construction of large siphons loaded with greater pressure, and the creation of steam-powered pumps made it possible to significantly increase the speed and volume of water flow.

In the 19th century, England became a leading power in the construction of aqueducts, providing water to its largest cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. The largest aqueducts were built in the United States to supply water to the most big cities of this country. The Catskill Aqueduct carried water to New York City a distance of 120 miles (120 miles), but this achievement was eclipsed by aqueducts in the far west of the country, most notably the Colorado River Aqueduct, which supplied water to Los Angeles and the surrounding area from 400 miles to the east. Although such aqueducts are undoubtedly great technical achievements, the enormous amount of water they carried led to serious environmental damage resulting from the depletion of rivers.

Use of water in the Roman Empire

The province of Syria was under Roman rule for more than seven centuries - from 64 BC. e. up to 637. This province was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century. During peacetime, the Romans wasted enormous amounts of water. In the capital alone there were thousands of fountains, drinking water drains, baths and other water consumers. Wealthy senators swam in their own pools and built small fountains in their gardens. Therefore, 500 liters of water were consumed per person every day (today in Europe the average person uses about 125 liters). It was Roman engineers who came up with standard lead pipes, high arched aqueducts and pipelines designed for a pressure of 15 atmospheres.

However, when, shortly before the birth of Christ, the Roman legions came to the barren lands of Palestine, they had to abandon their habits, at least for a while. The conquered territory turned out to be too dry and there was not enough water. But this obstacle did not stop the conquerors. They soon figured out how to solve the problem they faced. In the former Roman province of Syria (now the territory of Jordan), German scientists have been studying a huge system of artificial canals for several years. Part of the Roman pipeline is underground, and the length of these tunnels is 106 km.

Underground aqueduct

The tunnel was discovered in 2004 by Mathias Döring, a professor of fluid mechanics at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (Germany). The study of the ancient aqueduct continues to this day. Moreover, scientists have only recently been able to outline the history of the creation of a giant water pipeline. Locals, who called the aqueduct Qanat Firaun - “Pharaoh's channel”, believed that gold was hidden in the tunnels dug at a depth of up to 80 m. Dering was the first to realize that the aqueduct had Roman roots. The water pipeline began at a swamp in Syria, which had long been dried up: it ran 64 km on the surface and then disappeared underground three times in tunnels 1, 11 and 94 km long. Previously, scientists considered the longest underwater channel Ancient world aqueduct in Bologna, which was 19 km long.

Aqueduct construction methods

The aqueduct tunnels are plastered with waterproof lime mortar, Greek inscriptions are preserved on the walls, and entire colonies of bats live under the ceiling. “Sometimes we even had to interrupt work because people in the caves did not have enough oxygen,” said the project manager.

Decapolis Cities

A group of ten cities located on the eastern border of the Roman Empire (modern Jordan, Israel and Syria). These cities did not form a formal league or political union, but they were united by a common language, culture, geographic location, and political status. The cities of Decapolis were at the center of regions where Semitic culture flourished. Nabataeans, Arameans and Jews lived here. Each city had some autonomy and self-government. The names of these ten cities are known thanks to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder. According to other sources, the Decapolis consisted of 18-19 cities. The aqueduct was most likely built by legionnaires. The soldiers hollowed out long corridors and lifted more than 600 thousand cubic meters to the surface. m of stones (as an equivalent, this volume can be compared with one quarter of the Cheops pyramid). This colossal water supply project provided water supplies for the city of Decapolis. The aqueduct ended in Gadara, a city with a population of 50 thousand people.

The Rise of the Roman Empire and the City of Gadara

Doering and his students conducted research using a theodolite, a surveying instrument that measures horizontal and vertical angles, and GPS instruments. Scientists were looking for new entrances leading to this underground tunnel. In the end, the researchers were able to determine that the construction of underground communications began in 90 AD. e. At that time, Rome was ruled by Emperor Domitian (81−96), and the empire was in its heyday. The Roman aristocrat Sextus Julius Frontinus (40−103) supervised the construction of nine stone aqueducts in the Eternal City and introduced some technical innovations. The Levant was also booming thanks to trade with eastern countries. Tigers were brought to Rome, a tame lion walked around Domitian's throne, rich senators bought Indian spices and wore clothes made of Chinese silk. Anyone could afford incense or slaves from Arabia. Trade routes across the deserts flourished during this period. Many caravans approached the gates of Gadara, which eventually became a large city. The Romans built two theaters there and even planned a temple of nymphs with fountains and a 22-meter-long pool.

Water shortage and difficulties in building an aqueduct

However, local sources were scarce, so the region soon began to suffer from water shortages. The city administration was forced to urgently take some measures. In a remote region of Syria, the Romans found a river from which they began building a water pipeline made of Roman concrete (Latin opus caementicium).

The channel was covered with slabs from above to protect it from animals, birds and dirt. In addition, in complete darkness, no algae grew in the canal. The first city through which the water supply passed was Adraa. But then the path to the canal was blocked by the mountainous regions of North Jordan. The first serious obstacle for Roman engineers was the wide Wadi al-Shalal gorge, 200 m deep. The Romans could not build a bridge across such a chasm. But nevertheless, they found a way out of this situation.

The aqueduct near the gorge turns sharply to the left and runs along the mountainous region to the south. When the unevenness of the landscape made it impossible to lay an aqueduct on the surface, the Romans began to cut an underground channel through the rock, the length of which was 11 km. So the engineers got to the place where the gorge became much narrower, and where they were able to build a bridge. The bridge itself has not survived to this day, but the stone blocks from which it was built still rest at the bottom of the gorge. However, after the gorge the road became even more difficult - hills and steep descents constantly appeared on the way. The Romans had already encountered similar problems near Carthage, so they built an arched stone aqueduct 19 km long.

Underground construction

Then they decided to build the canal underground - thanks to this decision, the Romans did not need to build bridges over ravines and gorges. The builders simply hollowed out tunnels underground. However, here too serious difficulties arose. In antiquity, people did not yet know the compass. Therefore, they could not navigate underground and know exactly where to build the tunnel next and how to ensure sufficient ventilation of the underground channel. Having broken through just a few meters, the workers could not breathe normally - the entire passage was filled with a thick curtain of dust during construction. In addition, in the tunnel, whose height was on average 2.5 m and width 1.5 m, only four legionnaires could work at a time. And four people advanced only 10 cm per day. If the work had proceeded at this pace, the Romans could still be digging a tunnel to Gadara.

Mine system

Surveyors, engineers, and miners made the short journey east and found solutions to these problems. Doering is confident that he was able to understand exactly how the ancient builders worked. “We found many indications that engineers first mapped out the route of the water pipeline on the surface, and then after some distance, from 20 to 200 meters, they built inclined shafts to the underground channel.” Fresh air also penetrated down through these shafts. But most importantly, this method allowed hundreds of people to work simultaneously, connecting sections of the canal to each other, moving towards each other. The legionnaires worked mainly with a sharpened chisel, illuminating the tunnel with oil lamps.

Research by modern scientists

Today, old mines allow scientists to determine the location of an ancient underground water supply. “Almost all service entrances were sealed to prevent animals from falling into the mines. Some shafts were filled in or filled with construction debris,” Doering explained. And in one of the mines, scientists found chicken bones. Descent into the mines is still somewhat difficult - scientists are forced to use climbing equipment. The stairs go deep at an angle of 50°, and over time the steps became overgrown with moss and became too slippery to simply go down. The tunnel itself is completely dark, and sometimes researchers lack air. The passages are blocked by fragments of blocks; rainwater collects in such places, sometimes reaching almost to the waist.

Mysteries of the aqueduct

Today, scientists have already found about 300 mines. But they still have many questions that researchers still haven't been able to answer. “For example, during the first 60 kilometers the slope of the underground canal is only 0.3 per thousand centimeters,” explained the head of the project. That is, over 1 km the tunnel drops by only 30 cm - this is very little. The Romans did not have a level; they used a six-meter instrument called a horobat, which they borrowed from the Persians. They also filled goat guts with water to calculate the slope at the corners of the structure. However, the existence of these primitive tools does not explain the amazing precision with which the aqueduct was built.

“First, surveyors had to calculate the exact multi-kilometer route of the aqueduct and mark this path with pillars,” Doering noted. Even this was extremely difficult to do in the uneven terrain. Then they had to repeat this path deep underground, down to the last centimeter. But how exactly did they manage to do this with such high accuracy? It was impossible to build an aqueduct directly under the intended line, since the shafts went deep not vertically, but at an angle. It is surprising why Roman builders did not make serious mistakes. In order to meet underground and connect the tunnel sections, the legionnaires had to know exactly which way to dig. But the only way of communication between construction sections could only be by knocking. The workers were chiseling the stone, focusing on this sound, but they could easily have taken it to the side - then the tunnel would have had a zigzag appearance. But all the tunnels are absolutely straight.

Construction result

It took Roman engineers 120 years to complete the aqueduct. Only after this the underground and above-ground canals were filled with water from a distant Syrian river. Researchers studied mineral deposits on the walls of the tunnels and concluded that the water flowed at a speed of 300 to 700 liters per second.

However, the residents of Gadar were disappointed. Initially, it was believed that the water would be collected in a high stone reservoir that could supply the city's fountains and the planned temple. But that did not happen. Apparently, surveyors and engineers made a number of serious mistakes. And the water, having covered 170 km of travel, arrived in the city too slowly to make the great plans of the Romans possible. The reservoir was not completely filled, and the fountains in the city never started working. According to Doering, this water supply hides many more mysteries. Therefore, the scientist and his team will continue researching the aqueduct starting in April 2009.

The term “aqueduct” came to us from the Latin language (aguae ductus) and translated means “leading water” (agua - water, duco - leading). What is an aqueduct in the modern Russian understanding? This is a structure for passing water flows at a considerable height through rough terrain, including obstacles of natural and man-made origin.

An aqueduct is used to provide water to populated areas, industrial production or agricultural land from a distant water source located on a hill. The principle of operation of an aqueduct is the free supply of water through a gutter, ditch, or pipe at a slight slope. Thus, physical laws are used that make it possible to move huge flows of water through artificially created channels without additional effort.

From the history of aqueducts

The history of aqueducts dates back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, who learned to build conduits to supply their homes with water by observing the natural flow of rivers - from higher ground to lower ground.

Back in the 7th century BC. The Assyrians built a limestone aqueduct to provide water to their capital, Nineveh. The source was separated from the capital by a wide valley. The length of the conduit was 80 kilometers, and its three-hundred-meter section above the valley reached a ten-meter height.

History has preserved information about aqueducts that were built by the Mayan tribes and the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greek traveler, geographer and historian Herodotus praised the aqueduct on the island of Samos as one of the wonders of the world.

The aqueducts built by the ancient Romans differed significantly from the first structures in their technology; already in those days, water-resistant materials such as pozzolanic concrete were used for their construction.

The best architects took part in the construction of aqueducts, making complex, precise calculations. For example, the Pont du Gard aqueduct in Provence had a difference in height between source and destination of only 17 meters. Moreover, its total length was 50 kilometers, and for each kilometer the slope was only 34 centimeters. Such precision and the best construction technologies ensured Roman aqueducts were successfully used for many centuries - even a thousand years after the collapse of the Roman Empire, aqueducts did not lose their technological significance.

In some cases, during the construction of aqueducts, the surface drop was over 50 meters. In order to ensure the free passage of water flow, the builders created an additional pressure conduit (drain). These technologies are still used today, when when laying water pipelines it is necessary to cross places with significant depressions.

Modern uses of aqueducts

In the modern understanding, the definition of what an aqueduct is is to describe a structure designed to move large flows of water above ground. Considering the high cost of constructing and maintaining aqueducts compared to underground water pipelines, today their construction is justified only in densely populated mountainous countries, mainly where laying an underground water pipeline is associated with certain difficulties.

However, a number of countries operate aqueducts designed to allow ships to pass over a riverbed or over a valley. These bridge structures make it possible to connect canal systems through which people can pass. small ships. Their construction began in the 17th century, and some of them are still successfully operating today.

The most famous modern water bridges for shipping are:

The Magdeburg navigable aqueduct (Germany, 2003) is 918 meters long, laid above the surface of the earth across the Elbe River and connecting the Elbe-Havel and Mitteland canals.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Wrexham (Great Britain, 1795-1805). The water bridge was built in the Dee Valley to connect the Denbighshire coal mines to the national shipping canals via the Ellesmere Canal.

Swing water bridge, Barton (UK). It was built on the River Irwell and was designed to carry the Bridgewater Canal across the Manchester Ship. The rotating aqueduct was built in 1894 and has no analogues in the whole world.

If in the past there was complete savagery, as historians tell us, then why were our “wild” ancestors able to build something that worked for centuries and did not collapse? And why do we, so smart and civilized, build houses that fall in just a few decades >WHO BUILT THE ROMAN AQUEDUCS?

Aqueduct (Latin Aquaeductus, from aqua - water and duco - lead) is a conduit for supplying water to populated areas and irrigation systems from sources located above them on the ground. An aqueduct is also called a part of a water conduit in the form of an arched bridge over a ravine, river, or road. Let's look at some of the most outstanding "Roman" aqueducts - real miracles of architecture and engineering. Ancient builders built aqueducts both underground and on its surface. Where it was necessary to carry aqueducts through ravines, rivers, or gorges, arched spans were built that had many tiers, which not only looked beautiful, but also ensured the strength and durability of the entire structure.

The Pont du Gard aqueduct (literally – “bridge over the Gard”) is located in the city of Nimes, in the south of France. Its length is 275 meters, height is 48 meters. Scientists do not have a clear answer about the time of construction of this aqueduct. Some believe that it was built in 19 BC, others - that in the middle of the 1st century AD.

The aqueduct was built from stone blocks, some of which weigh almost 6 tons, and laid on top of each other without mortar. The almost 50-kilometer structure stretches across very difficult terrain (through high hills and rivers).

The aqueduct in the part shown in the photo consists of 3 tiers located one above the other. The lower tier consists of 6 arches, each up to 20 meters high. There are 11 arches on the middle tier, and 35 more were built above them. The slope of the aqueduct is only 34 cm per kilometer (1:3000), and it descended only 17 meters vertically over its entire length of 50 km. In ancient times, the aqueduct was connected to a water intake with a 6-meter diameter, from which pipes diverged in 5 directions. Transporting water by gravity alone was very efficient: 20,000 cubic meters of water per day passed through the Pont du Gard.

It is interesting that by the 9th century the aqueduct was no longer used for its intended purpose and was turned into a bridge for carts (i.e. it worked for “only” 1000 years!). To pass clearance Vehicle Some of the supports were hollowed out, which created a threat of collapse of the entire structure. In 1747 (another 750 years later), a modern bridge was built nearby, traffic along the Pont du Garou was gradually closed, and ancient monument by order of Napoleon III it was restored.

A very famous and stunningly beautiful aqueduct has been preserved in the city of Segovia, located in northern Spain. Its length is 728 m, height – 28 m. It is an above-ground section of an 18-kilometer water pipeline and consists of 166 arches. The slope of this aqueduct is 1%. Probably built in the 1st century AD.

No less majestic remains of a colossal aqueduct are still preserved in the city of Merida, located in western Spain. Its length is 840 m, height 25 m. The length of the entire water pipeline is almost 12 kilometers, and 73 pillars of varying degrees of destruction have survived to this day. Built presumably at the end of the 1st century. AD

When you see such beauty and monumentality that has served for thousands of years, the question immediately arises: who was able to design such complex structures from an engineering point of view? Who made the necessary, complex measurements and calculations? Who created the technology for such construction? And who could build all this?! Where did all of a sudden come from many thousands of engineers, craftsmen and workers of the highest qualifications who were able to implement very high quality, incomprehensibly accurate and reliable (for centuries!) objects, the like of which we are not able to build today?

According to modern historians, these three gigantic structures, located thousands of kilometers apart from each other, were built almost simultaneously. And they were built, as the “scientists” tell us, by slaves and legionnaires (soldiers). That's it, cheap and cheerful. The main thing is to bring in more slaves and legionnaires, and the most complex structures will grow like mushrooms after rain!

This simple version of the “scientists” can only be believed by those who know practically nothing and have no idea about anything, i.e. an ignorant person who is not at all interested in all this! And readers who have not forgotten how to use their minds will immediately understand that something is wrong here! Or rather, it’s not like that!!
If in the past there was complete savagery, as historians tell us, then why were our “wild” ancestors able to build something that worked for centuries and did not collapse? And why do we, so smart and civilized, build houses that fall down in just a few decades? Who is really wild and uneducated here? Why were “Roman” legionnaires with slaves able to build colossal objects that lasted 2000 years, while our dams collapse after 30-40 years? It turns out that the “Roman” legionnaires (ordinary soldiers) of those times were incomprehensibly smarter than today’s “docents with candidates”?

And another big question arises: where did the money come from for all this? No matter how big the “Roman” Empire was in the stories of historians, it is very difficult to believe that it was able to finance the construction of these colossuses. We read that the “Romans” fought all the time and supposedly conquered someone, and such events in themselves are very expensive! However, as we have already seen, at the same time the Empire built many high-quality roads, comfortable cities with baths, fountains, theaters and temples, as well as country villas, bridges and many other, small and large aqueducts in almost all conquered countries. Where can a continuously warring country get funds for construction around the world?

Let's look at some more aqueducts (or rather, at their above-ground parts), located, as we are told, in the westernmost provinces of the “Roman” Empire. Aqueduct in the province of Granada, the cities of Nerja, Cordoba, Malaga in southern Spain.

Very impressive aqueducts remain in the city of Sevilla in southern Spain, in the provinces of Huesca and Navarra in northern Spain, and in the city of Plasencia in western Spain.

An aqueduct in the city of Toledo in central Spain, in the city of Tarragona and in the province of Valencia in eastern Spain, and an aqueduct in Portugal.

We have listed here those wonderful hydraulic structures of antiquity (not all, of course), which are located in a small part of the “Roman” Empire - only on the Iberian Peninsula, without considering North Africa, Britain, the Balkans, or the Middle East. And aqueducts were also built there. And what kind! For example, the Carthaginian Aqueduct in Tunisia, which was 132 km long and 20 m high. It crossed several valleys.

It is said to have been built at the beginning of the 2nd century. Or the Eifel aqueduct, located in Germany and supplying the city of Cologne with water, which it brought from the mountains at a distance of 130 km.

It dates back to the 1st century AD. (another mega-project of the 1st century!). A distinctive feature of this aqueduct is that almost its entire length is underground. As in all other aqueducts, the water in it moves under the influence of gravity, without any additional devices (there were no pumps then!). Amazing engineering structure!

More recently, German scientists discovered another “Roman” aqueduct in Syria, which is amazing.

It was built at a depth of tens of meters and stretches for almost 200 km, connecting Syria and Jordan. It took 120 years to build (from 90 to 210 AD). IN better times up to 700 liters of water per second were transported through a tunnel hidden in the mountainous area. Scientists also say that for the construction of this aqueduct, about 600,000 cubic meters of stone and earth were removed, which is equivalent to one quarter Great Pyramid and that the construction teams most likely consisted of legionnaires (legionnaires again! And who fought all this time?). You can read more about this aqueduct on the Membrane website.

Looking at these colossal, complex engineering structures, the following questions involuntarily arise again in your head: Where did the notorious “Roman Empire” draw financial, material and human resources to carry out almost simultaneous, grandiose construction projects in different parts of Europe? Where did she recruit such a horde from, firstly, qualified specialists - managers, engineers, mid-level specialists, skilled workers, and, secondly, legionnaires and simply slaves? What an “army” it was necessary to have in order to continuously build structures of colossal complexity and scope throughout Europe!

“Scientists” came up with a fairy tale that the entire local population was slaves, whom the Romans inhumanly conquered and then drove to the construction sites of the century. Let's say. Then the following questions arise: who fed all this horde and what? Who guarded the slaves if the legionnaires worked with picks and shovels? And why did the inhuman conquerors, in this case, make titanic efforts to dramatically improve living conditions in the conquered countries: build aqueducts, roads, theaters with tens of thousands of seats, public baths, sewers and other benefits of civilization? For whom were these benefits intended if all the locals were slaves? For the legionnaires themselves? For their families? For the "Romans"? So they lived so well in Rome!
Something doesn't add up here!

The conquest of other countries by the “Romans” looks quite logical. But why waste fantastic resources to build social facilities in these countries? Is this what normal conquerors do? Does anyone know at least one real example of conquerors themselves building roads, bridges, cities, theaters, water pipelines, baths, and sewers? There are no such examples! How many social facilities were built by the American “fighters for democracy” in the Afghanistan and Iraq they conquered? And in other countries “blessed” by the American presence? Nothing! Only death and destruction!

This means that the only conclusion suggests itself: it was NOT built by slaves and NOT soldiers!

And who then built all this?

It was built by those who were the only people who had the necessary knowledge, technology, experience, science, school, personnel, resources and other necessary components for the successful implementation of such projects.
In his article “What kind of Romans are there?” Evgeniy Gabovich talks about the Bavarian researcher Gernot Geis, who published the book “Who were the Romans Really?” in 1994, in which he concludes that the Romans - most often - are ordinary indigenous inhabitants of Europe: Celts, Gauls and Franks, who have no relationship neither to Italy nor to Latin culture.

“...numerous “Roman” aqueducts in Gaul and Germany also turned out, without exception, to be the work of the same Etruscans: it turned out that the monopoly on the construction of such structures was firmly in the hands of Etruscan construction artels. G. Geise believes that the Etruscan masters of “aqueduct work” were famous throughout Europe and were invited to build aqueducts in various places...”

All the states that the “scientists” declared to be part of the “Roman” Empire were not in the position of conquered slaves, but were equal members of the “Union of Slavic States”. Such a union actually existed on the territory that is attributed to the “Roman” Empire, specially invented to hide the real picture of the past of our civilization. You can learn about this Union by reading an interesting book by the Russian scientist, academician Valery Chudinov, “Let’s Bring Back the Etruscans of Rus',” who deciphered many Etruscan inscriptions (the book provides a detailed analysis of 150 artifacts with inscriptions). It turned out that the famous expression “hetruscum non ligatur” (Etruscan is not readable), which was fed to the respectable public for centuries, is very ligatur (readable), and in Russian.

It follows from the book that the Etruscans did not disappear anywhere, but were subjected to forced assimilation, that their language was banned, their history, all documents relating to them disappeared (take at least 20 volumes of the history of the Etruscans "Turgenica", written by Claudius, who, before become emperor, was married to the Etruscan princess Urgulanilla), and they themselves gradually “left” the historical arena thousands of years ago.

Even today we can verify that such processes actually occurred. A striking example of this is the dirty deeds that are happening in Ukraine and in all other countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states after forced democratization. Unfortunately, the ruling elite of Ukraine, completely bought by the Jewish financial mafia, did everything possible and impossible to ban the Russian language, erase Russian history from the memory of people, and impose their own, immediately concocted by the Judeo-democrats, and all the victories and achievements of the Russians or be silenced, or attribute it exclusively to yourself...

V. Chudinov’s book also tells that the Etruscans lived not only in Etruria, but also in Crete and Mysia, Sicily and Hellas, and that at that time there was a powerful Union of Slavic states. It included Rus' of the Slavs (territory of approximately modern Russia), White Rus', Zhivina Rus' (Balkans), Perunova Russia (Baltic states), Yarova Russia (Germany), Free Rus' (Apennine Peninsula), Goruzia, as well as Scythia, Sarmatia and Misia (Romania). At the same time, Slavic Rus' was not only given a leading role in the Union, but it created cities and entire states and, in general, decided the fate of the world. In the event of wars, the alliance assembled a combined contingent of troops, which included the Etruscans (from Cyprus, Crete and Corsica), the Baltic Slavs, the Slavs from the Black Sea countries - the Thracians and Phrygians, as well as the Czechs, Antes and Rugians.

It would be logical to assume that this Union, in addition to being political and military, was also economic. In this case, questions about the source of material and human resources for the construction of a huge number of colossal projects throughout Europe disappear by themselves. And the goals of construction fall into place: people built for themselves, for their children and grandchildren, and not for other people’s slaves! Therefore, they built for centuries, for millennia...

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Although aqueducts are most associated with the Romans, they were invented centuries earlier in the Middle East, where the Babylonians and Egyptians built complex irrigation systems. Roman-style aqueducts were used as early as the 7th century BC. e. , when the Assyrians built a limestone aqueduct 10 meters high and 300 meters long to carry water across the valley to their capital, Nineveh; the total length of the aqueduct was 80 kilometers.

Aqueducts of Ancient Rome

The Romans built numerous aqueducts to transport water to cities and industrial sites. The city of Rome itself was supplied with water through 11 aqueducts, which were built over 500 years and had a total length of almost 350 kilometers. However, only 47 kilometers of them were unsurfaced: most were underground (the Eifel Aqueduct in Germany is a very well-preserved example of this). The longest Roman aqueduct was built in the 2nd century AD to supply water to Carthage (now this place is located in modern Tunisia), its length was 141 kilometers.

During construction, advanced building materials were used, such as waterproof pozzolanic concrete.

Further development of the aqueduct system

Much of the Roman engineering expertise was lost during the Dark Ages, and aqueduct construction virtually ceased in Europe until the 19th century. Water was often obtained by digging wells, although this could cause public health problems when the local water supply became polluted.

One notable exception was the New River, an artificial waterway in England opened in the year to supply London with fresh drinking water. Its length was 62 kilometers. The development of canals gave a new impetus to the construction of aqueducts. However, it was only in the 19th century that their construction resumed on a large scale to supply water to rapidly growing cities and industrial sites in need of water. The development of new materials (such as concrete and cast iron) and new technologies (such as the steam engine) allowed for many significant improvements. For example, cast iron allowed the construction of large siphons loaded with greater pressure, and the creation of steam-powered pumps made it possible to significantly increase the speed and volume of water flow.

In the 19th century, England became a leading power in the construction of aqueducts, providing water to its largest cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. The largest aqueducts were built in the United States to supply water to the largest cities in that country. The Catskill Aqueduct carried water to New York City a distance of 120 miles (120 miles), but this achievement was eclipsed by aqueducts in the far west of the country, most notably the Colorado River Aqueduct, which supplied water to Los Angeles and the surrounding area from 400 miles to the east. Although such aqueducts are undoubtedly great technical achievements, the enormous amount of water they carried led to serious environmental damage resulting from the depletion of rivers.

Aqueducts in Russia

Rostokinsky aqueduct in Moscow

Notes

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what a “Roman aqueduct” is in other dictionaries:

Aqueduct- Aqueduct. (Rostokinsky in Moscow). AQUEDUCT (from the Latin aqua water and duco lead), a structure in the form of a bridge or overpass with a water conduit (pipe, channel, channel) supplying water to populated areas, irrigation and other systems from those located above... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

aqueduct- >,). /> Roman aqueduct at Caesarea (,). Roman aqueduct in Caesarea (,). aqueduct (conducting water) water supply system (,) for supplying populated areas with water (, .). The most notable part of the water pipeline (), which was laid over... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of World History

This term has other meanings, see Aqueduct (meanings). Pont du Gard, France, an ancient Roman aqueduct that has survived to this day, one of the most visited tourist places in France ... Wikipedia

- (Latin, from aquae ductus, aqua water, and duco lead). 1) water supply system, mainly ancient Roman. 2) in technology, a bridge that serves not for passage, but for the passage of water. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Map of the passage of the Eifel aqueduct (red line) The Eifel aqueduct is one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman and ... Wikipedia

Aqueduct- (Latin Aquaeductus, from aqua - water and duco - I lead) a water conduit (canal, pipe) for supplying water to populated areas, irrigation and hydropower systems from sources located above them. An aqueduct is also called a part of a water pipeline in the form... ... Architectural Dictionary

- (Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, as Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) youngest son of Nero Q. Drusus, stepson of Augustus; genus. in Lyon in 10 BC. Sick and weak-willed by nature, he received a careless upbringing... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

The amazing creations that people have created have decorated our planet for more than one millennium, and they have withstood the elements more than once. They inspire not only me, but also many artists and tourists. Aqueduct what is it? A structure that was created exclusively by people or did they use special equipment? This is exactly the topic we will discuss today.

Let us also pay attention to this structure. Of course, I am not an ancient Roman architect, or even an expert in the construction of such structures. However, I became interested in how, for example, such construction could be realized. Is this even feasible?

Aqueduct - what is it?

Perhaps, first let's pay attention to what is the starting point for any construction: the goal. Wikipedia tells us that ancient aqueducts were built to supply the city.

underground aqueduct - photo of a Roman underground aqueduct

This is how it was delivered (by gravity) to the city; an artificial channel was created for the flow of water.

To complete this task, builders had to have many knowledge and skills:

good orientation in the area,
know all the groundwater,
be able to measure not only the length, but also the elevation of relief points on the ground (find the correct solutions to high-altitude problems).

If you look at the existing buildings, you can come to the conclusion that the scientists and architects who lived in those days found the right solution to the problems, and their goal was achieved. To create the necessary slope for the water flow, it was necessary to find a place to lay tunnels, and where ravines did not form and the river bed changed, it was necessary to raise it above the terrain, building aqueducts for this purpose.

Do you think the Romans were the first to invent and build aqueducts? In fairness, it should be noted that such structures were erected even earlier by architects of the daytime east. But, if we take into account the scale of the projects, then no one could compare with the Romans.

An aqueduct is not the entire water supply system, it is only its above-ground part; the main architectural and construction secrets are hidden under water.

Ancient Rome and the famous Pont du Gard aqueduct

Let's take a closer look at the layout of the Roman aqueduct. It seemed to me an impossible task, it was necessary to carry water over the bed of the Gar River. For this purpose, an aqueduct was erected, the length of the lower tier of which was more than 140 meters. Have you ever seen the Pont du Gard? real life? If so, you certainly noticed that the soil at the site of its construction was rocky. Thanks to this, the structure was able to withstand heavy loads.

aqueduct photo

Today, before creating bridge projects, it is taken into account that in the future, due to floods, the usual water level may increase. Floods can happen once every hundred years, or even more often. Due to the fact that earlier there was more water in the rivers, the task of ensuring its passage was in first place. This is the reason why we can often see arches that cover almost all river floodplains.

Do you know why in ancient times arched structures were used for ceilings? I'm waiting for answers in the comments.

It seems to me that the materials from which the arches themselves were built in such structures work exclusively on compression. And the stone coped with such tasks perfectly. It was thanks to the arches that the aqueducts looked more elegant. In addition, the Pont du Gard aqueduct had many tiers, which not only makes its external characteristics more beautiful, but also adds stability to the entire structure.

Do you know what other buildings of the ancient Romans have no analogues in architecture? Of course, this is the Arc de Triomphe. The Romans erected arches to glorify and immortalize in stone the majestic victories of their rulers. Through their main passages, to the shouts of the jubilant people, the victors rode into the city in chariots, holding trophies in their hands, followed by captured prisoners.

Rostokinsky aqueduct

Do you think that in Moscow you can only go to Red Square or go for a walk at VDNKh? You are wrong! If you go to this city for the weekend, be sure to visit the Rostokinsky Aqueduct. The video of this Moscow attraction is below:

It is an architectural monument that preserves a two-hundred-year history; it is the only section of the Mytishchi water conduit that has been preserved today. Few people know that it was erected during the reign of Catherine II. Another name for the aqueduct is the Million Bridge? Why do you think? Everything ingenious is simple. More than a million rubles were spent on its construction from the state budget.

The aqueduct was named after the village of Rostokino of the same name, which translated means “bifurcated into several streams,” because all the villagers lived on two banks of the river.

Aqueducts of ancient Rome and the Aqueduct of Claudius

If the construction of aqueducts began in Rome, it is necessary to consider them in more detail. In ancient times, the urban population exceeded a million inhabitants, which is why an unresolved problem arose in supplying the city with water, which could be used not only for drinking and cooking, but also for other technical purposes. Here it is also necessary to pay attention to the desire of the city rulers to create a comfortable city for life; in those years, Roman thermal baths also became more popular. Naturally, it was possible to use water from a well, but due to the increase in consumption, it was necessary to figure out how to directly supply it from mountain sources.

The first Roman aqueduct was built already in the 4th century AD. and after a century more than 10 of them were built. After 2 centuries, the popular and world-famous Claudius aqueduct was built; at 27 meters high, it was significantly shorter than the old analogue of Marcius. Thus, it was possible to significantly reduce the distance (by 30 km) thanks to the creation of systems of tunnels and bridges.

Viaduct - what is it?

While preparing on this topic, I read a lot of literature, and came across that in many sites these two words are used as synonyms, but this is a gross lexical error, because it is identical to saying that an apple is a pear.

A viaduct is a bridge that connects two areas with identical landscape levels. Most often, such spans are laid through a river or other immediate depressions in a flat surface (for example, it could be a ravine or gorge).

Aqueduct is a conduit (channel, pipe) for delivering water to locality. If we consider this term from the other side, it is part of a water conduit that has the shape of a bridge. The structures are similar in structure to viaducts, but they differ in that the former were used to supply water, and the others to create a road or railway tracks in their place.

Aqueduct bridge in Crimea

Don’t know where to go in the summer, to Sochi or Crimea? I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in Sevastopol there is a unique aqueduct, which is located directly on the Chernaya River near the village of Chernorechye. Have you ever been there? If not, be sure to add this place to your list.

The aqueduct was built in the nineteenth century; it became part of one of the few water pipelines. Its construction was initiated by Admiral M.P. , and engineer Joni Upton took up the design work. The aqueduct, which stretches for 12 meters, is made of limestone and, in terms of its external characteristics, was created in accordance with the style of ancient architectural structures, vaguely reminiscent of the drainage structures that were built by the ancient Romans.

The aqueduct in Sevastopol is a picturesque structure that complements some spans with arched vaults of a semicircular shape, in the upper part there is a trench to supply water. The water pipeline performed its direct function for more than ten years, and then during the Crimean War it was half destroyed.

How do you feel about architectural structures? Are you surprised by their greatness, do you like to look at every detail, study history, search for the truth, or are you indifferent to this? I look forward to your comments.

Do I believe that aqueducts could be built by people without the use of additional technology? Probably yes, although reason proves that this is practically impossible. But there are moments when you still want to believe that the unreal may well become real. Sorry for the tautology, I think you understand what I wrote.

Thank you for your attention, I hope we have given a comprehensive answer to the question - what is an aqueduct! I invite everyone who was interested to subscribe to , many interesting things await us, we will discover the planet together!

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