Urban water supply in Punic and Roman Sardinia. (26th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cespa, Stefano
• Is Part Of: Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Volume 5:Number 6(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-09-26
• Subjects: aqueducts -- cisterns -- Punic–Roman Sardinia -- water -- wells; Hydrology -- Periodicals; 553.705
• DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1313
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2049-1948

Abstract

Abstract : The study of Punic and Roman water supply systems in Sardinia (Western Mediterranean) has developed significantly over the last few decades of research. Due to the particular climatic conditions, the problem of water supply in the island has always been strongly felt. Water management systems were therefore of vital importance in the organization of private and public spaces in antiquity. Methods of planning and construction became quite precise, as did systems for control and maintenance; their use and evolution over the centuries could be seen in relation to expansion of urban centers and to demographic increase, to higher urban living standards, to enlarge of production systems and, maybe, to climatic variations. The purpose of this article is to provide a comparative overview of the most significant urban areas of Sardinia during the Punic and Roman period. The description of water works (wells, cisterns, tanks, channels), of techniques of water usage, of construction technologies, also with regards on public buildings directly fed by them, will give a comprehensive framework regarding these fundamental types of structures. This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation Human Water > Water Governance Science of Water > Water Extremes Abstract : Water is the world's most important resource; the management and the use of water in ancient Sardinia, characterized by a semiarid climate, has been always, therefore, a fundamental aspect for the inhabitants of the island.