Baghdad – Saba:
Iraq has announced the discovery of an ancient irrigation system in the country's south dating back at least to 600 BCE, according to an archaeological study.
The system comprises thousands of interconnected canals and branches, showcasing how ancient farmers effectively utilized the waters of the Euphrates River. The archaeological site was uncovered in the Eridu area, located in southern Mesopotamia, within the present-day Dhi Qar Governorate near Basra.
The discovery was made by researchers from Durham and Newcastle Universities in the UK, in collaboration with Iraq's Al-Qadisiyah University, and financially supported by the British Institute for the Study of Iraq. Utilizing geological maps, drone imagery, and fieldwork, researchers identified over 200 major canals extending to the ancient course of the Euphrates River.
Branching from these main canals are more than 4,000 smaller channels that once irrigated over 700 agricultural fields. This significant discovery deepens our understanding of irrigation techniques and the advanced water management practiced by ancient Mesopotamian communities. According to the study, the Eridu region remained untouched under layers of earth for millennia, following a shift in the Euphrates' course during the first millennium BCE that led to the area’s abandonment.
The newly found irrigation system illustrates the ancient Mesopotamians' ability to harness geography and natural resources to sustain and grow their civilization.
The study notes that farmers constructed high barriers within the river to channel water into large basins, from which it was distributed through the canal networks to fields and farms. This expertise enabled grain cultivation on both sides of the river, though most agriculture was concentrated on the northern bank.
The research highlights the evolution of irrigation systems over centuries, noting that maintaining the canals required considerable labor and expertise. It is also likely that the canals were constructed at different times throughout history.
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