Research Article
Sep 1967
Hydrologic Engineering Prior to 600 B.C.
This article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYThis article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYThis article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYThis article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of the Hydraulics Division
Volume 93, Issue 5
Abstract
The development of the science of hydrology is traced from about 3500 B.C. to 600 B.C., from the recorded historical events. It starts with the Egyptian Pharaoh King Scorpion of the fourth millennium, and the legendary King Menes who dammed the Nile to divert it so that his capital Memphis could be built on the old fertile river bed. The ill-fated Sadd el-Kafara dam, which probably failed in its first flood season, and the work of the great Chinese engineer King Yü, are described. Flood control measures of King Amenemhet III of Egypt were admirable, and so were the nilometers, which can be traced back to about 3500 B.C. The latter obviously were a form of quantitative measurement of the river-flow-the earliest in history. Also considered are the famous code of King Hammurabi, sinnors of Palestine, irrigation and drainage systems of Nippur, the primitive water meters of Oasis Gadames and Yemen, Marib Dam of Yemen, aqueducts of King Sennacherib, and the qenāt system of utilization of ground water. A chronology of recorded hydrologic engineering events is given.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of the Hydraulics Division
Volume 93 • Issue 5 • September 1967
Pages: 115 - 136
Copyright
© 1967 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published in print: Sep 1967
Published online: Feb 3, 2021
Permissions
Request permissions for this article.
Authors
Affiliations
Asit K. Biswas, M.ASCE
Visiting Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Queen's Univ., Kingston, Ont., Canada; formerly, Lecturer in Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
View Options
Get Access
Access content
Please select your options to get access
Log in/Register
Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members:
Please log in to see member pricing
Purchase
Save for later Item saved, go to cart Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Get Access
Access content
Please select your options to get access
Log in/Register
Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members:
Please log in to see member pricing
Purchase
Save for later Item saved, go to cart Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.