The Hellenistic Water System of Morgantina, Sicily: Contributions to the History of Urbanization

Water supply and drainage at Morgantina, as elsewhere, reflect the underlying geological and climatic conditions. The many different elements of water systems found here suggest a pluralistic approach to supply and use. Some elements occur in related groups, such as supply pipes, cisterns and drainage channels. Such features indicate the nature of the water technology of the ancient Greeks, and the solutions they developed to problems still common in the handling of water. Study of these elements also raises important questions about the urbanization of the Mediterranean world. Further, it necessitates new and comprehensive approaches to the gathering of data from archaeological sites, and raises the issue of which experts should be called in to assist archaeologists and urban historians with the interpretation of data. To understand the system of water supply and drainage for a whole settlement, the entire system must be studied. How many of the elements must be discovered in order to understand the system of which they are part? Which analogies from modern practice can be applied to the Hellenistic period?