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People's Republic of China · Hydraulic works
The Grand Canal (Chinese: 大运河; pinyin: Dà yùnhé) is a system of interconnected canals linking various major rivers and lakes in North and East China, serving as an important waterborne transport…
🇨🇳 China · Hydraulic works
Warring States, Qin to Qing continuous · Qin state engineers under Li Bing (later successive dynasties maintenance)
256 BCE Qin weir still irrigating 5,300 km²—world's oldest dam-less hydraulic system.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Hydraulic works
Unified Silla 668–935 CE (Munmu–Gyeongdeok) · Unified Silla palace (Gyeongju Wolseong garden)
Anapji (Wolji) — Silla palace garden pond (674 CE) 500 m SE Wolseong palace, Gyeongju, excavated 1974–76 CHA (Gyeongju Institute).
🇯🇴 Jordan · Hydraulic works
Chalcolithic to Byzantine (4500 BCE+) · Chalcolithic
Wadi Faynan — Khirbat Faynan in Aqaba Governorate, Wadi Araba, Jordan is a Chalcolithic to Byzantine (4500 BCE+) hydraulic attributed to Chalcolithic culture.
🇮🇳 India · Hydraulic works
Early to Mature Harappan to Late Harappan · Harappan (Sindhu–Sarasvati)
16 Harappan rock-cut reservoirs (2600–1900 BCE) — 250,000 m³ desert catchment, Dholavira.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Hydraulic works
Early Islamic Umayyad (740 CE) NW Arabia · Umayyad Khaybar–AlUla Harrat oasis (NW Arabia)
Southeast expansion gravity dam 158 m × 14.2 m basalt 800 m: clay-core 2.1 m + 3-tier buttress trapping 42,000 m³.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Hydraulic works
Chalcolithic to Early Bronze IA (Levantine proto-urban) · Levantine Early Bronze proto-urban pastoralists
3000 BCE basalt proto-city with 5 dams and canals—the second-oldest hydraulic network.
🇮🇷 Iran · Hydraulic works
Sassanid to Buyid (4th c CE to 10th c CE) · Sassanid → Buyid Islamic
Kor River cascade (Sassanid 4th c → Buyid 970 CE) bridge–dam 75 m with 13 arches — Persepolis plain lifeline.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Early Formative 1500–900 BCE (San Lorenzo phase, Olmec apogee 1500–1200) · Olmec (Olmeca, earliest Gulf Olmec capital)
Earliest Olmec capital (1500–900 BCE) on 50 ha artificial plateau (700 m long) raised 50 m above floodplain with surrounding ditch and berm modification of natural hill, controlling Coatzacoalcos…
🇲🇦 Morocco · Hydraulic works
Almoravid to Marinid (11th–14th c.) · Zenaga Berber oasis (Figuig ksour)
Figuig oasis: 14 khettaras 28 km Atlas piedmont irrigating 650 ha seven-ksar border oasis 32.12N 1.23W.
🇧🇷 Brazil · Ancient city
Xinguano late 1100–1600 CE · Xinguano (ancestral Kuikuro)
Southern reservoir satellite K17 of Kuhikugu — 140 m reservoir and plazas at Seki Lake south, Xingu hydraulic answer to Upano.
🇴🇲 Oman · Hydraulic works
Sasanid 600 CE to Ya'rubi 1680 CE Rustaq Batinah · Omani Rustaq Batinah (Sasanid to Ya'rubi Imamate)
Rustaq West Branch falaj 6.0 km (4.2 daudi +1.8 ghailli) 56 shafts 18 m mother 14 L/s with birka 12 m: Ya'rubi 1680 on Sasanid 600.
🇩🇪 Germany · Hydraulic works
Roman Imperial (Flavian to Late Roman, 1st–3rd c CE) · Roman Gallo–German (Colonia Agrippina)
95-km Flavian Roman concrete aqueduct (c.80 CE) delivering 20,000 m³/day from Eifel springs to Cologne.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria · Hydraulic works
Hellenistic (400-200 BCE) · Thracian
Seuthopolis Reservoir Embankment East — Eastern Outlier in Kazanlak, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria is a Hellenistic (400-200 BCE) hydraulic attributed to Thracian.
🇮🇷 Iran · Hydraulic works
Sassanid Early (Shapur I, 241–270 CE) built by Roman captives · Sassanid Persian with Roman engineering corps (Legio)
500-m Roman-Sassanid arch bridge/dam (260 CE) raising Karun for Shushtar's 10-km Gargar canal — easternmost Roman dam.
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Hydraulic works
Angkorian (11th c Udayadityavarman II) · Khmer Angkor
North inlet canal feeding West Baray (8 x 2.1 km, 17 km2 reservoir, already in DB as baray-west-angkor) at north embankment breach (13.42,103.78, 22 m) with 4.5 km canal from Siem Reap River…
🇩🇿 Algeria · Hydraulic works
Sanhaja Berber to Marinid · Touat Zenete–Sanhaja oasis
Touat Adrar: 84 foggaras 140 km Africa's densest Sahara foggara corridor 27.87N.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Hydraulic works
Almoravid to Saadian · Zenete Berber oases (Gourara)
Gourara Timimoun: 42 foggaras 68 km gallery 12th c. irrigating 1,200 ha Sahara oasis 29.26N.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Hydraulic works
Umayyad (with possible South Arabian precursor) · Umayyad Hejaz oasis
Wadi Fatima: 65-m rock-fill dam at Al Jumum 28 km west of Mecca, 8th c. Umayyad 32,000 m³.
🇲🇦 Morocco · Hydraulic works
Early Bronze to Medieval (3000 BCE–1400 CE) · Hydraulic culture
Barrage? Actually Kasbah Taourirt Ancillary North (Tadla, Morocco) in Béni Mellal-Khénifra, Kasbah Tadla, Morocco is a Early Bronze to Medieval (3000 BCE–1…
🇪🇬 Egypt · Hydraulic works
Early Bronze to Medieval (3000 BCE–1400 CE) · Hydraulic culture
Sadd el-Kafara — Ancillary Spillway North (Wadi Garawi, Egypt) in Giza, Wadi Garawi, Sadd el-Kafara, Egypt is a Early Bronze to Medieval (3000 BCE–1400 CE)…
🇲🇦 Morocco · Hydraulic works
Zenata Berber medieval (1300–1600 CE) · Zenata Berber / Figuig Ksour
Eastern branch khettara line of Figuig oasis (890 m) distinct from main khettara-figuig-oasis already in DB (which covers central system).
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Hydraulic works
Early Bronze to Medieval (3000 BCE–1400 CE) · Hydraulic culture
Carthage — Baths of Antoninus Ancillary Cistern North (Tunisia) in Tunis, Carthage, Tunisia is a Early Bronze to Medieval (3000 BCE–1400 CE) hydraulic attr…
🇾🇪 Yemen · Hydraulic works
Sabaean Kingdom, Early South Arabian (~1750 BCE – 570 CE) · Sabaean (South Arabian, Kingdom of Saba)
Earthfill diversion dam spanning the Wadi Adhanah and flanked by the limestone North and South Sluices with Sabaean monumental inscriptions.
