Schedule Details – EAA Annual Meeting 2026

August 27, 2026 | 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
421

93 - Tracing the Flow: New Perspectives on Ancient Irrigation Systems and Their Legacies

Regular session

The study of ancient irrigation systems has long been central to understanding the emergence and development of complex societies across arid and semi-arid regions of the World. From the alluvial plains of Mesopotamia to the oases of Central Asia, the investigation of water management infrastructure has provided crucial insights into social organization, technological innovation, and environmental adaptation. Recent advances in archaeological methodologies, ranging from remote sensing and geoarchaeology to hydrological modeling, have profoundly transformed how we reconstruct ancient landscapes and interpret the socio-economic dimensions of irrigation. These approaches not only refine our comprehension of past human-environment interactions, but also illuminate the enduring legacies of ancient water systems that continue to shape local ecologies and cultural identities today in places such as Uzbekistan, Iraq or Jordan.

This session aims to foster a cross-regional dialogue on ancient irrigation through three interrelated thematic pillars:

1. Methodologies of Investigation: approaches to documenting, analyzing, and modeling irrigation systems, including remote sensing, GIS-based hydrological studies, geoarchaeological approaches.
2. Case Studies: Case studies that highlight the regional diversity of technological adaptations to water management, social organization, and agricultural practices across the arid regions of West and Central Asia, North Africa, the Indus region, and the Mediterranean basin—with a focus on eastern Mediterranean.
3. Irrigation as Heritage: the cultural and historical importance of traditional irrigation systems, their continuity and transmission over time, and the threats they face today from climate change and dwindling water resources.

We welcome contributions that address these themes through regional case studies (as outlined in point 2), interdisciplinary approaches, and theoretical reflections spanning from prehistory to the modern periods. Submissions focusing on methodological innovation, long-term irrigation dynamics, or the heritage management of irrigation systems are especially encouraged.