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Every village and town in ancient times could only survive to the extent of their water supply; how close they were to a water source, or how much water they could store up from any source. This was especially true in the desert.
Every means possible was put into effect to
maximize water retention at Petra. In the first two photos you see a water channel on
both sides of the Siq cut with a downward slope that would funnel water from a
spring in the Wadi Musa to the center of town. Every drop of rainwater that ran down the side of the Siq dropped into this "gutter" to add to the water supply.
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Petra has hundreds of underground water cisterns. Every possible drop of rainwater, as well as the water piped into the city was stored and used later.
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The museum in Petra has pieces of pipe on display so tourists can see the incredible advancement that the Nabataeans made in their water works. These clay pipes have tapered ends so they could be connected one to the other.
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