Between Persian Empires and Oil Disasters: The Story of one of the Ancient World’s Engineering Feat

Nir Topper
4 days ago
4 min read

Deep in the heart of the arid desert, in a place where it seems life cannot exist without modern technology, lies one of the most impressive engineering achievements of antiquity: Foggara technology. Known in Hebrew as "Chain of Wells," this sophisticated hydraulic system is based on the excavation of long underground tunnels that rely solely on gravity to transport water from shallow uphill aquifers to agricultural fields in the dry plains below. This marvel is not merely a technical solution to water scarcity; it is a testament to extraordinary human ingenuity—the ability to read the landscape, and more importantly, the sub-surface, harnessing the laws of physics to create life in the heart of the wilderness.

The mechanics of this "miracle" require engineering precision that remains awe-inspiring even in the age of lasers and GPS. The system begins with a deep "Mother Well" dug at the foot of the mountains. From there, a conveyance tunnel is excavated at an incredibly gentle slope—sometimes at a ratio of 1:1,000 or even 1:1,500. To put this in perspective, imagine a tunnel that, for every 1.5 kilometers of length, drops only one meter in height. This precision is critical: a slope too steep would cause water to flow too quickly, eroding the tunnel walls, while a slope too shallow would simply stop the flow. The chain of vertical shafts visible above ground, which gives the system its name, served to provide oxygen for the diggers and a way to remove excavated soil. Today, they remain the only surface markers of the underground river flowing beneath hikers' feet. Despite their age, many of these systems are still functional in various parts of the world, including Algeria, Morocco, Oman, and beyond.

This technology, born in ancient Persia approximately 3,000 years ago, was spread across the globe by the Achaemenid Empire. It reached its zenith in our region during what scholars call the "Islamic Agricultural Revolution" (or the "Medieval Green Revolution"), a process that began in the 8th century and lasted through the 11th century and beyond. This revolution was not limited to water management; it included the global distribution of new crops such as citrus, sugar cane, and cotton, which completely transformed the landscape and the regional diet. It integrated advanced botanical knowledge with regulated water laws, creating a consistent agricultural surplus that enabled the flourishing of the Middle East’s great cities. Under the Umayyad (661–750 CE) and Abbasid (750–1258 CE) Caliphates, this engineering expertise allowed for the transformation of entirely arid regions into lush oases. In Israel, the most impressive systems have been uncovered in the Arava and the Jordan Valley. The site at Ein Evrona stands as the ultimate exemplar of this method—featuring a complex system of at least four tunnels, the longest of which reaches approximately 600 meters, marked by a chain of vertical shafts that appear as "mounds" on the surface.

For pilgrims making their way from Egypt to Mecca along the Darb al-Hajj (the Pilgrimage Road), the farm at Evrona was far more than just another stop; it was a vital refreshment station. Botanical findings at the site reveal an almost inconceivable reality: in the heart of the parched Arava, ancient farmers grew not only wheat and barley, but also grapes and dates. The use of unique pottery known as "Mahesh Ware," associated with the early Abbasid period (second half of the 8th century), alongside earlier Umayyad coins, points to a continuous settlement spanning two dynasties. It indicates an economic center that was part of an extensive imperial network connecting the Saudi-Hijazi region to the Levant.

Today, the Evrona Nature Reserve is a must-visit for anyone wishing to touch history. Alongside the chain of wells, one can find the famous Doum Palms (Hyphaene thebaica)—marking the northernmost point in the world where they grow naturally. The site has survived not only the test of time but also the severe oil disaster of 2014, cited as the most extensive ecological disaster in Israel’s history. The unprecedented biological restoration efforts undertaken since have turned Evrona into a symbol of environmental resilience and the national importance of preserving our regional heritage and natural assets.

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One of the enduring lessons of the chain of wells is sustainable resource management. The Foggaras operated for centuries without depleting the water source or disrupting the desert's delicate ecological balance. This stands in contrast to modern drilling technology, which sometimes pumps groundwater faster than it can be replenished, leading in some cases to the drying up of these ancient systems.

The next time you travel through the Arava, stop by the shafts of Evrona. Imagine the water flowing silently beneath the earth, the scent of wheat fields in the heart of the desert, and the people who turned aridity into opportunity. Preserving these sites is a historical obligation, but it is also an invitation to re-evaluate the connection between man, earth, and engineering wisdom.

Image 1 - Doum Palms. Source: by Ester Inbar, available from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:ST

Image 2 - Chain of Wells (Foggaras). Source: By Samuel Bailey (sam.bailus@gmail.com) - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8650678