Irrigation network and watering system through the Lamasba document

Abstract

Abstract:

Following the Roman occupation of North Africa, their strategic objectives extended beyond acquiring fertile lands to encompass the exploitation of inland regions contiguous to the desert. This led to the displacement of local inhabitants, allowing the Romans to establish an intricate irrigation network, effectively controlling trans-territorial waters. To achieve this, they constructed water conservation reservoirs, diversion dams, and collection tanks. Subsequently, irrigation canals were developed to distribute water across fields, particularly prominent in the southeastern regions of Ouras (Algeria) bordering the Sahara.

Remnants of these Roman infrastructural feats persist across numerous provinces, exhibiting remarkable diversity. Consequently, the Roman authority enacted specific legislation granting peasants and farmers the entitlement to access water for their lands, emphasizing the public nature of these installations established under the auspices of the ruling authority. This historical legacy continues to influence land use and water rights to this day.