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Irrigation and Hydraulic Technology in Islamic Spain: Methodological Considerations

Irrigation and Hydraulic Technology in Islamic Spain: Methodological Considerations

By Thomas F. Glick

Journal for the History of Arabic Science, Volume 11 (1995–1997)

Overview: This article examines irrigation and hydraulic technology in medieval Islamic Spain, focusing on the relationship between water management, technology, and society. It explores the evidence for irrigation practices and institutions, as well as technologies such as norias and watermills, arguing that water management was largely organised at the local level rather than through a centralized state system.



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Our thanks to the editors of the Journal for the History of Arabic Sciences for their permission to republish this article. This journal was based out of the University of Aleppo and ceased publication due to the Syrian Civil War.

Top Image: The Albolafia waterwheel in Córdoba – photo by Holger Uwe Schmitt / Wikimedia Commons