Drawings on basins in Roman aqueducts

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1. Collecting basins 2. Settling basins 3. Regulating basins 4. Junction basins 5. Stilling basins 6. Distribution basins 7. Other basins 8. River intakes and dams 9. Infiltration galleries

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Bingen 1(Germany)
Bingen 2 side niche(Germany)
Kalmuth, aqueduct of Cologne (Germany)
Kalmuth, aqueduct of Cologne (Germany)
Emmaus / Nicopolis (Israel)
Obzor - TEMPLUM IOVIS (Bulgaria) Burges area. Downhill of Janku Tepe and close to the SW corner of the fortress. Avaulted basin which also served as an initial reservoir, length 9,2 m, width 2,27 m, made of bricks. The water collected came from three small sources delivered to the basin through a series of pipes. One bigger source delivered the water through a canal built from bricks. The basin had a barrel-like dome. Its height is unknown because the ceiling fell down. In the middel of the eastern wall of the basin there was a pipe leading the water to the aqueduct.(Biernacka1973)
Archer - RATIARIA (Bulgaria) Violin area. Aqueduct near Zidovec, 6-7 km SW of Archer in the neighbourhood of Varhop village; near Darzanica; at a few places near the Archer river; between Darzanica and Archer. Excavations in the year 1953 and 1965. The hexagonal basin was built from huge stone blocks (length 2,55 m; width 0,55 m; height: first row 0,43 m, second row 0,54 m, third row 0,57 m). Only the lower two meters are preserved. The water was collected from the valley and conveyed into the open stone conduit (length 2,5 m; widt 0,43 m; height 0,65 m). The chamber walls length was on average 2,55 m. Its wide corners were made of monolitic blocks. (Biernacka1973)
Nikjup - NICOPOLIS ad ISTRUM (Bulgaria) Tarnovo area. Basin in Musina village. The channel follows the rivers Negovanka, Babino Deve and Rosica, Dicin village, passage across Bara, 0,5 km from the western walls of the ancient city. This collecting basin of the water supply system was octagonal in plan, situated on the left shore of the Musinska river in front of the entrance, built from huge limestone blocks (0,60 m height, 0,55 m length and 0,25 m width), preserved till 2,5 m height. The length of the sidewalls were 1,82 m, 1,79 m, 1,72 m, 1,79 m, 1,82 m, 1,72 m and 1,72 m. The corner steadies of the basin were made of monolith two-arm stones, creating obtuse angles kept together by iron staples. In the basin walls were two openings, the first one was used conveying the water to the water supply system, the second one to discharge excess water. The remains of the water supply channel made of bricks and discovered in Musina village, indicate that the channel was built of slack laid, in the wall core, in broken stones welded with white mortar. The height was 1,2 m, the width 0,6 m. The inside was covered with hydraulic mortar - 0,02 m thick. In a few places the existence of inspection holes covered with tetragonal stone plates was proven. (Biernacka1973)
Dolno Botevo (Bulgaria) Haskovo area. At the Cala hill, 1 km N from the village. Excavations in 1958. A. A four sided basin (1,20 * 1,50 m, height 0,90 m) which bottom was built of natural stone. The side walls were made of stone blocks reinforced from outside with a supporting wall, 0,45 m thick, made of broken stones. On the top the basin was covered with flat stone slabs. B. The main reservoir, size 6,0 * 3,3 m, was built on rocks covered with red hydraulic mortar, 0,2 m thick. The lower parts of the walls were made of broken limestone covered with mortar; the upper parts ware made of bricks, except the eastern wall which was built of stone blocks. In the SE corner there was a step (height 0,85 and 0,15 m wide). Internally the walls were covered with red, hydraulic mortar, 0,02 m thick. Opposite basin A which was separeted from basin B with a stone step there was a clay pipe (diameter 0,15 m) leading the water to the aqueduct. Inside the basin many big tiles were found. The whole object including the water source was completely destroyed when a new basin was built in the IVth century. The E wall was reconstructed in recent times. (Biernacka1973)
Barbegal near Arles (France)
Noé basin, aqueduct of Sens (France)
Saint Bertrand-de-Comminges (France)

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Ars-sur-Moselle, aqueduct of Metz (France)
Burnum (Bulgaria)
Combination of a settling and a regulating basin, aqueduct of Cologne (Germany)
Aqua Virgo, aqueduct op Rome
Close to the Los Milagros bridge, Proserpina aqueduct of Merida (Spain)
Alcabideque, the start of the aqueduct op Conimbriga (Portugal)
Grüne Pütz, the start of the aqueduct of Cologne (Germany)
At one of the three aqueducts of Merida (Spain)
At the Mont d'Or aqueduct of Lyon (France)
At the Niš aqueduct (Servia)
Pergamon (Turkey)
A tap of the Aqua Marcia, one of the 11 aqueducts of Rome
Part of the aqueduct of Segovia (Spain)
Tigava (Algeria)
Tipasa (Algeria)
An unknown fountain in Rome (?)
A typical manhole including a settling basin

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Ars-sur-Moselle, part of the aqueduct of Metz (France)
Combination of a regulating and a settling basins of the Cologne (Germany) aqueduct
Part of the Proserpina aqueduct of Merida (Spain)
Close to the Pont du Gard, part of the aqueduct of Nîmes (France)
Part of the La Suippe aqueduct of Reims (France)
Part of the aqueduct just before the bridge in the center of Segovia (Spain)
Part of the aqueduct of Saint Bertrand-de-Comminges (France)
At Uzès, part of the aqueduct of Nîmes (France)

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Eiserfey, part of the aqueduct of Cologne (Germany)
Wissous, part of the aqueduct of Paris (France)
Junction without basin: Sens (France)
Junction without basin: Trier (Germany)

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Examples of steep chutes with stilling basins
An example of a stilling basin
Conimbriga (Portugal)
Le Recret, part of one of the aqueducts of Lyon (France)
'Waterfall' in one of the aqueducts of Rome

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Carthago (Tunisia)
Gadara (Jordan)
Nîmes
Pompeii (Italy)
Pompeii (Italy), cross section
Tiermes (Spain), water rooms and regulating mechanism The aim of this reservoir, measuring 32 x 46m, 6m high with 3,5m thick walls, would have been the supply of water to the NE sector of the city and the baths complex as a complement to the flow supplied by the southern artery. It was made up of eight linked water rooms with orientation N-S (see drawing). The water, under normal conditions, would enter through the "inmisarium" C and continues to corner F, entering water room 1 probably via steps. The excess water would continue down channel L to the distribution chamber (?) situated in G. Through room 1 the water would circulate towards the North end where there would be a communication orifice towards water room 2, flowing in the opposite direction towards the South, and successively until reaching room 8 and the distribution chamber G. This circuit was used to prolong the circulation distance as much as possible and decant the water well. Judging by the direction of the gradient of the C-H-I-G canalization (about 4%) this section would have been used to give continuity to the water flow (as a by-pass) to the chamber G whilst the water rooms 1 - 8 were cleaned or in repair. The distribution chamber would be located at corner G, but is presently almost destroyed. It must have had a department inside where there would have been a complex of channels and sluices used to send the water at will to the following locations: To the bottom drain E in order to empty the eight water rooms simultaneously or for sending water to the baths complex. To the emisarium at corner I through channel K to supply water to the NE sector of the city. The plan of these eight water rooms had been a deduction based on scarce excavations so far of the surface area in the interior of the enclosure of the "castellum aquae". This hypothesis will have to be confirmed as the excavation work progresses. Based on the article "The Roman water supply to Tiermes" (Hernando2001) and private communication with the author Manuel Hernando
Distribution basin in a Roman villa in Mettet (Belgium)
Minturnae (Italy)
Niš (Serbia)
Tebourba (Tunisia)
Tipasa (Algeria)
Model of Vitruvius

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Header or Receiving basin of a siphon
Siphon in Altenburg (Austria)?
Siphon (?) in Bavay (France)
Intake of the Aqua Marcia near Rome
Ornamental or regilious entrance (?) Saldae (Algeria)
Settling basin / reservoir / water over the wall: Siga (Algeria)
Sofia - SERDICA (Bulgaria), Well intake Banski square; next to the NW corner of the Central Universal Warehouse. Excavations in 1955. A stone well discovered under the Turkish one during the construction of a modern well. The Roman well was built in a square plan (4x4 m), its height was 2,95 m. The walls were made of bricks. In the northern wall there was a clay pipe (diameter 0,22 m) leading to a canal built of bricks. After passing a narrowing the water went further in a lead pipe (diameter 0,15 m). From the E and N walls some other lead pipes came in. Inside the lower part the basin was covered with two layers of grind. Built in the third century. (biernacka1973)
Secondary distribution tower in Pompeii (Italy)
Sviscov - NOVAE (Bulgaria), secondary distribution basin Tarnovo area. Close to the windmill Slavjanka in the NW corner of the city. Discovered in 1915, archaeological work in 1961/1962. A lead basin height 7 m, sides of 1,2 m, built on a brick platform next to its origin in the neighbourhood of the windmill Slavjanka. The basin was protected against seasonal flooding by underground water bt two parallel protective walls (they bare remains of two reconstructions necessary because of erosion by underground streams). The basin played also a role in cleaning the water because its pipes had nets stopping all pollution. The diameter of the pipes was 0,18 m.(biernacka 1973)
Jouy-aux-Arches, part of the Metz aqueduct (France)

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Start of the aqueduct of Segovia (Spain)
Start of one of the 11 aqueducts of Vienne
Hypothetical dam including spill-over
Alcabideque, start of the Conimbriga aqueduct (Portugal)
Start of the aqueduct of Glanum (France)
Two dams in the Merida region (Spain)
Outlet of the Proserpinadam (Merida - Spain)
Detail outlet Proserpinadam (Merida - Spain)
Start of the Yzeron aqueduct (Lyon - France)

Description	Line drawing	Photo
Water for Emmaus / Nicopolis (Israel)
Gigen - OESCUS (Bulgaria), infiltration gallery The catchment area in Gárnica was discovered during the construction of the present wells for Gigen. In the hills SE of Gigen there was a tunnel system of irregular, multiflank shape (total length over 80 m). The tunnel width varied from 0,5 - 1,0 m, the average height was 1,60 m (ranging from 1,35 - 1,7 m), its top was vaulted, 0,15 m height. The tunnel was built from big stone blocks (length 0,43 m, height 0,2 m). Via holes the water poured out of the walls. In September 1965 the water level was 0,58 m above the floor. The four chambers had provisional steps (height 0,19 m, width 0,14 m, depth 0,21 m). Annex to chamber nr. 3 there was a four sided room (lenght 1,9 m, width 1,8 m, height 2 m) serving as an initial / collecting reservoir. From that point the water went through a small stone pipe (0,2 * 0,3 m) into the aqueduct.(Biernacka1973)
Starozagorski Mineralni Bani (Bulgaria) area of Stara Zagora, 25 m E from the present women toilet. Discovered in 1937, archaeological work in 1965. The tunnel intake was built in the letter 'L'. Its length was 19 m, 0,7 m width and 1,5 m height. The walls were made of bricks, the middle part of the ceiling made of stone. The tunnel had two side-chambers which collected water from smaller niches attached to the main water supply. The tunnel basis was made of big broken stones, cut in the middle with bricks laid in three rows. (biermacka1973)
Sviscov - NOVAE (Bulgaria) Tarnovo ares near the buildings of Zaklad Naprawczy Maszyn Rolniczych; southern city gate. Excavations in 1965 and 1966. Remains of a wall belonging to a tunnel like a Roman water intake, adapted in Turkish time. The present remains are in tunnel 'A' (??) in the floor which, next to the entrance, also holds a small square basin built of bricks.
Grüne Pütz, start of the aqueduct of Cologne (Germany)
Miesenheim (Germany)
Start of the Mont d'Or aqueduct of Lyon (France)
Sens (France)
Hypothetical start of the Trier aqueduct (Germany)