BUILDING A SAQIYA

The first "new" saqiya, or ancient water raising system, to be built in Egypt for about 40 years will form part of a new tourist centre exhibiting old Egyptian farming methods. This is situated 3.5 kilometres south of Luxor and is the brainchild of Abdou Karem from Luxor and Michael Roberts from Devon, England.
When we bought the land there was no saqiya there so we had to set about clearing the ground and finding the right location for it. We chose a site under a group of mango trees which provide welcome shade from the sun.
The mechanism for raising the water was bought from a local farmer, but it needed to be restored before it would work again. Our problem, however, was finding someone with the technical know-how to rebuild this machine as most of those with the necessary expertise were either too old or dead. We finally tracked down a half blind 82 year old man who was prepared to come and supervise the project with his two carpenter sons. In his hey day this old gentleman used to service about 30 saqiyas in the region so we were very lucky to find him.

Traditional methods were used for the entire reconstruction with not a tape measure in sight at any stage. The well was dug first with a diameter of 3.5 metres, and lined with a triple row of bricks. We had to go down to 7 metres to ensure there would be a constant supply of water, allowing for fluctuations in the level of the Nile. The top of the well was partially covered to provide the draught animal with access all the way round the large cog wheel. These wells contained fish which were put there to keep the water clean and provide meals for the saqiya owner.

The next stage involved building two brick towers. A long, heavy piece of timber was then placed across them to provide the top pivot point for the shaft of the large cog wheel; the bottom end of the shaft would pivot on a thick piece of wood set on a huge stone. The shaft was then slid through the square hole in the middle of the large cog wheel and wedged roughly into position. Next, four of its fifty-eight cogs were fitted at equal intervals round the outside of the wheel and the whole assembly was then offered up into the pivot points. Once the shaft was in place adjustments were made to ensure that the cogs married up with those on the smaller wheel, then the large wheel was finally wedged into the correct horizontal plane. This was by no means a quick or straightforward procedure: the large wheel is 2.8m across, weighs 500 kilos and takes ten men to handle it!
When the large wheel had been fixed into place the rest of the cogs were made and slotted into position where they were each secured by a single raised nail. Again, no tape measures were used, the cogs all being shaped to the length of an adze handle. In the Bible the cubit is frequently mentioned. The Egyptian cubit was measured from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger, that is about 21" (55cms), and this in turn was divided into seven palms. Many measurements were made using the span of the hand, and it's interesting to note that we still measure horses' heights in hands in the U.K.
Next, a channel lined with bricks was constructed to house a shaft 8ft long and 6" wide. This was mounted on iron and wood bearings greased with sheep's tallow. (Later models used to be fitted with all metal bearings which lasted much longer than the traditional ones where the shaft had to be replaced each year.) This shaft connected the wheel over the well with the small vertical cog wheel and ran about 18" below ground level in order that the draught animal could walk round above it.
Now it was time to make the ropes for the 'necklace' of pots which would be used to bring up the water. The ropes were made from one third female date palm fronds and two thirds halfa grass. This was all soaked in water and then beaten to produce a fibreous material which was then rolled and twisted into a cord. Three of these cords were then soaked again before being twisted together to make the final thick rope. It was very tough work as the material was extremely coarse to handle. Two long lengths of rope were made in this way and laid out parallel on the ground. Next, pegs with barbs at each end were spliced into the ropes, joining them and creating a ladder effect. The pots would be fixed to these wooden pegs.
The pots come in two sizes, 5.5 and 7 litres, and are made locally near Qena. They have 15cm openings and a knob on the base rather like that on the end of a cannon. Each one was positioned so that it was resting on a cushion of cords at the back which tilted it forward so that it would empty properly. It was supported by two pegs, one at each end, and lashed onto them with a single cord which passed seven times round the neck and twice round the knob on the base. When all the pots had been attached the ends of the ropes were spliced and joined to create the 'necklace' that would carry them down and bring them up brimming with water. The 'necklace' was then dragged into position and hung over the arms of the wheel above the well. This was quite a tricky operation and had to be carried out with great care to ensure that the whole lot did not slither down to the water below. The wheel over the well has six arms about 40" long which can be adjusted up or down to prevent the 'necklace' from travelling off centre.
The small vertical cog wheel is normally made of sycamore or tamarisk wood. It is approximately 5ft in diameter, weighs 200 kilos and has 32 cogs or teeth fixed round the edge. It is wedged onto the underground shaft and set in its own brick housing underground. The shanks of the teeth are nailed into slots on the wheel and because they vary in length they make quite a musical sound as they come up against the brake; (the brake is there to stop the mechanism turning backwards).
Now everything was in place and ready for the cow. The first one we used was borrowed from Abdou's father. She was attached to the wheel by a long beam that stretched from the centre of the large wheel to a cushion of padding on her shoulders. She was a draught animal, well used to pulling a plough, but this was her first time on a saqiya. However, after a few tentative circuits she soon learned what was required and got into a steady rhythm. It normally took from 2 to 4 months to train a cow to turn a saqiya wheel. To begin with she was blindfolded and harnessed alongside an experienced animal which went round with her. Camels and buffaloes were also used, and sometimes, where a well was particularly deep, two animals were harnessed together to pull the pots of water up.

These days the fields are irrigated by motorised water pumps, and this system, which is probably over two and a half thousand years old, has now become redundant.