Aqueducts, or water bridges, have been an integral aspect of human society dating back to the Roman era – and, according to archaeological evidence, were in existence long before this period. Read on to discover everything you need to know, and let’s bring our water bridge to life.
Tutorial Video
Step-By-Step Images and Instructions
1.
Use a brown pen and a ruler to draw three lines, the first around an inch from the top of the page and two others close together, about half an inch below this.
2.
Use the brown pen to fill in the space between the two bottom lines.
3.
Next, make a series of small marks emerging from the bottom line – start with one, then repeat pairs of two lines until you get to the end and return to one.
4.
Now use the brown pen to connect the tops of the lines with curves.
5.
Use the brown pen and ruler to draw short lines just inside the ends of the thick bottom line and connect them at the top. Then use this edge to draw a line down both sides, ending around an inch from the bottom of the page. At the bottom, draw two lines moving in, leave a gap, and then make another mark, leaving a gap in the center.
6.
Now, add two more lines, ending level with the thick top line, around halfway done the shape.
7.
Now fill in the space between these two lines to create a single, thick line.
8.
Now return to the gaps at the bottom and bring vertical lines up from the ends of each of them, extending up around one inch.
9.
Connect the tops with curved, dotted lines, leaving you with three “arches”.
10.
Now connect the dots to create solid arches. Then, add another curved line moving down from the top of each arch.
11.
Use the ends of these curved lines to bring down more vertical lines, ending parallel with the bottom of the other lines, and connect the sections with a straight line.
12.
Use the brown pen to fill in these side sections you just created.
13.
Return to the second thick line and add four lines extending up around one quarter of an inch. There should be two outside lines, and two more around a quarter of an inch across, leaving a thin gap in the middle.
14.
Now use dotted lines to create pointed arches emerging from the top of these lines.
15.
Once again, repeat the line on the right-hand side, just on the inside.
16.
As before, fill in the space on the right-hand side.
17.
Return to the arcs at the top and fill in the spaces around with the brown pen.
18.
Grab a pencil and add small “bricks” to the surface of the structure.
19.
Use a yellow pen to fill in these bricks.
20.
Grab a light brown pen, and shade in the remainder of the surface to complete your aqueduct.
And in just a few short steps, you have constructed your very own aqueduct – now, how do you imagine the rest of the surrounding city to go with it?
Aqueducts, also known as water bridges, play a central part in the infrastructure of many towns and cities all over the world, and possessing a rich historical background which helps them to retain the interests of town planners and history buffs alike.
The structures are predominantly associated with the Romans, likely due to their prevalence throughout the Roman Empire, including Germany and Africa, as well as, of course, the city of Rome. Here, they supplied water to public baths and for drinking, and were an integral part of everyday Roman society.
The quality of engineering involved in Roman aqueducts was not surpassed for over 1000 years following the fall of the empire. Despite the connections between the Romans and aqueducts, however, it is unlikely that the Romans can take credit for their invention – it is more likely that they were invented by the Minoans in around the year 2000 BCE.
Archaeological evidence tells us the Minoans were the brains behind an incredibly advanced water supply system, which is likely to have included several aqueducts as an important part of everyday life.
In addition, there is evidence of a limestone aqueduct constructed by the Assyrians in the 7th century BCE, and this featured an 80 km long construction, that included parts which were 10 meters high. The aqueduct was built in a valley spanning 300 meters, allowing the Assyrians to transport water across Nineveh, their capital city.
