Ancient Roman lead pipes defied gravity without using pumps
Deep beneath the Mediterranean, a submerged city reveals how ancient engineers used pressurized siphons to push water uphill without a single mechanical motor.
Off the coast of Kekova, the ruins of a 2,000-year-old city sit seven meters underwater, preserved by a massive earthquake in 365 AD. Long before modern plumbing, Roman engineers moved 1,000 cubic meters of water daily through lead pipes just five centimeters wide. To overcome steep hills, they utilized inverted siphons, which used the weight of water falling from a high reservoir to create enough pressure to force it back up an opposing slope.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 2-question quiz