The Role of Water in Production Processes in Antiquity

Water is required in many production processes, both now and in the past. But water studies have traditionally focused on the analysis of water supply structures, in particular on aqueducts and monumental fountains, leaving aside most of the uses given to this precious liquid after bringing it into the urban settlements. Apart from the baths – already included in water studies decades ago – Classical Archaeologist have only recently begun to take into consideration other uses of water. Nevertheless, the uses related directly to productive activities have never been properly addressed. Agriculture, pottery or glass production, building materials and construction techniques, are very common issues in recent research, however, the study of the different processes related to each of those activities has aroused much less interest and the role of water within these processes has been totally neglected. This volume includes four papers that are a first attempt to study water in production processes in the Roman period and in Late Antiquity.