2,600-Year-Old Water System Infrastructure Unearthed in India

News August 5, 2024

Aerial view of Keeladi, India
Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology
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TAMIL NADU, INDIA—The Hindustan Times reports that a section of terracotta pipe has been uncovered in southern India at Keeladi, a 2,600-year-old city situated on the banks of the Vaigai River. Other traces of the city’s water system, including an open drain, a closed channel, and small tanks, have previously been uncovered by researchers. This pipe is made up of six cylindrical structures, each measuring about 14 inches long and seven inches wide, that are neatly fitted together. Archaeologists from the Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology think the piping may have carried clean water. To read more about ancient water infrastructure, go to "The Ancient Promise of Water."

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