216
E. Iwasaki
Ain al-Rahma, believed to be the oldest of the Roman Springs, was replaced by
Bir Hamam wa Mahmud when it dried up in the 1930s. However, the water flow of
the latter well also decreased. An informant recalls that he swam in the Bir Hamam
wa Mahmud in the 1980s, but it finally dried up in the 1990s. A new well, Bir alJadid, was also drilled in 1929 to support the water supply but its water flow also
decreased. In 1985, Well No.4-20 (or Bir 4 Gharbi, i.e., Well No.4 West) was drilled
to a depth of 543 m (Table 3). However, because of its insufficient water supply, a
surface spring (‘ain sathi) was dug to a depth of 75 m in 1994, followed by Well
No.4-13, which was drilled in 2003. It is a deep well, with a depth of 1,180 m.
The water supply from Ain al-Balad also stopped in the same period as Ain alRahma. The well was replaced by Bir Ain al-Balad, drilled in 1927, but this well
also dried up in the 1950s. Therefore, the agricultural field originally irrigated by
the water from Ain al-Balad received water from the governmental Well No.3, and
from 1977, the agricultural field was also supplied by a new local well of Dulab
Bahry, which dried up soon after. Currently, the water is supplied by Well No.3 and
Haramiya Musid, which was dug in 2004.
Another case is Ain al-Shishlana, which is a Roman spring that survived until the
1990s. In the 1980s, the water flow was so abundant that it was used to drive the
wheat mill. However, the spring dried up in the 1990s, and it was replaced by Well
No.4-20, which also delivers water to the district of Ain al-Rahma.
Table 3 Replacement of Roman springs with new wells (2016)
Depth (m)
Year of digging Current
status
Ain al-Rahma Ain al-Rahma Roman spring Around 100 Before 1883
Dried up in
1940s
Bir Hamam
wa Mahmud
Local well
Before 1900
Dried up
before 2005
Bir Jadid
Local well
1929
Well No.20/4
(Well No.4
West)
Local well
543
1985
Operating
Ain Sliman
Surface spring
75
1994
Operating
Well No.13/4
(Well No.4
East)
Local well
1180
2003
Operating
Ain al-Balad
Ain al-Balad Roman spring
Before 1883
Dried up
before 1937
Bir Ain
al-Balad
Local well
1927
Dried up in
1950s
Dulab Bahry Local well
1977
Dried up
Haramiya
Musid
Local well
2004
Operating
Source Kato and Iwasaki (modified after 2016: 187)
E. Iwasaki
Ain al-Rahma, believed to be the oldest of the Roman Springs, was replaced by
Bir Hamam wa Mahmud when it dried up in the 1930s. However, the water flow of
the latter well also decreased. An informant recalls that he swam in the Bir Hamam
wa Mahmud in the 1980s, but it finally dried up in the 1990s. A new well, Bir alJadid, was also drilled in 1929 to support the water supply but its water flow also
decreased. In 1985, Well No.4-20 (or Bir 4 Gharbi, i.e., Well No.4 West) was drilled
to a depth of 543 m (Table 3). However, because of its insufficient water supply, a
surface spring (‘ain sathi) was dug to a depth of 75 m in 1994, followed by Well
No.4-13, which was drilled in 2003. It is a deep well, with a depth of 1,180 m.
The water supply from Ain al-Balad also stopped in the same period as Ain alRahma. The well was replaced by Bir Ain al-Balad, drilled in 1927, but this well
also dried up in the 1950s. Therefore, the agricultural field originally irrigated by
the water from Ain al-Balad received water from the governmental Well No.3, and
from 1977, the agricultural field was also supplied by a new local well of Dulab
Bahry, which dried up soon after. Currently, the water is supplied by Well No.3 and
Haramiya Musid, which was dug in 2004.
Another case is Ain al-Shishlana, which is a Roman spring that survived until the
1990s. In the 1980s, the water flow was so abundant that it was used to drive the
wheat mill. However, the spring dried up in the 1990s, and it was replaced by Well
No.4-20, which also delivers water to the district of Ain al-Rahma.
Table 3 Replacement of Roman springs with new wells (2016)
Depth (m)
Year of digging Current
status
Ain al-Rahma Ain al-Rahma Roman spring Around 100 Before 1883
Dried up in
1940s
Bir Hamam
wa Mahmud
Local well
Before 1900
Dried up
before 2005
Bir Jadid
Local well
1929
Well No.20/4
(Well No.4
West)
Local well
543
1985
Operating
Ain Sliman
Surface spring
75
1994
Operating
Well No.13/4
(Well No.4
East)
Local well
1180
2003
Operating
Ain al-Balad
Ain al-Balad Roman spring
Before 1883
Dried up
before 1937
Bir Ain
al-Balad
Local well
1927
Dried up in
1950s
Dulab Bahry Local well
1977
Dried up
Haramiya
Musid
Local well
2004
Operating
Source Kato and Iwasaki (modified after 2016: 187)