EVALUATION OF HISTORICAL WATER WORKS IN TURKEY FROM HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING POINT OF VIEW

The main objective of this article is to analyze the primary historical water works constructed in Turkey throughout the four thousand years from hydraulic engineering point of view. Since the subject is too extensive, the article is only focused on historical waterworks in Turkey from Hittite, Urartu, Hellenistic, Roman, Seldjukide, and Ottoman periods. In the first part of the study hydraulic structures from Hittite period are presented. The earliest remains of water works in Turkey dated from the Hittite period, primarily the second millenium B.C. It is believed that the most ancient dam in Anatolia (a part of modern Turkey) is Karakuyu dam constructed for irrigation purpose. In the second part of the article water works from Urartians are discussed. The Urartians (one of an early eastern civilizations) was an early leader in complex irrigation networks. The most important water works of the Urartians is Samram irrigation canal, dating from 800 BC. Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine water works are presented in the following part of the article. Water conveyance systems to Side, Pergamon, Ephesus, Aspendos, Laodecia, Perge, Istanbul etc. exhibit great richness, variety and important engineering skills. In the last part, water structures of Seldjukide and Ottoman periods are investigated. Bridges of Seldjukide period are important engineering and architectural structures. Halkali, Kirkcesme, Uskudar, Taksim water ways of Istanbul, Taslımusellim waterway of Edirne, dams of Istanbul, flood protection canals, aqueducts, water mills, water balance towers of Ottoman period respect special attention from hydraulic engineering point of view.