Innovation No. 17 of 77 in the book
The Irrigation Pump
A counterweighted pole (shaduf) used to lift water
- When
- c. 1250 BCE
- Dynasty
- 19th Dynasty
- Era
- New Kingdom
The shaduf is a simple machine that changed farming: a long pole on a pivot, a bucket on one end, a counterweight on the other. Egyptians were lifting Nile water with it by around 1250 BCE, in the Ramesside New Kingdom.
The counterweight does the heavy work. One person dips the bucket, then lets the weight raise the full load with almost no effort and swings it over the field.
It let farmers water crops above the flood line and through the dry months, squeezing more harvests from the same land.
The world’s first water-lifting machine still turns in Egyptian fields today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest archaeological evidence for the irrigation pump in ancient Egypt?
The earliest confirmed evidence dates to approximately 1250 BCE during Egypt's New Kingdom (19th Dynasty). The shaduf is a simple machine that changed farming: a long pole on a pivot, a bucket on one end, a counterweight on the other. Egyptians were lifting Nile water with it by around 1250 BCE, in the Ramesside New Kingdom.
How did ancient Egyptians develop the irrigation pump, and what is its legacy?
The counterweight does the heavy work. One person dips the bucket, then lets the weight raise the full load with almost no effort and swings it over the field. The counterweight does the heavy work. One person dips the bucket, then lets the weight raise the full load with almost no effort and swings it over the field. The world’s first water-lifting machine still turns in Egyptian fields today.