Urban planning and water management in Ancient Aetolian Makyneia, Western Greece

Abstract

The findings of a large-scale archaeological investigation, conducted from 2009 to 2013 at a site in the vicinity of Antirrion, Western Greece, identified with ancient Makyneia, provides interesting information on the architectural features and urban planning of an ancient settlement in this area of mainland Western Greece. Through an interdisciplinary study of its morphological and technological characteristics, water management problems and solutions can be revealed by the water management infrastructure (waterways, water reservoirs, drainage systems, etc.) as it has been documented during the excavation, An interesting question to investigate is whether water management systems of the ancient settlement represent sustainable techniques and principles that can still be used today. To this aim, the functioning of the systems is reconstructed and characteristic quantities are calculated both for the potable water system and the drainage system.