| The Argolid forms an ecological and hydrological region, bounded by hills and mountains on the east, north and west, and by the Bay of Argos and its shoreline on the south. The central Argive plain is a flood-plain rich in alluvial soils, sloping gently toward the sea. Rainfall is heavy in winter and autumn, light in spring and summer, causinbg seasonal floods and erosion. Because of the climate and the terrain configuration, surface rivers flow only seasonally. The karst terrain forms natural underground reservoirs which feed perennial springs and one perennial river, the Erasinos. In both the hills and the plain a high water table frequently occurs, facilitating the use of wells. In this environment, water management must address problems of drainage, flood damage, and erosion, as well as the acquisition and storage of water.; During the Late Bronze Age, wells were dug to augment natural water sources; large cisterns held reserve supplies of water. The under-ground cisterns of Mycenae and Tiryns furnished safe access to water during times of war. Bathing facilities in the palace were well appointed; some evidence suggests a possible ritual use of bathing at Mycenae. Drains and drainage channels ensured that rainwater run-off and human waste-water were carried away from the citadel.; Water management features of the Mycenaean roadways included culverts, revetments, and bridges, which ensured passable roads even during heavy rain. The Tiryns Dam rerouted a river which had been flooding the Tiryns environs and/or silting up the Tiryns harbor. The draining of Lake Lerna, attributed by some scholars to Mycenaean engineering, seems instead to be due to natural causes. Agricultural terracing dates to the Middle Helladic and no doubt continued in use during the Mycenaean period. Although no evidence demonstrates the use of irrigation, simple measures such as gravity irrigation or pot irrigation are suitable for the Argolid and would leave no trace in the archaeological record. There is no evidence to suggest that irrigation technology was imported to Greece from Egypt or the Near East, and the differences in the terrain and hydrology of these regions render this possibility unlikely.; Texts in Linear B from Knossos and Pylos indicate a supply of metal bathtubs and wash basins at Knossos and Pylos, and a group of thirty-eight women classified as 'bathtub attendants' at Pylos. Metal bathtubs and female bath attendants are also portrayed in the Homeric poems. Other water management features named in the epic include wells, washing troughs, fountains, dams, and irrigation channels.; Mycenaean water management programs in the Argolid gave safe access to water even during times of war, removed rainwater and wastewater from the citadels, successfully controlled erosion and flood damage, and facilitated year-round transportation by roads and bridges. |
