The Archaeology of Unsustainable Growth: Developing    
        Ancient Analogies for Modern Water Supply Problems


            Abstract

For thousands of years, the task of reliably provisioning cities and their agricultural hinterlands with adequate supplies of 
water has posed one of the greatest challenges for societies situated in semi-arid or arid regions. As can be seen in numerous 
past and present cases, the greatest pressure upon water management systems is exerted during periods of rapid urban expansion 
and population growth.  This presentation will look back to the ancient past to demonstrate how unsustainable growth in areas 
with limited water resources led to serious social, economic, and political consequences, and to explore what lessons can be 
learned about urban water management from the mistakes of ancient societies.