Delikkemer Aqueduct near Patara Turkey Megalithic stone blocks
182Delikkemer Aqueduct near Patara Turkey, Megalithic stone blocks.
Polygonal masonry (protopolygonal), large megalithic blocks. Striking similarity to the Minoan bridge at Argolis (older than 1200-1400 BC) and resemblance to the gate at Segni in Italia before the Etruscan period (must be older than 1000 BC.). The official version dates this Aqueduct to the Roman period (although it may be built over a Late Bronze Age structure). The aqueduct was built during the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54 CE) and was restored during the reign of Vespasian (69-79 CE). It took water from a source located almost 700 m above sea level and delivered it to the city at a distance of about 23 km away. At present only a section 200 m long is standing with the height of 10 m in the middle. Usually the aqueducts had a trough-watercourse at the top to carry water but here the top is a pipe made from stone blocks. Constructed as a reverse siphonic aqueduct it was able to carry the water uphill (it was necessary for crossing the valleys).
Its each individual block is about 90 cm square, 50 cm thick and is bored through with a 30 cm diameter hole. On one side of the block this hole has a recess and on the opposite side a spigot. When put together the spigot of one block sits in the recess of the next block, and so on. The blocks were sealed together with mortar and a large diameter continuous water pipe resisting the water pressure was ready.