Canal Irrigation in Prehistoric Mexico

The Sequence of Technological Change

Nonfiction, History, Americas, Mexico, Science & Nature, Technology, Agriculture & Animal Husbandry
Cover of the book Canal Irrigation in Prehistoric Mexico by William E. Doolittle, University of Texas Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: William E. Doolittle ISBN: 9780292772137
Publisher: University of Texas Press Publication: July 3, 2014
Imprint: University of Texas Press Language: English
Author: William E. Doolittle
ISBN: 9780292772137
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Publication: July 3, 2014
Imprint: University of Texas Press
Language: English
Prehistoric farmers in Mexico invented irrigation, developed it into a science, and used it widely. Indeed, many of the canal systems still in use in Mexico today were originally begun well before the discovery of the New World. In this comprehensive study, William E. Doolittle synthesizes and extensively analyzes all that is currently known about the development and use of irrigation technology in prehistoric Mexico from about 1200 B.C. until the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century A.D. Unlike authors of previous studies who have focused on the political, economic, and social implications of irrigation, Doolittle considers it in a developmental context. He examines virtually all the known systems, from small canals that diverted runoff from ephemeral mountain streams to elaborate networks that involved numerous large canals to irrigate broad valley floors with water from perennial rivers. Throughout the discussion, he gives special emphasis to the technological elaborations that distinguish each system from its predecessors. He also traces the spread of canal technology into and through different ecological settings. This research substantially clarifies the relationship between irrigation technology in Mexico and the American Southwest and argues persuasively that much of the technology that has been attributed to the Spaniards was actually developed in Mexico by indigenous people. These findings will be important not only for archaeologists working in this area but also for geographers, historians, and engineers interested in agriculture, technology, and arid lands.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Prehistoric farmers in Mexico invented irrigation, developed it into a science, and used it widely. Indeed, many of the canal systems still in use in Mexico today were originally begun well before the discovery of the New World. In this comprehensive study, William E. Doolittle synthesizes and extensively analyzes all that is currently known about the development and use of irrigation technology in prehistoric Mexico from about 1200 B.C. until the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century A.D. Unlike authors of previous studies who have focused on the political, economic, and social implications of irrigation, Doolittle considers it in a developmental context. He examines virtually all the known systems, from small canals that diverted runoff from ephemeral mountain streams to elaborate networks that involved numerous large canals to irrigate broad valley floors with water from perennial rivers. Throughout the discussion, he gives special emphasis to the technological elaborations that distinguish each system from its predecessors. He also traces the spread of canal technology into and through different ecological settings. This research substantially clarifies the relationship between irrigation technology in Mexico and the American Southwest and argues persuasively that much of the technology that has been attributed to the Spaniards was actually developed in Mexico by indigenous people. These findings will be important not only for archaeologists working in this area but also for geographers, historians, and engineers interested in agriculture, technology, and arid lands.

More books from University of Texas Press

Cover of the book Kinship to Kingship by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Portraits of the Ptolemies by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book The City of Mexico in the Age of Díaz by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Science in Latin America by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Haunting Bollywood by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book The Siren and the Seashell by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Immigration and Nationalism by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Nomad by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book The Neoliberal Diet by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Marx and History by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Voices from the Wild Horse Desert by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Technophobia! by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Barbara Jordan by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Exiles and Citizens by William E. Doolittle
Cover of the book Mexican Folk Narrative from the Los Angeles Area by William E. Doolittle
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy