Constructing Hydraulic Infrastructure in the ʿAbbāsid and Ṭūlūnid Capitals: Water Conduits in Baghdad, Samarra and Cairo between the Eighth and Ninth Centuries

Early Islamic hydraulic infrastructure, particularly water conduits in Baghdad, Samarra, and Cairo (al-Qaṭāʾiʿ), was primarily constructed to serve elite needs rather than the general populace. This study reveals that such projects required substantial financial and labor investments but often prioritized luxury for ruling classes over broader public utility. Using textual and material evidence, researchers analyzed three case studies—Baghdad under the ʿAbbāsid Caliphate, Samarra as a short-lived capital, and Cairo during the Ṭūlūnid dynasty—to explore construction motivations, maintenance challenges, and long-term usage patterns. The findings underscore the dual role of these systems: as symbols of power and as functional but elite-centric urban amenities.

van den Bent, J., & Brown, P. J. (2025). Constructing Hydraulic Infrastructure in the ʿAbbāsid and Ṭūlūnid Capitals: Water Conduits in Baghdad, Samarra and Cairo between the Eighth and Ninth Centuries. Al-Masāq, 37(1), 126–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/09503110.2024.2435086