Water, culture, civilization, and history

Abstract Life on earth descends from water, and water is the lifeblood of our planet. Existence, and prosperity of the mankind depends on access to safe water, and access to water has been the key of any sustainable civilization. All great civilizations have grown up, and thrived around water. Not only water is necessary for drinking and hygiene, indeed it is a base for agriculture, commerce, transportation, and even defense from the foes. The growth and evolution of human culture and civilization have had a strong relationship with water resources. Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Romans, Venetian Empire, and the Omayyad dynasty were all based upon sustainable water resources, which helped them to survive and thrive. The sustainability and development of past, and present human societies have been conditioned by advances in water science, and by their use through engineering and technology. In this chapter, we review the effects of water upon the growth of different civilizations through history, and its impact on the culture, beliefs and beliefs of human societies. Examples are provided in these contexts.