Lost Legacy: The Ancient Dam of Sadd-el-Kafara Approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Cairo, near the town of Helwan, lie the remnants of Sadd-el-Kafara, an ancient embankment dam erected around 3,700 years ago. This monumental structure was intended primarily to control the torrents and floods arising from sudden storms, while also serving as a water source for laborers and animals involved in quarrying activities for the construction of nearby pyramids and temples. Sadly, before its completion, the dam succumbed to the force of a flood. It wasn't until less than 140 years ago that the dam was rediscovered, revealing its significance as the world's oldest dam of such magnitude.
Photo credit: Matthieu Götz
Situated in the Wadi Garawi, one of several valleys east of the Nile Valley, the dam occupied a strategic position, narrowing the Garawi ravine to around 100 meters wide. Originally measuring 113 meters in length and 14 meters in width, with a base width of 98 meters and a crest width of 56 meters, the dam's core comprised 60,000 tons of earth and rock-fill, capable of storing between 465,000 to 625,000 cubic meters of water. Presently, only the dam's extremities remain standing, with the central portion eroded away, leaving a gap of approximately 50 to 60 meters wide.
The dam's location prompts speculation regarding its purpose. While it lacks evidence of supporting farmland or settlements requiring irrigation, its position in a narrow valley suggests it was designed to mitigate sudden flash floods rather than for agricultural irrigation. Scholars propose it was constructed to protect settlements at the mouth of the Wadi Garawi from floods originating in the Nile Valley.
Signs of erosion on the dam's downstream face imply it was overwhelmed by a flood, exacerbated by the absence of spillways or diversion channels. The incomplete downstream section, coupled with the inward slope of the crest potentially serving as a spillway, left the structure vulnerable to overtopping. The catastrophic collapse likely triggered a devastating flood downstream, discouraging further construction of similar dams for nearly eight centuries.
Discovered in 1885 by German archaeologist Georg Schweinfurth, the exposed cross-section resulting from the missing midsection allowed for detailed study of the dam's construction. Despite its ancient origins, the dam's sides remain remarkably well-preserved, offering valuable insights into ancient engineering practices.
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