Water Pump

Amra, Jordan

Amra was supplied by a 40m-deep ground-water well. The water was pumped to a large holding tank behind the well, and distributed from there to the baths. This photo shows the pumping mechanism. A horizontal wood beam (waist height, photo center) is attached to the vertical shaft. Plodding around in a circle, a tethered animal would push the beam, which turned the vertical shaft, which was geared to the horizontal shaft, which turned the windlass, which raised water from the well.