A new study of Petra’s ‘Ain Braq aqueduct has revealed a surprisingly sophisticated water-delivery setup, including a rare lead pipeline that suggests engineers were moving water under pressure across difficult terrain. The standout discovery is a previously undocumented lead conduit around 116 meters long, an unusual choice outside buildings in the eastern Mediterranean hinting at both wealth and technical confidence in the Nabataean capital’s infrastructure.
Petra, in today’s southern Jordan, is famous for its rock-cut monuments, but it was also a city that could not thrive without careful water planning. At its height, Petra supported baths, pools, garden spaces, and temple water features, demanding steady flow in a semi-arid landscape explains a Phys.org report.
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Ornamental Garden and Pool Complex at Petra, supplied by the city’s waterworks. ((Jorge Láscar/CC BY 2.0)
A Close-Up Survey Changes the Picture
Rather than relying only on broad, “macro” reconstructions of Petra’s hydraulic network, researcher Niklas Jungmann (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) focused on a tightly defined zone: a 2,500 m² sector of the Jabal al-Madhbah massif. This micro-survey approach uncovered a denser and more complex set of installations than previously recognized in that area.
During fieldwork connected to the Urban Development of Ancient Petra Project (UrDAP) in September 2023, the team documented nine conduits, along with a large reservoir blocked toward the city by a high dam, plus two cisterns and seven basins of varying sizes. The lead conduit appears to belong to a phase when pressurized transport was considered worth the expense. The report has been published in the journal, Levant.
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Section of the regular aqueduct at Petra. (Dr. Erwin Schwentner/CC BY-SA 1.0)
Why a Lead Pipeline Matters
Terracotta pipes are far more typical for Nabataean systems, particularly for gravity-fed flow. Lead, by contrast, is smooth, welded, and better suited to high-pressure situations, especially where an “inverted siphon” principle might be useful in steep, uneven landscapes. That’s a big part of why a lead line in Petra’s aqueduct is such an attention-grabber, notes Phys.org.
Jungmann notes that lead pipelines outside building complexes are extremely rare in the wider region, and argues that choosing lead implies major investment, not just in raw material, but in fuel and specialist skills. He also suggests the goal may have been to bring water up to az-Zantur hill and then onward toward Petra’s city center, feeding high-demand areas.
A Strange Dam and a Later Switch to Terracotta
Alongside the pipeline, the survey also recorded an unusual retention dam: irregular in outline, tiered in appearance, and lacking a clearly visible pressure outlet on the preserved face. Jungmann suggests the strange profile could be partly explained by how builders closed a gap in the sandstone, and also notes that Petra’s dams may once have been plastered to visually blend into the surrounding rock.
The story also has a “technology pivot.” At some point, the lead line was sealed and replaced (or bypassed) in favor of a terracotta conduit, likely an economic and maintenance decision, given the cost and expertise required to keep lead systems working. The shift is a reminder that ancient water engineering wasn’t static: it evolved with budgets, skills, and the city’s changing needs.
Top image: Lead pipe discovered in situ: Source: Urban Development of Ancient Petra Project, N. Jungmann/ Levant
By Gary Manners
References
Oster, S., 2026. Petra aqueduct survey uncovers rare 116-meter lead conduit beside terracotta pipe. Available at: https://phys.org/news/2026-02-petra-aqueduct-survey-uncovers-rare.html
Jungmann, N. (2025). Rediscovering the ‘Ain Braq aqueduct: new insights into Petra’s urban water management. Levant: The Journal of the Council for British Research in the Levant, 1–19. doi:10.1080/00758914.2025.2592501
Radley, D., 2026. New study reveals advanced lead pipeline system in Petra’s ancient aqueduct. Available at: https://archaeologymag.com/2026/02/advanced-lead-pipeline-system-in-petra-aqueduct/
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