Shaduf also spelled Shadoof, is a hand-operated device for lifting water, invented in ancient times.
The Shaduf is known as the first device used for lifting water in several ancient civilizations.
Water lifting devices have existed since ca. 3000 BC in various parts of the world. It is referred to as Shaduf (Shadoof) in Egypt, Zirigum in Sumer, Dhenkli in India, Kilonion or Kelonion in Hellas, and Daliya in Iraq.
The farmers of ancient Egypt produced excess food due to their ability to cultivate vast tracts of land. The Shaduf made it easier for the irrigation of crops near river banks.
The irrigation hand-operating tool is still used in Egypt, and some other countries to irrigate the land.
Typically it consists of a long, tapering, nearly horizontal pole mounted like a seesaw.
A bucket is hung on a rope from the long end, and a counterweight is hung on the short end.
The operator pulls down on a rope attached to the long end to fill the bucket and allows the counterweight to raise the bucket. To raise water to higher levels, a series of Shadufs are sometimes mounted one above the other.
Additionally, the Egyptians created mud-brick reservoirs to collect and store the water. These reservoirs discharge onto a system of irrigation canals, which were filled with water during a flood and replenished using the Shaduf.
The Shaduf was widely spread in the ancient world, and several ancient civilizations dispute its origin.
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