Abstract

Anatolia is considered as one of the foremost open-air museums of the world with regard to historical hydraulic works. The antique city Aphrodisias, near the settlement Geyre at the Karacasu District in the Aydın Province of Turkey, was supplied from two regions by long-distance water conveyance systems: (a) the 22 km long Yenidere (Timeles) water conveyance supplying the springwater near the village Güzelköy of the Tavas District in the Denizli Province, from the south-east (the conveyance from Sekiköy joined probably this system); (b) the 9 km long Işıklar water conveyance supplying the springwater near same-named village of the Karacasu District of the Aydın Province, from the north-west (the conveyance from Derindere springs joined probably this system). The Yenidere (Timeles) water conveyance is one of the rarely encountered historical example of water transfer between adjacent basins; and moreover, the length of the tunnel, of roughly 1% slope and 1m3/s capacity, digged with the ‘qanat’ system, is about 5 km from the entrance in the south-west of Yeşilköy and the outlet in the north-east of the village Kayapınar, and ranks among the longest ones of its kind in the antique world. This water conveyance system, especially the above mentioned tunnel section, which has a special place among the historical water works in Turkey, should be carefully investigated, duely repaired, and preserved for the future according to its international relevance.