By Jim Fitch
Practicing Oil Analysis Magazine
The word “noria” comes from the Arabic term, Na-urah, meaning “the first water machine.” It was the earliest mechanical device propelled by means other than man or animal. The noria was an inevitable invention that sparked the development of countless types of hydraulic and rotating machines. Over the centuries, it has allowed civilizations to nourish their villages and crops with water, the most fundamental of resources. In time, this triggered the beginning of a new era – the turning of arid lands into prosperous empires.
Unfortunately, there are limited historical accounts describing these ancient machines, making much of the story about the noria a bit of a mystery. It is uncertain when and where the first noria came into existence. Yet some information does exist to help piece together a possible evolution of the noria and subsequent machines. The following is a brief summary of this early chronology based on available historical and engineering references.