Water lilies (Nymphaea ampla) on tank surfaces showed clean water and represented Classic Maya kingship (c. 250-900 CE). Credit: Courtesy the Boston Museum of Fine ArtsAccording to a brand-new paper, ancient Maya tanks, which used water plants to filter and tidy the water, “can serve as archetypes for natural, sustainable water systems to address future water requirements.” Innovative Water Filtration TechniquesOver time, the Maya developed canals, berms, sluices, and dams to direct, shop, and transportation water. Credit: Fred ZwickyTo keep water lilies alive, water supervisors would have had to line the reservoirs with clay, Lucero stated. In turn, the water trees, lilies, and shrubs planted near the reservoirs shaded the water, cooling it and preventing the growth of algae.
Water lilies (Nymphaea ampla) on reservoir surface areas showed tidy water and symbolized Classic Maya kingship (c. 250-900 CE). Credit: Courtesy the Boston Museum of Fine ArtsAccording to a new paper, ancient Maya reservoirs, which used aquatic plants to filter and tidy the water, “can serve as archetypes for natural, sustainable water systems to attend to future water needs.” Innovative Water Filtration TechniquesOver time, the Maya developed canals, berms, dams, and sluices to direct, shop, and transportation water.
