WHAT IS A TUNNEL a tunnel is an underground path It is completely enclosed with an opening at each end Tunnels have existed since ancient times Many of the oldest tunnels were aqueducts Aqueducts moved water Some aqueducts brought water to crops Others took water away from swamps Aqueducts also provided people with water for drinking washing and cooking AQUEDUCT IN ISRAEL BUILT 2 000 YEARS AGO AQUEDUCT IN PERU BUILT 1 400 YEARS AGO
ANCIENT BABYLONIA The Babylonians were an ancient civilization that existed where Iraq is today Nearly 4 000 years ago the Babylonians built the first tunnel that went under a river It went under the Euphrates River in the city of Babylon This tunnel connected the royal palace on one side with a temple on the other side It was 3 000 feet 900 m long 12 feet 3 7 m high and 15 feet 4 6 m wide IRAQ EUPHRATES RIVER BAGHDAD BABYLON ANCIENT CAPITAL PRESENT DAY CAPITAL BABYLONIA IN 1750 BCE
HOW PEOPLE USE TUNNELS there there are many uses for tunnels Besides moving water these uses include mining sewers and transportation MINING Miners dig tunnels to reach natural resources that are underground These include coal diamonds and gold
SEWERS Sewers take used dirty water called sewage away from homes and businesses Long ago this water flowed in gutters on the streets But exposed sewage can make people sick Today sewage flows through underground tunnels Tunnels help keep our towns clean and healthy TRANSPORTATION Tunnels help with transportation in different ways They allow vehicles to pass through obstacles such as mountains and rivers Tunnels also keep traffic from dividing up urban areas Instead subways use tunnels to go under cities
