Fayoum Waterwheels

The Fayoum Waterwheels are a group of large wooden wheels standing on the Bahr Yussef canal in the centre of Fayoum city, the capital of the governorate of the same name south-west of Cairo. They have become the symbol of Fayoum and appear on the governorate's official emblem. Their Arabic name, Sawaqi al-Hadir, refers to the continuous groaning sound they make as they turn.

Unlike the waterwheels traditionally used in the Nile Valley and Delta, those of Fayoum are not driven by animals. This is possible because Fayoum is a depression whose land slopes gradually down towards Lake Qarun, so that water moves through its canals fast enough to rotate the wheels and lift water to higher fields. The introduction of this type of wheel is generally attributed to the Ptolemaic period, when agriculture in the region was greatly expanded.

The four wheels in the city centre turn beside cafes and the main square, and are part of everyday life for residents. They are a working reminder of the irrigation system on which Fayoum's farming was built.