The workshop aims to bring together researchers specialising in archaeology and water management in arid landscapes. Water management plays a vital part in archaeological research related to the emergence of complex societies, ancient economies, population dynamics, and the role of agriculture in early empires. Irrigation is also among the earliest examples of large-scale human modification of landscapes. Therefore, such studies go beyond archaeological interest and touch on today’s critical issues, including human impact on the environment, climate change, sustainability, and resource management. Landscapes and irrigation features are diverse, requiring different research methods.

The two-day workshop provides an overview of recent advances and issues in water management research in archaeology. Selected topics include textual records, geomorphology, remote sensing, computational modelling, and machine and deep learning methods. Progress resulting from the UnderTheSands project will be presented. Each block of the workshop will cover a different approach to the studies, types of water management or structures, and dedicated research regions: North Africa, the Near East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Northwestern India.

The workshop aims to advance archaeological water research by promoting future research collaboration and creating an environment that encourages developing and exchanging novel research methods.