Shaduuf

Building Background: The Shaduf

The most ancient of methods of moving water, the Shaduf, is pictured on walls of pyramids and other buildings from ancient times. The glyphs show ancient Egyptians moving water with a simple lever apparatus.

This method of moving water is still used today in modern Egypt. See the video below:

The shaduf uses a simple lever system that allows the worker to lift significant volumes of water from the river and move it to the field to irrigate a crop.  This method can be explored further by building and testing the shaduf as shown in this video. You might either demonstrate this apparatus, or have students make their own models and test them.

Specific instructions and materials for building and testing the shaduf can be found here at: Building a Shaduf. 

If you are interested in pursuing this background exploration, see The Science of the Shaduf. There are opportunities here to review the lever as a simple machine and to make measurements and calculations about the efficiency of the process of moving water from river to field. This can be an excellent opportunity to help students learn or review how to create accurate data tables.  Since the shaduf is a lever, measurements of load, distance and force can be charted and relative efficiency can be calculated as a comparison for both arms of the lever.

An interesting variation of the shaduf can be found a continent away. You might ask students about this method of moving water. Does it look easy? Does it look like one can transport a great deal of water in this way? What are the limitations of such a device?

Shaduf Question sheet:  SHADUF.DOCX

RETURN TO MOVING WATER