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Tawila Tanks & Gardens
The Tawila
Tanks,
also known as 'Aden Tanks', the
'Cisterns', 'Queen of Sheba Tanks' or 'Solomon's Tanks', are located at the head of
Tawila Valley
in the southwest sector of Crater. They are
considered one of the greatest historical
engineering feats in South Arabia, likely built
and developed during the rules of Banu
Zuraia’, the Roulades, the Tahirides and the
Ottomans and mentioned in the ancient Al-
Musnad inscriptions. However, not much is
accurately known of their history.
The system of
tanks were designed both to collect the
scarce rain water and divert run off to
protect the city of Crater in case of heavy
rains and sweeping floods. They were
excavated out of solid rock and lined with a
thick coat of fine stucco, resembling
marble. However, at some
unknown point in time the tanks became
completely buried, filled with stones and
soil washed down from the mountain slopes by
the rains.
Tawila
Valley circa 1880. Playfair Tank in foreground.
Credit has
been attributed to Lieutenant Robert Lambert Playfair,
when Assistant Resident in Aden in 1854, for
accidentally rediscovering the tanks.
However, Commander
Haines
was aware of them when he visited Aden in
1835 whilst surveying the South Arabian
coast.
In 1856 the
restoration of these magnificent public
works was commenced and on 23rd October 1857
the tanks which had been cleared were filled
with rainwater for the first time since
restoration. Subsequently, with more tanks
restored, they were filled again in May
1864, May 1870 and September 1877.
The lower
circular tank, named Playfair Tank, was
the last to be restored. There were
originally 53 tanks but today only 13
remain. The aggregate capacity for all
the tanks exceeds twenty million imperial
gallons.
Up to 31st
March 1874 the restoration and repair costs
had reached
£37,000.
Whilst the
tanks contained water the condenser on
Sirah Island (built 1869) for
producing distilled water was not used. The
tank water was issued to the troops and also
to the public at a cost of 1 rupee per 100
gallons or 8 annas (nearly one shilling
sterling) for a skin containing 5 gallons.
Aden's average
rainfall was
only 3" but it rained perhaps only
twice every two years. When the tanks were
filled the water was sold by auction and was carried it away in tins,
goatskins, or water carts.
The
rainfall was always a
welcome treat for local children who would
be seen swimming (yes swimming) in the
flooded streets of Crater. The rains were
not so welcomed by those who lived in
makeshift wood and cardboard shelters on the
mountain slopes as the torrential rain would
sweep their ramshackle homes into the valleys below.
Aden
Museum built in 1930, located in the Tawila
Gardens. |
Lower circular tank named Playfair Tank
The main
watercourse connecting the tanks
Today any
water in the tanks is used to a small
extent to irrigate the Tawila Gardens,
which offer a relatively cooling respite from the
oppressive heat of the town. Local women can still be
seen today collecting water from the tanks.
The Arabs
believed that each time the tanks became
full there must be three deaths by drowning.
One such incident witnessed the drowning of
an Indian overseer who was seen floating
head down in one of the larger tanks while a
hundred people stood on the bank within a
few feet of him. They could easily have
saved him, but would not touch him as it was
believed to be unlucky to touch the dying. |
