International Water Day: River gods, monsters of lakes and the indelible power of myth

Water has always been a fundamental element for human survival and development.

In ancient cultures, water was not only a natural resource but also a strong symbolic entity associated with life, death, purification power and divine punishment.

The perceptions of purity and infection of water reflect the social, religious and moral values ​​of all era.

The use of water in rituals, the worship of deities associated with it, and its management in everyday life show how decisive it was for the evolution of societies.

Water as a symbol of purity

In almost every culture, water was linked to the concept of purity, both on the natural and spiritual level.

In ancient Greece, water was used in ritual cleansing, such as in the mysteries of Eleusis, where the faithful were cleaned in rivers or seas before the rite.

The temples had fountains or special tanks to purify the visitors, indicating the connection of the water to religious purity.

The ancient Greeks believed that cleanliness was not only physical but also moral.

In ancient Egypt, Nile was considered a sacred and source of life, while water was used in burial ceremonies to purify the dead.

The priests of the temples washed the statues of the gods daily with Nile water, believing that it secured their favor.

Similar practices are observed in Hindu tradition, where the water of the Ganges is considered sacred and is used to purify the body and soul.

The importance of water as a cleansing element is still maintained in many religious traditions.

Illustration by Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen for a Nøkken, a plasma of water that changes shape from German and Scandinavian folklore, 1904.

Water as a source of life and destruction

Ancient civilizations perceived water as a dual element: on the one hand, it gave life, on the other hand it could cause destruction.

Great floods, such as those of Nile, Tiger and Euphrates, could be beneficial, offering fertile land for cultivation, but also devastating when they took on uncontrolled dimensions. Water, as an element that transcended human power, was associated with divine interventions.

Flood myths are global and are often associated with divine punishment.

The most well -known western myth is that of Noah’s flood in the Bible, but also the Greek version of the myth with Deucalion and Pyrra, who survived a divine flood, re -establishing humanity.

Similar stories are found in Mesopotamia, as in the « Epic of Gilgames ».

In China, there are myths about floods controlled by heroes such as son the Great, who allegedly developed water management systems to save his people.

The contamination of water in antiquity

Although ancient cultures did not have modern knowledge of water infection by microorganisms, they were aware that infected water could be dangerous.

In ancient Greece, there were laws that banned the throwing of impurities into sacred rivers and springs.

Hippocrates was one of the first to associate water to health, stating that cities that had poor water were facing more epidemics.

The Greeks and the Romans used fabric filters to clean water, while the Chinese were boiling water before eating, practices that contributed to health protection.

The Pont du Gard, a Roman bridge and aqueduct of the first century AD. crossing the Gardon River near the city of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France.

The Romans built one of the most advanced water and sewer systems in antiquity.

Their aqueducts transported clean water from remote springs, while the sewers removed the sewage.

However, the infection of lead water (due to piping) probably contributed to the gradual decline of the Roman Empire.

Ancient civilizations understood that water could convey diseases, so they developed rules to manage it.

Water and deities

In every ancient culture, deities were related to water.

The Greeks worshiped Neptune as the god of the seas, while the nymphs and Naiades protected rivers and springs.

In Mesopotamia, Eki was a god of sweet waters, while in Egypt, God Happy represented the Nile and the fertility he brought.

Suijin, Japanese deity of water

In Japanese mythology, the deity of Swaiin was the patron of water and fishermen.

The connection of deities with water shows how important its role in everyday life and the cosmos of peoples was.

Timeless

Water has been and remains a central element in human experience, both on a practical and symbolic level.

Ancient civilizations adored it, scared it, respected it and tried to control it.

Today, infection and water scarcity are critical issues, reminding us that the wisdom of the ancients about the importance of water is still worth.