Canterbury, England · 12th century
The first “bottled water” was connected to a murder
After Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, stories of miraculous healing spread. Pilgrims visiting his shrine could buy “St Thomas’ Water”, a mixture of water and Becket’s blood, and carry it home in small metal containers called ampullae.
Why it matters: Long before the modern bottled-water industry, people were already filling small containers with special water and taking them home.
“Long before water became an industry, people already understood that some water was worth carrying home.”
Source: British Museum
Ancient Persia
The underground water network that crossed the desert
Thousands of years ago, Persian engineers developed qanats: underground tunnels that tapped groundwater and carried it over long distances using gravity alone. Some systems ran for kilometres and supported whole settlements and farming communities in extremely dry regions.
Why it matters: It wasn’t just engineering. The water was managed by the community and shared among its users, following long-held traditions.
“They did not fight the desert. They learned how to bring water through it.”
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Ancient Egypt & Greece
The day water became a clock
Before mechanical clocks, people used water itself to measure time. The ancient Egyptians used water clocks more than 3,000 years ago. One surviving example, linked to the reign of Amenhotep III, used slowly draining water to mark the passing of the night. Later, Greek water clocks, called clepsydrae, were even used to limit the length of speeches in court.
Why it matters: A person’s time to argue a case could literally depend on how quickly water moved.
“Before the clock measured our lives, water measured our time.”
Source: Science Museum Group Collection
