The Maʾrib Dam was important because it allowed for irrigation of more than 23,700 acres (9,600 hectares), supporting a densely settled agricultural region. The Maʾrib Dam was built to regulate the waters of the Wadi Sadd and was essential to the civilization in the area. The ancient city that the dam supported has been called “the Paris of the ancient world.” The dam was about 1,900 feet (580 meters) long and of fine stone-and-masonry construction, with sluice gates to control the flow of water. The dam was improved upon for generations by Sabaean and Himyarite rulers. The remains of the Maʾrib Dam are still evident in present-day Maʾrib, Yemen.
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