noun
- plural of shaduf: ancient irrigation devices consisting of a long pole balanced on a fulcrum, with a bucket on one end and a counterweight on the other, used to lift water from rivers or wells
Usage: historical; archaeology
Examples
- The archaeologists discovered several ancient shadufs along the Nile River.
- Farmers in ancient Egypt used shadufs to irrigate their crops efficiently.
- The museum’s exhibit featured reconstructed shadufs from Mesopotamia.
- These shadufs allowed workers to lift water with minimal effort using counterweights.
- Traditional shadufs can still be found in some rural areas of the Middle East.