While the history of the barrel goes back to Babylon and Roman times and the rain barrel would have to follow that, the history of rainwater harvesting would very possibly go back to the first appearance of “Man”. It is very likely that the “cave man” collected rainwater for future use. Exactly how he did this is something we’ll probably never know for sure, but we can theorize, and theories are always fuel for the creative mind. Most likely they used animal skins to trap water, but who knows for sure.
Before the advent of the wooden barrel there was the “clay barrel” or urn. The first uses of this type of container may have been for wine and oils, however it is quite likely that they were used to collect rainwater, since in India in the 3rd century BC not only the collection of rainwater is mentioned rain, but there is also a note that “community members who did not participate in water management activities were punished.”* I have no idea what this punishment might have been, but I’d bet it was more severe than the fine could be subject in Southern California for violating water conservation rules.
In Ethiopia there are records of rainwater harvesting being used from 560 B.C. C., but the oldest recorded use of rainwater harvesting predates this by thousands of years. In southern Mesopotamia there is evidence of water harvesting dating back to 4500 BC. C. The barrel did not come into use in the Roman Empire until about 300 AD. C., although the Gauls had used it for a few hundred years, so you can see that the rain barrel was late in the evolution of rainwater harvesting. The exact date wooden barrels were first used to capture rainwater is unknown, but it could be assumed that it was not long after barrels were in common use.
When we think of barrels, we think of the cylindrical container, but it also became a unit of measure in the English system and, although it varied over time, it was generally between 31 and 42 gallons. Barrels were the shipping container of choice for about 2,000 years before the advent of metal drums and cardboard containers. The barrels were used to ship everything from gold coins and nails to fine wines and whiskey. Since they were so common and capable of retaining liquids, they became ideal for capturing rainwater. If you watch an old western, you’ll often see a rainwater barrel in the bottom that was probably left over from something that was shipped much like the old cardboard boxes of today.
With the advancement of today’s technology, most “rain barrels” are made of plastic and come in all sizes and shapes, from the traditional barrel to shapes that resemble a child’s building blocks. The least traditional of these is an Australian innovation called the Rainwater HOG, which was invented by Sally Dominguez, an Australian inventor and architect. It has a unique look very different from the shape of a traditional barrel. It is shaped like “Gumby” or a green domino. Most of the others are shaped like barrels or tanks but, being plastic, there has been a bit of creativity in how they look. I only mention the “HOG” because of the unusual name and the fact that it was actually designed by an architect for its looks and functionality.
Today in Southern California there is a shortage of water, even though it seems to have rained. The reason is that the rain went down the storm drains into the ocean and very little remained. The use of rainwater harvesting would help in many ways. While you probably don’t want to drink rainwater for a variety of reasons, from pollutants on your roof to what’s removed from the air in the Los Angeles area, there are plenty of uses for the water, from watering your lawn to washing your car. where rainwater is collected. system would be just what the doctor ordered. If you own a golf course, you could have “green” greens, if you’ll excuse my grumpiness. The point is that saving rainwater for future use was a good idea for Southern Mesopotamians and it’s still a good idea for Southern Californians.
