The 17th Doctoral Meeting of Archaeology at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne brought together PhD students from several disciplines to discuss water issues in ancient societies to highlight the ways in which communities were able to exploit water and its resources, control it and integrate it into their social imaginary. Approaches based on archaeology, geoarchaeology and history present the different solutions adopted by ancient societies in a variety of chronological and cultural contexts: strategies for perfecting fishing activities, development of river and maritime networks, irrigation practices and control of hydraulic infrastructures, water management in arid and nomadic areas. These systems aim to preserve water resources, protect inhabited areas from the dangers of water, and enjoy its healing and spiritual benefits. At a time when water has become an endangered natural resource, these varied studies provide an opportunity to reflect on current management of water, and reveal solutions that existed in the past, only to call on them again in the present.