The General Assembly of the United Nations declared the years from 2005 to 2015 the "International Decade of Water". During this period, the U.N. intends to devote special efforts to guarantee access to water to all human beings and future generations.
Today we are faced with a daily, widespread and systematic violation of the right to water. There are many interrelated aspects at play in this situation. Environmental, political, economic, legal, historical, social and cultural perspectives represent different keys to interpret water issues and the difficulties faced by a large section of the world population in accessing it.
This volume is part of the project called "Water: a common asset of humanity, a right for all" which includes a broad range of international initiatives directed to promoting a culture of water as a common asset, and an opportunity to participate in an act of active citizenship based on cooperation and solidarity with all the people of the world.

Water and anthropology is divided into fourteen chapters:
1. Water and/is the principle
2. Water as creator water as bearer of death
3. Water and rain between love and hate
4. Give the storm a face
5. "A fulgore et tempestate"
6. Fighting droughts
7. Water and meeting places
8. The thirst of the dead
9. Water and the unknown: divination techniques
10. Sacredness of water and mythological figures
11. Pagan worship and hydrotherapy
12. Miraculous waters, pre-christian worship and sanctuaries
13. Saints and water
14. Miraculous waters today