While the ancient water supply has been the subject of a large number of studies, most of them have focused on monumental structures such as aqueducts and fountains. Less impressive but much more numerous installations, such as cisterns and wells, have received far from the same attention, creating a substantial research lacuna. This volume aims to redress this situation by focusing on such small-scale water supply installations in and around houses across the ancient Mediterranean and beyond, ranging from Syria in the southeast to Britain in the northwest. In doing so we highlight themes such as the interconnectedness of the local water supply systems, how societies on the margins secured and managed their water supply system, and how the lack of water and access to it where and when it was needed created and reproduced inequalities and social hierarchies. This chapter is intended as an introduction to the volume, providing a research background, the volume’s aims, and ideas for future research directions.