* Cisterns were usually dug into rock and sealed with plaster to keep the water in. A "broken cistern" happened when the plaster became cracked so that the water leaked out.
* Both wells and cisterns were usually covered with a large stone to prevent anything falling in it. Often there was a rope with a bucket or pot attached to it to bring the water up to the surface.
* The term "cistern" could be translated as "stone water pit" or "deep and narrow pit for water" or "underground tank for holding water."
* These terms are similar in meaning. The main difference is that a well continually receives water from underground springs, whereas a cistern is a holding tank for water that usually comes from rain.
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