What was the primary goal of early water filtration techniques used by ancient civilizations?

Improving the sensory experience by removing sediment, grit, and cloudiness so the water tasted better and looked clearer.

The foundational motivation for early water treatment, long before the understanding of microbes or chemical contaminants, was fundamentally sensory and aesthetic. Ancient societies recognized that water drawn from rivers or wells could be made significantly more appealing through simple physical means. This involved using readily available materials like cloth, sand, or gravel to physically strain out visible particles such as sediment and grit. The direct result of this process was water that appeared clearer and tasted better. While boiling might have been adopted later as a secondary step, the initial pursuit that defined the beginning of filtration centered entirely on improving the visual and gustatory qualities of the water.