A sakia (alternative spelling sakieh, also called Persian wheel; Arabic: ساقية‎, sāqīya), tympanum or tablia is a water wheel, somewhat similar to a noria, and used primarily in Egypt. It is a large hollow wheel, normally made of galvanized sheet steel, with scoops or buckets at the periphery. Its unique characteristic is that water is dispensed near the hub rather than from the top. It is a method of irrigation frequently met within various parts of India.