Absent Voices and Unwarranted Presences: A Combined Multi-Approach to Mapping the Roman Hydraulic System Supplying Las Médulas Gold Mine (NW, Iberia)

A groundbreaking study reveals that the Roman hydraulic system supplying Las Médulas gold mine, spanning 1110 km, served purposes beyond mining. Using advanced geomatic techniques and a novel Matlab script, researchers identified 41 canals—33 in La Cabrera and eight in El Bierzo—with 14 directly feeding Las Médulas. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about water sources and construction methods, providing a detailed map that also serves as a methodological model for studying ancient hydraulic systems worldwide.

Fernández-Lozano, J., González-Pérez, I., González-Abajo, Á., Sanz-Ablanedo, E., & Rodríguez-Pérez, J. R. (2025). Absent Voices and Unwarranted Presences: A Combined Multi-Approach to Mapping the Roman Hydraulic System Supplying Las Médulas Gold Mine (NW, Iberia). Geosciences, 15(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15010013