Las Médulas

Las Médulas
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Panoramic view of Las Médulas
LocationProvince of León, Castile and León, Spain
Includes
  1. Zone principal de la mina de oro de Las Médulas
  2. Estéiles de la Balouta
  3. Estéiles de Valdebría
  4. Estéiles de Yeres
CriteriaCultural: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Reference803
Inscription1997 (21st Session)
Area2,208.2 ha (5,457 acres)
Coordinates42°28′9.8″N 6°46′14.7″W / 42.469389°N 6.770750°W / 42.469389; -6.770750
Las Médulas is located in Castile and León
Las Médulas
Location of Las Médulas in Castile and León
Las Médulas is located in Spain
Las Médulas
Las Médulas (Spain)

Las Médulas (As Médulas or As Meduas in Galician language) is a historical site near the town of Ponferrada, Spain.[1] It used to be the most important gold mine in the Roman Empire. In order to remove the gold, the Romans washed away an entire mountain.[2] From the 2nd to the 4th century AD the Romans used slaves to mine about 900 tons of gold.[2] It left a series of rock pinnacles, gullies, caves and tunnels.[2] Las Médulas is listed by the UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Damien Simonis; et al., Spain (Footscray, Vic.; London: Lonely Planet, 2007), p. 221
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 James Maxwell Anderson, Spain, 1001 Sights: An Archaeological and Historical Guide (Calgary, Canada: University of Calgary Press; London: Robert Hale, 1991), p. 190
  3. ↑ Henry Cleere, 'The World Heritage Convention As a Medium for Promoting the Industrial Heritage', IA. The Journal of the Society for Industrial Architecture, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2000, p. 33

Further reading

  • Lewis, P. R. and G. D. B. Jones, Roman gold-mining in north-west Spain, Journal of Roman Studies 60 (1970): 169-85
  • Jones, R. F. J. and Bird, D. G., Roman gold-mining in north-west Spain, II: Workings on the Rio Duerna, Journal of Roman Studies 62 (1972): 59-74.
  • Domergue, C. and Hérail, G., Conditions de gisement et exploitation antique à Las Médulas (León, Espagne) in L'or dans l'antiquité: de la mine à l'objet, B. Cauuet, ed., Aquitania Supplement, 9 (Bordeaux 1999): 93-116.
  • Journeys Through European Landscapes/Voyages dans les Paysages Européens. COST-ESF, Ponferrada: 101-104.

Other websites

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Las Médulas.