Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France
Abstract Carbonate deposits formed in Roman aqueducts provide a window onto the environment and water management in antiquity. These laminated archives precipitated over a period of decades to centuries and are a potential high-resolution source of unwritten history. However, their use as environmen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-38655-z |
| _version_ | 1797752699857403904 |
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| author | Gül Sürmelihindi Cees W. Passchier Didier Rigal Andrew Wilson Christoph Spötl |
| author_facet | Gül Sürmelihindi Cees W. Passchier Didier Rigal Andrew Wilson Christoph Spötl |
| author_sort | Gül Sürmelihindi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Carbonate deposits formed in Roman aqueducts provide a window onto the environment and water management in antiquity. These laminated archives precipitated over a period of decades to centuries and are a potential high-resolution source of unwritten history. However, their use as environmental archives is hampered by local and partial removal during maintenance work in some aqueducts. This apparent problem, however, creates a unique opportunity to study Roman water management. We present the discovery of traces of regular maintenance in carbonate deposits of the Roman aqueduct of Divona (Cahors, France). The main objective of this study is to determine the periodicity of local carbonate removal and repairs in this aqueduct. Traces such as tool marks, calcite deformation twins, debris from cleaning and repairs are attested in the deposits as proof of periodic manual carbonate removal by Roman maintenance teams. The δ18O profile, recording at least 88 years of deposition, shows that maintenance work was done at intervals of 1–5 years. The undisturbed periodicity of the δ18O profile indicates that work was carried out rapidly and never in summer, consonant with the advice of the Roman author Frontinus about maintenance of the aqueducts of the city of Rome. Maintenance intervals lengthened and cleaning became less frequent close to the final years of the aqueduct. This change in maintenance policy gives insight into changing local population and socio-economic dynamics in late antiquity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:08:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7edf4adc62f045e781db6d87eb2817fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:08:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7edf4adc62f045e781db6d87eb2817fe2023-08-06T11:15:28ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-08-0113111110.1038/s41598-023-38655-zRoman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, FranceGül Sürmelihindi0Cees W. Passchier1Didier Rigal2Andrew Wilson3Christoph Spötl4School of Archaeology, University of OxfordInstitute for Geosciences, University of MainzInrap GSO, Albasud, impasse de LisbonneSchool of Archaeology/Faculty of Classics, and All Souls CollegeInstitute of Geology, University of InnsbruckAbstract Carbonate deposits formed in Roman aqueducts provide a window onto the environment and water management in antiquity. These laminated archives precipitated over a period of decades to centuries and are a potential high-resolution source of unwritten history. However, their use as environmental archives is hampered by local and partial removal during maintenance work in some aqueducts. This apparent problem, however, creates a unique opportunity to study Roman water management. We present the discovery of traces of regular maintenance in carbonate deposits of the Roman aqueduct of Divona (Cahors, France). The main objective of this study is to determine the periodicity of local carbonate removal and repairs in this aqueduct. Traces such as tool marks, calcite deformation twins, debris from cleaning and repairs are attested in the deposits as proof of periodic manual carbonate removal by Roman maintenance teams. The δ18O profile, recording at least 88 years of deposition, shows that maintenance work was done at intervals of 1–5 years. The undisturbed periodicity of the δ18O profile indicates that work was carried out rapidly and never in summer, consonant with the advice of the Roman author Frontinus about maintenance of the aqueducts of the city of Rome. Maintenance intervals lengthened and cleaning became less frequent close to the final years of the aqueduct. This change in maintenance policy gives insight into changing local population and socio-economic dynamics in late antiquity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-38655-z |
| spellingShingle | Gül Sürmelihindi Cees W. Passchier Didier Rigal Andrew Wilson Christoph Spötl Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France Scientific Reports |
| title | Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France |
| title_full | Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France |
| title_fullStr | Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France |
| title_full_unstemmed | Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France |
| title_short | Roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of Divona, France |
| title_sort | roman aqueduct maintenance in the water supply system of divona france |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-38655-z |
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