Roman life in Baetica

Project	Geophysical prospection amd virtual reconstruction in Munigua
Location	Castillo de Mulva near Villanueva del Río y Minas, Seville, Spain
Period	Roman Empire, 1st to 4th century AD
Methods	GPR, IP geoelectrics, virtual reconstruction
Client	DAI Madrid, Dr. Thomas Schattner

Terraced sanctuary of Munigua		IP geoelectrics on slag heaps		Location of Casa de Alcántara 3 (Photo: DAI Madrid)

OBJECTIVES The Roman municipium of Munigua is located in the oak woods of the Sierra Morena, north of Seville (Spain). It covers an area of only 4 hectares. The impressive terraced sanctuary dominates the town's skyline. GPR measurements were used to clarify the course of the city wall of Munigua. Additionally, buildings lying outside the city wall were to be located and investigated. Another question was the quantification of slag heaps in and around the city. The amount of slag should help to evaluate the economical base of the Roman site.


COMPLETED WORKS and results
The GPR measurements on the city wall yielded important results on the construction history of the site. At a distance of about 1 km from the actual urban area two additional areas were surveyed housing the remains of rural constructions. This resulted in the discovery of Casa de Alcántara 3.

The GPR data of Casa 3 were used for a virtual 3D reconstruction realized by the architect Christophe Barlieb . The model provides a base for planning of excavations and conservation. (See also: ZODIAC )

GPR timeslices of Casa de Alcántara 3	Virtual 3D model of Casa de Alcántara 3 (By Chr. Barlieb)

The results of 3D geoelectrical investigations recording resistivity and IP effect were transformed into volume models of the slag heaps allowing the calculation of the amount of metal produced in Roman Munigua.

3D volume model of a slag heap
based on geoelectrical IP data


Contact Cornelius Meyer (meyer@eastern-atlas.com )
Burkart Ullrich (b.ullrich@eastern-atlas.de )
Christophe Barlieb (c@barlieb.com )
Dr. Thomas Schattner, DAI Madrid (schattner@madrid.dainst.org )

links
Further information on Munigua: (www.dainst.org )