UJI participates in the project “Archeology of architecture in the province of Castellón”

“Archeology of l’architecture in the province of Castelló. Patrimonialització, cataloging and web design with a didactic and tourism management instrument ”is a research project that the FACSA Chair of the Jaume I University supports and that we would like to bring you closer to, since its objective is to value the architectural value of the historical hydraulic heritage.

In the lands of Castellón, a rich architecture related to the transport and management of water has been set up for centuries, which has aroused great interest by carrying out valuable work aimed at cataloging and protecting the aforementioned hydraulic heritage. . However, it is common today to find abandoned structures, as in use, to which an uncertain chronology is attributed.

The project proposes to move towards a greater knowledge of construction techniques and the use of materials applied to hydraulic architecture, not only in ancient and medieval chronologies, but also modern ones. Because these works have not only been repaired on countless occasions, but when a documentary follow-up is made, transformations and technical improvements are evident, which represents a great opportunity for archeology. Indeed, from an archaeological point of view, there is an important gap in the study of the hydraulic material culture of Roman, medieval and modern times. In fact, we know almost nothing about the long-term evolution of these constructions and, therefore, about the changes that took place in each epoch, assuming that these were practically the same between the 13th and 19th centuries, when in reality, we know they weren’t.

This project began in 2021 with the study of aqueducts built to bridge gaps, specifying the origins and linking them to the possibilities as a resource for local and tourist development in the province. Over the course of three years, the cataloging of the buildings dedicated to water abstraction, distribution and distribution through ditches and underground conduction mines, other auxiliary works will be completed, and finally, the uses of the water through power generating facilities.