Millstone Production in the Quarry at Fonte da Ribeira. On the Roman Mining District of Três Minas, Gralheira and Campo de Jales (distr. Vila Real / P)

Abstract

The Roman gold mining district of Três Minas, Gralheira und Campo de Jales in Northern Portugal consists not only of the areas where the precious metal was actually extracted, and the associated settlement but also of further functional areas for the provision of this industrial complex with goods. A Roman granite quarry is preserved in the field Fonte da Ribeira which, among others served as the production site of millstones for the mining settlement in the 1st and 2nd century. The rich variety of rejected stones allows the reconstruction of the production process between the twomica granite corn mills from the selection and splitting of a piece from the granite block and the modelling as bed stone or runner stone. The systematic approach of the Roman stonemasons is reflected by the progress in processing which allows us to understand the production phases.