Médulas

Médulas is a toponym used for several places in the Iberian Peninsula. The most internationally known is Las Médulas, an archaeological landscape in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, Las Médulas preserves the remains of a major Roman gold-mining operation. The landscape is characterized by stepped, red-toned terraces carved into the hills, created by hydraulic mining techniques that released ore from the mountains along the Sil River valley.

The site dates to the late Roman period (roughly the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE) and includes remnants of mining galleries, reservoirs, and aqueducts that transported water to wash and separate the ore. It is valued for its engineering ingenuity, its scale, and its contribution to the understanding of ancient mining economies. The area is near the towns of Carucedo and Ponferrada, and is a popular destination for hiking and cultural tourism.

In addition to Las Médulas, the name Médulas is used for smaller rural localities within various municipalities in Galicia and Castile and León. These places are typically parishes or settlements and are much less documented in global references. The toponym reflects historical naming patterns in the region.