Ancient Roman quarries of Cartagena, Roman quarry site in Canteras, Cartagena, Spain.
This Roman quarry site contains extensive extraction areas with visible tool marks, excavated chambers, and mining galleries cut into the rocky terrain. The multiple levels and shafts reveal the depth and scale of this ancient stone-working operation.
Stone extraction began in ancient times and supplied the city's major building projects for centuries, including the Punic fortifications and the Roman theater. Commercial quarrying here ceased only in the mid-20th century.
Visitors see the hands-on skills of ancient stoneworkers directly in the preserved cutting patterns and extraction methods left on the stone faces. These traces show how Romans sourced material for their major building projects in the city.
The site is accessible via marked pathways with informational panels explaining extraction and transportation methods used in ancient times. Sturdy footwear is recommended since the uneven ground and excavated areas require careful footing.
Roman numerals carved into the stone walls served as a measuring system to record stone production during the imperial period. These markings offer insight into how workers and managers tracked output and managed the operation.
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