The Cueva Palombeira, excavated vertically through the hill that presses against the gorge of La Balouta (in Las M dulas, Le n, Spain), is an artifici
The Cueva Palombeira, excavated vertically through the hill that presses against the gorge of La Balouta (in Las M dulas, Le n, Spain), is an artificial tunnel constructed for the evacuation of waste material from the gold mine of Las M dulas. Upon entering a few meters into the cavity, one becomes aware of a tunnel cleanly sculpted into the rock, running along the upper part of the cavern, with vertical walls and an arched ceiling. In contrast, the rest of the cavity is a narrow incision with irregular walls, exposing the structure of an ancient fossilized karst gallery. After the construction of the tunnel during the Roman exploitation period of Las M dulas, the continuous flow of mud and waste materials eroded the initial floor, carrying away the weaker materials that sealed the gallery. These materials consisted of alluvial conglomerates. As a result, the tunnel s exit is located at the highest point of a vast cone of debris that fills the La Balouta ravine and reaches the site of Salas de la Ribera, a locality directly built upon the waste materials from Las M dulas.
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Photo credit: © Antonio Javier Rodriguez Reigosa / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
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