Researchers study the unique hydraulics in the Barbegal water mills, the world's earliest known industrial plant

The Barbegal watermills in southern France are a unique complex dating back to the second century AD. The construction and its 16 waterwheels represent the first attempt in Europe to build a machine complex on an industrial scale. The complex was created when the Roman Empire was at the height of its power. However, little is known about technological advances, particularly in the field of hydraulics and the spread of knowledge at the time. A team of scientists led by Professor Cees Passchier from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has now gained new knowledge about the construction and principle of the water supply to the mills in Barbegal. The research results were published in Scientific Reports.