Project description
Reviving ancient water systems for the future
Water scarcity is becoming an urgent issue as climate change accelerates, but solutions can be found in the past. In Alferrara, Portugal, ancient monastic hydraulic systems offer a glimpse into sustainable water management. These systems, used between the 14th and 19th centuries, supplied water for drinking, washing, and irrigation, while supporting medicinal gardens. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the AQUA-REVIVE project will digitally reconstruct these water networks, using non-invasive methods to explore their design and function. The research aims to create a revitalisation plan that blends conservation with modern uses, such as educational spaces and agricultural initiatives, helping preserve both cultural heritage and water resources for future generations.
Objective
As climate change exacerbates water scarcity across the world, the study of historic water management systems has been offering promising solutions that actively preserve environmental and cultural livelihoods. I will contribute to this growing body of research by studying the ruins of two interlinked monastic hydraulic systems in Alferrara, Portugal. These monastic communities relied on sophisticated water management strategies to maintain self-sufficient lifestyles between the 14th to 19th centuries. The systems supported dispersed cooling huts, fountains, and irrigation tanks through mines and channels that provided water for drinking and washing while also nourishing terraced gardens, which were a key source of medicinal knowledge in the region. The research objectives are to: 1) investigate the functioning of these two hydraulic systems from their monastic origins to the present, 2) digitally survey and virtually reconstruct the remaining ruins using precise, non-invasive methods and 3) utilize this reconstruction as an interdisciplinary knowledge platform to simulate water flow scenarios and to contribute to ongoing revitalization efforts. This research will expand the understanding of Portugal's monastic hydraulic heritage, a field still in its early stages, by fostering collaboration among conservation architects, archaeologists, hydrologists, geographic engineers, and historians. A final non-academic placement within the regional government will culminate in a revitalization plan for these systems helping to develop the presently untapped water source into new cultural programs such as educational spaces, medicinal gardens, agricultural initiatives, and public reservoirs that echo the monastic community's former role in serving the local population.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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1049 001 Lisboa
Portugal
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