Viminacium aqueducts. Constructing the deconstructed

Abstract

Due to the expanding open pit mine, many ancient buildings were relocated in the Roman city of Viminacium in Serbia. The excavations of aqueducts started in 2003, when mining machinery uncovered a masonry channel and cut it, revealing two channels, with a length of over 1 km, only 30% well preserved. The aqueducts were in use I-IV cent.; but the water source is still unknown. A survey after the discovery provided data regarding their direction, and revealed that they were longer than 10 km. Endangered by the industrial works, the structures were cut into pieces and relocated (Korać, Stojanović, Mrđić 2005, 37-38, Mrđić 2007, 23-26). Unfortunately, the new location became endangered by the same mine, and the aqueducts were relocated again, in 2008. In the same year, another ancient structure used for the supply of water was excavated at the edge of the mine. It was determined to be a castellum aquae (Danković 2015, 32), and soon after it was also relocated to the same location as the aqueducts. Now, we are faced with the challenge of the first public presentation of these structures. Plans for their conservation with an interpretation of the Viminacium water supply are currently in progress.