Recruiting university : UPPA (France) / Co-supervising university : UPNA (Spain)
Summary
Watermills, with their typical paddlewheel or bucket wheel, are an emblematic feature of mountain landscapes. This ancient technology was the backbone of the agrarian, craft and then industrial economy until the 19th century. Yet mills are at the crossroads of several issues dear to the UNITA alliance. Mills are part of our material heritage, bearing witness to an economic, technical and social history, as well as being part of our typical landscape, dotted along the banks of developed watercourses. They also bear witness to the economic and social organization of mountain communities.
The 19th century was the golden age of mills; the invention of the turbine enabled them to be converted into hydroelectric power stations. Then, in the 20th century, the centralization of production led to the abandonment of many micro-power stations. Today, however, there is renewed interest in microhydropower plants as part of the energy transition. Small hydroelectric installations offer several advantages (free resource, decarbonized, controllable energy, local dissemination, local development tool, etc).
Today, many watermill renovation projects are underway, promising to meet ecological and heritage preservation objectives. However, the relationship between heritage and the environment is not self-evident. Mills with the best energy profiles are not necessarily those of greatest historical interest.
By adopting a microhistorical approach to these projects, the research seeks to highlight the tensions and negotiations between economic uses, environmental constraints, and cultural values, thereby situating the patrimonialization of mills at the intersection of economic, environmental, and cultural history.
Fields of study
Antropology, Architecture, Arts and Culture, Geography, History, Environment and Geosciences
Supervisors
Loic Artiaga (UPPA)
José-Miguel Lana Berasáin (UPNA)
Full description of the project
