Heatwave reveals lost archaeological sites across Wales
Prolonged heatwaves and drought conditions in Wales have revealed hidden archaeological sites, including Roman buildings and WWI trenches. These features appear as crop marks in parched grasslands, providing researchers with rare opportunities for aerial study.
Why it matters
Climate change is accelerating the discovery of historical sites, but also highlights the increasing frequency of extreme weather patterns affecting the landscape.
Image source, RCAHMW Image caption, New details have been collected of buried Roman buildings at Caerhun Roman fort in Conwy
Lost archaeological sites have emerged in grasslands across Wales after a prolonged spell of hot and dry weather.
Wales has seen about 5% of the average rainfall for July, after a series of back-to-back heatwaves and a drier than usual April to June. A drought has also been triggered in parts of Wales.
Experts said these dry conditions have brought to light a range of hidden archaeological remains, including Roman buildings and practice trenches from World War One.
Many are only visible from the air as distinctive marks in crops and grass, with some not being seen for "two or three decades", according to the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW).
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