Heatwave in Wales reveals ancient ruins

A dry field.
(Image credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

One benefit of the heatwave sweeping Wales is that it is bringing history to life.

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Because fields are dry from the heat, the outlines of ancient settlements buried underneath farmland are now visible from the air. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is snapping photos of the crop marks, which will disappear as soon as it rains.

There are ancient settlements across Wales, and most had drainage ditches around them, BBC News reports. When the settlements disappeared, the ditches were filled in, and now that it's farming land, the soil is deeper where the ditches once were. When it's hot and the land dries out, the old fortifications retain moisture, and the crops there are lush, making them stand out. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales has recently taken photos of a medieval castle mound, buried ramparts, and a prehistoric farm.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.