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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Gallo-Roman copper mine of the Goutile is located near the hamlet of Atiels, in the commune of La Bastide-de-Sérou (Ariège, Occitanie region). It is distinguished by its exploitation dated between the first century B.C. and the middle of the first century C.E., without subsequent recovery. The remains preserve traces of extraction by fire and tools such as pointerolles, revealing ancient mining methods adapted to the pockets of cupriferous barytine.

Ranked a historic monument by order of April 20, 1982, the mine is characterized by a main entrance consisting of two openings of approximately one metre high, separated by a sterile rock pillar. The underground network, which is 25 metres long and 30 metres wide, illustrates selective mining of ores, without alteration of sterile areas. Located in the Arize massif (Trias), it is part of a set of 13 former copper mines identified in this area.

The permanent abandonment of the mine after the first century allowed its exceptional conservation, offering a unique testimony of Gallo-Roman mining practices in the Pyrenees. Archaeological studies, such as those published in Treballs d'Arqueologia (2017), highlight its role in understanding the economic and technical networks of the time. Although located on a private property, its classification protects its remains, forbidden to visit.

The karst geological context and the presence of cupriferous barytin explain the choice of this site by the Romans. The tools and methods identified (fire, pointerolles) confirm a specialized workforce, probably integrated into the metallurgical supply networks of the Garbonnaise Gaul. The lack of further re-use reinforces its interest in archaeologists studying the transition between Iron Age and Romanization.

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