About AlderWell
AlderWell is an editorial archive dedicated to the documentation of medieval wells, historic springs, and traditional water source infrastructure across the Italian peninsula. The material here draws on municipal archive records, published archaeological surveys, and structural inventories compiled over the past two decades by regional superintendencies.
The archive is not affiliated with any institution, funding body, or commercial concern. It exists as a reference for researchers, local historians, and anyone with a working interest in how Italian communities managed water before centralised supply networks.
Scope and Methodology
Coverage spans the late Roman period through the 18th century, with the heaviest concentration on medieval and early modern structures — broadly the 11th to 16th centuries. Three regions are currently treated in depth: Umbria, Campania, and Marche. These were selected because the surviving documentary record is comparatively dense and because the built fabric has not been entirely absorbed into modern construction.
Each article is built from primary or near-primary sources wherever possible. Where secondary literature is cited, preference is given to peer-reviewed archaeological reports, state archive publications, and inventories produced by the Ministero della Cultura. General travel writing and heritage tourism content are not used as sources.
What Is and Is Not Covered
The archive covers:
- Public wells in town squares and communal spaces
- Private cisterns and courtyard wells with documented history
- Spring sources with masonry enclosures or documented civic use
- Surviving aqueduct channels, arches, and distribution tanks from Roman and medieval construction
- Regulatory documents (statuti, capitoli) governing well use and maintenance
The archive does not cover ornamental fountains built primarily for display rather than supply, modern water infrastructure, or well-related folklore unless it is tied to a specific documented structure.
Corrections and Contributions
Factual errors and misidentifications are addressed when supporting documentation is provided. If you have archival material — a photograph, a survey reference, or a municipal record — that relates to a structure covered here, the contact form below accepts structured submissions. Material submitted without a verifiable source reference is not incorporated.
Contact
AlderWell Editorial Archive
Via della Repubblica 14
06121 Perugia (PG), Italy
VAT: IT03456780548
Email: info@alderwell.eu
Phone: +39 075 572 2100
Send a Query
The content on this archive is provided for informational and research purposes only. AlderWell makes no warranty regarding the completeness or accuracy of any entry. Information should be independently verified before use in formal research or publication.