Page - 250 - in The Power of Urban Water - Studies in premodern urbanism

250 RainerSchreg Fig. 1:Salzburg, the Almchannel below Hohensalzburg castle. Fig. 2:MapofUlm. hill,where the earlymedieval palatiumwas situated.North of the town,which extends over a low ridge, there is anold river course of theBlau, still visible in 19th centurymaps.Occasional findsof prehistoric sherds show that therewas fluvial sedimentationnorthof the later townat leastup topre-Roman times.However, because systematic research is lacking,wedonotknow whenthecurrentcourseof theriverBlauwasestablishedandwhether thishappenedbynatural causes or by human intent. Possibly the Blauwas regulated in order to establish proper loca- tions formilling andhandicrafts.4 4 Schmid 2007, 7.