Martine Bertereau

She traveled extensively throughout Europe in search of mineral deposits and fresh ground water under the employment of various nobles and royals.

During the reign of the French King, Louis XIII, Martine and her husband surveyed the sites of potential mines in France.

During her life, she produced multiple pieces of literature derived largely from the Roman engineer Vitruvius's book on architecture, De architectura.

In this capacity they traveled widely visiting mines Across Europe, and possibly South America[4] for 16 years in search of rich ore deposits.

Today, geological historian Martina Kölbl-Ebert has proven this to be a long lived form of scientific fraud.

The reasoning behind trying to convince people of their mystic abilities and apparent luck is unknown, although it might have been a method in which they believed richer clientele would be more interested.

While at the mining base in Morlaix in Brittany that the couple developed, a priest, the Prevot Provincial named, Touche-Grippé had a bailiff search their châteaux looking for incriminating material.

Upon finding their research, charts, and other materials the clergy deemed that their methods involved magic, and accused Martine and her husband of witchcraft.

The bogus methods discussed, once removed from her proposal, left the document with a reasonably sound methodology for looking for mineral deposits.

Despite the tale Martine and the Baron had perpetuated, they did not take part in anything mythical, but just had a good grasp on basic chemistry, early knowledge in the interpreting of rocks, and the land around them.

"But how about what is said by others about a woman who undertakes to dig holes in and pierce mountains: this is too bold, and surpasses the forces and industry of this sex, and perhaps, there is more empty words and vanity in such promises (vices for which flighty persons are often remarked) than the appearance of truth.