El reuso de materiales y estructuras antiguas en las iglesias altomedievales de Galicia. Casos, problemas y motivaciones (original) (raw)

This paper intends to carry out a global review, from an archaeological perspective, of the common issue of the reuse of ancient materials and structures in the early medieval churches of Galicia (Spain). Both kind of reuse (pieces and structures/buildings) are deeply related between them, but, surprisingly, they are usually studied by separate. In the first part of this paper, the archaeological problems when analyzing these kind of reuses are discussed, specially those regarding the lack of chronological accuracy as well as the scarcity of clear stratigraphical sequences. Then, the most reliable cases of early medieval reuse of ancient materials and structures in galician churches are explored. Finally, the debate on the reasons and meanings of the reuse is presented, discussing the different interpretative levels (functional, aesthetic-sumptuary and ideological) in relation to the social context of early medieval Northwest Iberia.