Andarax and Nazca: Two Coastal Valleys Compared (original) (raw)

Irrigation and drainage in al-Andalus: Madîna Ṭurṭuša and rural settlements in the lower course of the Ebro River (Tortosa, Spain)

2015

The evidence provided by the written record generated after the conquest of Tortosa in 1148 and the results of archaeological survey have allowed the identification of the boundaries of several farmland areas and their associated settlements in both banks of the Ebro River, in the hinterland of Madîna Ṭurṭuša. Detailed mapping has been carried out in order to describe how these cultivated areas were organized. Modern hydraulic technology and infrastructures, such as the big canals built in banks and the regulation of the river flow by means of large dams have deeply transformed the agricultural landscape. Nevertheless, it is still possible to recognize the ancient boundaries and plot morphology of some of the cultivated areas, as well as the remains of drainage and irrigation channels that came not from the river but from the mountains. In the Andalusi period, field systems, always located in the vicinity of rural settlements and near the madîna of Tortosa, formed compact and discon...

al-Ándalus desde el mar: Una aproximación al sistema portuario de la Almería andalusí

BAR Publishing. International Series, 2020

Este trabajo pretende ser una aproximación práctica al sistema portuario de Almería a través del estudio de su paisaje cultural marítimo. De esta forma, se identificarán los elementos de este paisaje que habrían pertenecido al sistema portuario de Almería durante la Alta Edad Media. Mediante el análisis de un mosaico de fuentes, se han podido clasificar en tres bases de datos principales: elementos antrópicos emergidos, elementos antrópicos subacuáticos y elementos naturales, así como identificar su función y su rol en este sistema portuario. El proyecto incluye el análisis espacial de los mismos, desarrollado a través de sistemas de información geográfica (GIS). [ENG] Al-Ándalus desde el mar studies the port system of Almeria in early medieval times. By analysing a mosaic of sources, it has been possible to classify the data as well as identify its function and its role in this port system. The project includes in-depth spatial analysis using geographic information systems (GIS).

Re-thinking Chalcolithic landscapes in southeast Iberia: the case of the Middle Antas river (Almeria, Spain

Archaeology International, 2023

Our understanding of Chalcolithic settlements in southern Iberia (c. 3200–2200 bce) has changed dramatically in recent decades. Instead of clearly bounded and dense settlements, archaeology is establishing a range of site types, some sparsely settled, some quite large. Such varied settlement typology is now understood as being part of a thriving period of development, which included monumental tombs, high-quality craft organisation and highly dynamic exchange networks. This article presents recent work around the River Antas in Almeria, Spain, which has revealed a complex settlement network along the river for the period in question. This new evidence challenges our understanding of prehistoric habitation in the area and poses new questions about major settlement pattern changes in the prehistory of the region.

Intensive survey and protohistoric settlement in the middle Guadiana basin (Badajoz, Spain)

Although agriculturally marginal, the Guadiana river basin has been an axis of connection between the Mediterranean and Atlanticshores of the Iberian peninsula. Nevertheless its archaeological landscape remains mostly hidden. Little effort has been put intoregional-scale survey in comparison to other peninsular regions. In this paper we show recent work carried out by the Institute of Archaeology of Merida in this direction. Intensive survey results from the area surrounding the archaeological site of Cancho Roano(Zalamea de la Serena, Badajoz) are analyzed. Our aim is to find a balance between flexible and quick recording methods, and thedetailed study of artefact distributions. A wide range of archaeological finds was detected, including very low density scatters. Prob-lems related to ground visibility in pastoral areas, site definition and dating of materials will be discussed. Finally we will considerinterpretation of the results in terms of land exploitation during Protohistoric an...

Hydrogeological conditions in the medieval settlement pattern in the Northeast Valleys of Guadalajara (Spain)

The aim of this paper is to consider the interactions between rural settlement patterns and geological and natural hydraulic conditions in the central area of Spain. I will address some ideas related to the degree of determinism in the relationship between hydrogeology and settlement location as well as the changes detected during the Middle Ages. Principally, the emphasis is placed upon the variations between Visigothic and Andalusian period (6th-9th centuries) and between Andalusian and feudal times (11th-13th centuries).

Transformation and Persistence of the Basin Valley of Mexico in the 16th and 17th Centuries

Journal of Interdisciplinary History of Ideas, 2022

In order to contribute to the debate on the origins of the Anthropocene, this paper analyzes the transformations of the Basin-Valley of Mexico during the 16tʰ and 17tʰ centuries as an early instance of the changes produced in the Anthropocene period. More specifically, this case is studied as an example of the impact of the Iberian colonization of the Americas on local environments by focusing on the geohydrological alterations caused by natural and cultural innovations introduced by the Europeans into the basin. It shows how the confrontation between different ways of living and understanding the city, the lakes, and their relationship originated different proposals for water management. Transforming the basin into a valley was close to a geological process rather than a mere outcome of political decisions; therefore, this occurred much slowly than the urban elites intended. While this was a problem for the city, it allowed the indigenous way of life, linked to the lakes, to persist and continue for a longer period of time.