Visigothic Architecture Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Livestock farming was one of the major economic activities during the early Middle Ages. The exploitation of livestock resources became very important since the Visigothic period (C. 415–711 AD), although our knowledge is still considerably limited for the central regions of Iberia. Some historiographical works about stockbreeding during the Middle Ages as well as zooarcheological analyses exist; however, few researchers have focused on the study of farming during the early Middle Ages. We present here a taphonomical and zooarcheological analysis of several archeological sites, in order to illustrate the range of farming strategies developed in the center of the Iberian Peninsula during the VIII–XI centuries (Andalusian period). This study explores the economic exploitation and management strategies of domesticates such as Bos taurus, Ovis aries, Capra hircus, and other, less frequent animals, such as Sus domesticus, Equus ferus caballus, Equus africanus asinus, and Canis familiaris, in addition to wild species. Our results indicate that Ovis/Capra (caprines) were the most represented species at these sites, even though some animals, such as pigs, were more frequent than what we would expect in the Muslim world. Together, these lines of evidence allow us to discuss not only the economics of everyday life in the early Middle Ages, but also the nature of the changes that Iberian populations experienced with the arrival of Christian conquerors.

- by and +3
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- Archaeology, Late Antique and Byzantine History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Medieval History

The traditional argurnent in favour of an architecture,
and its corresponding sculpture, considered to
be Visigothic 01' of the Visigothic era, dated as the late
7th century, presents strong contradictions, answers
to which are atternpted by changing its cultural assignment
and its dating, saying that it is really post-
Visigothic. Thus, this production is explained as the
result of the arrival in the Peninsular of a new culture,
Islam. The authority of the histographic current
which has defended the traditional theory for the last hundred years reinforced its own argurnents, for
which there are hardly any data 01' valid analyses, instead
of facilitating discussion of its principIes. The
di fferent characters of the palco-Christian and pre-
Romanesque production are described and the arguments
for explaining the process of creation are su mmarised,
together with the main stages in the
development of the latter, considered until now as Visigothic
or of the Visigothic epoch.

- by Ittai Weinryb
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- Late Antiquity, Baptism, Visigothic Architecture, Mosaic Murals

This paper presents a brief description of the archaeological research over the land and the city of Tarraco, the ancient capital of prouincia Hispania Tarraconensis and one of the main points of spread of Hispanic Christianism. Although Tarraco was the last capital under Imperial control and the first Hispanic metropolitan see, the city acquired a secondary role respect other hispanic cities during late antiquity. This evolution determinated the development of Tarraco during the 7th century, but archaeologies identify an important architectural vitality on the 6th century at the same time that other episcopals cities did. During this period, the final Christianization of symbolic spaces of the ancient paganism was developed establishing the ideological bases of medieval urbanism that today is already preserved. The paper analyzes also the sites with interpretative doubts as well as with a description of rural settlements, where archaeological knowledge is not so much due to archaeological difficulties to study new constructive models and to more related material culture.

- by Josep M. Macias Solé
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- Late Antiquity, Roman Villae, Visigothic Spain, Late Antique Basilicae

La iglesia de San Pedro de la Nave es conocida por ser uno de los ejemplos paradigmáticos del arte de época visigoda. Sin embargo, su cronología ha sido recientemente cuestionada desde múltiples perspectivas. Este artículo se centra en definir el estado de la cuestión y el papel que ha tomado la epigrafía en este debate. Finalmente, se intentan dar nuevos argumentos en defensa de la datación de San Pedro de la Nave como iglesia del s. VII.
The church of San Pedro de la Nave is known as one of the paradigmatic examples of Visigothic era’s art. However, its chronology has been recently questioned from multiple perspectives. This article focuses on defining the state of the issue and the role that epigraphy has taken in it. Finally, it tries to give new arguments in defense of the chronology of San Pedro de la Nave as a church of VII century

A small set of five dirhams from the Emirate period is presented, located inside the late rural church of El Rebollar (El Boalo, Madrid). This ecclesiastical building can be dated from the grave goods of the tombs and from the C14 analysis applied to the bone samples from the individuals buried between the second half of the viith century and the beginning of the viiith century. The coins have a closing date that refers to the period of government of al-Ḥakam I (180-206 h./ad 796-822). The study of this numismatic set in its context, the reading without difficulty of the legends which allow us to deduce variations in the coins and the analysis of their composition, which we present in this study, provide data which contribute to a better understanding of the production and circulation of emerald money in the central area of the Iberian Peninsula.

- by Javier Salido Domínguez and +2
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- Islamic Economics, Late Antique Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Numismatics

Al nombrar el Toledo visigodo inmediatamente viene a nuestra memoria la imagen de la capital del que fuera el más esplendoroso reino bárbaro de Occidente después de la caída de Roma, y con ella el recuerdo de hombres ilustres, cuyas vidas y obras se hallan indisolublemente
unidas a esta ciudad: los enérgicos Leovigildo y Chindasvinto, los piadosos Recaredo y Sisebuto, los obispos Eugenio, Ildefonso y Julián, de talento y cultura sin igual entre los de su época...
Una ciudad legendaria con unos personajes casi míticos, de la que sin embargo poco queda en pie. Prácticamente se desconoce su urbanismo, dónde estaban sus centros religiosos o los edificios del poder. Hasta ahora para pasear por sus calles había que hacerlo de la mano de los escritos de la época que han llegado a nuestros días, sin ningún resto tangible que pudiera constatar la realidad de sus informaciones.
Gracias a las excavaciones arqueológicas realizadas en la ciudad, al estudio de historiadores y arqueólogos, y al apoyo de las instituciones del actual Toledo, se empieza a perfilar esa hasta ahora desconocida Toletum. En sus calles y museos se conservan piezas provenientes de las construcciones visigodas que, al catalogarlas y ordenarlas, están
formando poco a poco el complejo puzzle de lo que fue la Regia Sedes Toletana.
Esta guía pretende acompañar al visitante que se adentra por las calles de la ciudad en busca de ese escurridizo Toledo visigodo y mostrarle al mismo tiempo algunos de los vestigios que aún perduran entre sus muros y construcciones, y que nos ayudan a componer una imagen de cómo fue realmente la Regia Sedes visigoda.

- by Jorge Morin de Pablos
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- Archaeology, Roman History, Art History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies

Monografía que explora las concepciones de poder en el reino visigodo de Toledo con especial énfasis en la figura arquetípica del tirano/usurpador.

Architecture of power in the Toledo area in Late Antiquity and Visigoth era. The palaces of Toledo as a benchmark of the medieval building industry.
Study of the territorial organization of the sedes Toletana of the seventh century, which addresses both the urban topography of the city and the nature of the most important monastic foundations of the moment: Melque, San Pedro of the Mata/Arisgotas, Los Hitos, etc.

- by Rafael Barroso Cabrera and +1
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- Archaeology, Visigothic Spain, Visigothic Architecture, Arqueología

On the eve of the Arab conquest of Hispania the defensive system of the Visigothic
Kingdom consisted of civitates, oppida, castra, turres and others fortifications. The most
were built in the Late Roman Empire; others were founded in the period of the Visigothic
Kingdom of Toledo (ca 650-720). In spite of that military organization, the system was inoperative
against the Arab conquest, due to it did not were directed towards the frontier
defence.
Recent achaeological discoveries show evidences about the Islamic conquest and settlement
in northen of Visigothic Kingdom (Asturias, León, Zamora, Pamplona, southern
Gaul), in early times (ca 711-722), updating some aspects of this matter. Evidences are
walls blocking the way in the Cantabrian and Pyrenean mountain passes, beacons and
watchtowers along the military routes and garrison towns and necropolis. In addition,
these categorical evidences prove that the Islamic conquest were perfectly organized and
had a strong impact on local people and Visigothic Kingdom. The considerable effort made
by Muslim as well as Christian forces to fortify and defend towns, routes and mountain
passes, show the importance of these events despite their short term and the greater significance
of the Asturian and Franckish rebellions in the Christian Chronicles.

- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +2
- •
- Archaeology, Roman History, Late Antique and Byzantine History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies

Late Antique and Visigothic fortifications in the Northern Spain (5th – 8th centuries) have been not studied systematically yet. Their origin causes and types, as well as the function in the organization and defense of their territories are some of the pending subjects. Since the last times of Roman Empire (3th – 5th centuries) the state set a complex net of strongholds, such as civitates, oppida, castra, turres and others, due to social troubles and the need for protection of towns, roads and frontiers. Many similar forts were also built in the Visigothic period (6th – 7th centuries), as by state as by private initiative, especially in the last period (c. 650-720).

En 1509, Íñigo López de Mendoza, II conde de Tendilla, explicaba que la inclusión del cimborrio en la Capilla Real de Granada era una cosa que da[ba] mucha vista y ahermosea[ba] en gran manera la Capilla y [hacía] el edificio real y magnifico. Para esas fechas tempranas del siglo XVI, el cimborrio se había convertido en un elemento dignificador de la arquitectura religiosa. Al alarde técnico que suponía su construcción, se unía su doble funcionalidad en el templo, ya que permitía aumentar la iluminación interior de los edificios –se trataba, en última instancia, de una figura de luces, tal y como lo definirá Simón García años más tarde–, que servía, a su vez, para subrayar el eje central del espacio religioso allí donde se cruzaban los brazos de la cruz. Estas razones prácticas y simbólicas favorecieron la construcción de este tipo de estructuras en toda la Europa cristiana a lo largo de la Edad Media y parte de la Moderna. El fenómeno también puede observarse en la Península Ibérica, donde comienza muy pronto, y se prolonga hasta fechas muy avanzadas. Trataremos de seguirlo a través de los ejemplos –y de los diseños– conservados.
Íñigo Lopez of Mendoza, the Second count of Tendilla, explained in1509 that the inclusion of the cimborrio in the Royal Chapel of Granada was a thing that gives many sight and embellishes in great way the Chapel and this inclusion transformed the building in to royal and magnificent. At the seearly dates of the 16th century, the cimborio had become a dignifying element of the religious architecture. The advantages were undoubted. First, the technical ostentation that supposed its construction. In addition, it had a double functionality in the temple, since it was allowing to increase the interior lighting and serves to underline the central axis of the religious space where the two parts of the cross were crossing. These practical and symbolic reasons favored the construction of this type of structures throughout the whole Christian Europe during the Middle Ages and part of the Modern one. The phenomenon can also be observed in the Iberian Peninsula; there it begins very early, and continues until very advanced dates. We’ll try to follow it through the examples –and of the designs– preserved.

- by Javier Ibáñez Fernández and +1
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- Design, Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

Frente al tema que se me propone, se puede tener la primera impresión de que apenas hay datos sobre la transformación cristianismo/islamismo desde el punto de vista de la arquitectura. Sin embargo, el tema es amplio y la aportación de datos cada vez más abundante. Alguno de los temas, obligados, como el de Córdoba, debe dar lugar a una monografía. Por otra parte, el tema es también historiográfico y por lo tanto el " impacto " se debe medir no sólo sobre los datos documentales y sobre los objetos o los contextos materiales, sino también sobre nuestra interpretación, como veremos. Esto obliga en ocasiones a retrotraerse a los precedentes cronológicos o culturales del tema pues la posición del historiador incide en su explicación del impacto. Todo ello hace que me imponga mis propios límites, amén del que ya se nos da al reducirnos al territorio andalusí. Me centraré, en lo posible, en la documentación material y arqueológica, aunque los datos textuales no dejarán de zumbar a nuestro alrededor; debo ser sintético, obviando bibliografía aunque quizás se me escape algún estudio de más interés que los recogidos; y elegiré casos concretos que actúen de modelo que deberán desarrollarse en un futuro monográficamente 1. Cinco pautas distintas actúan como guión del recorrido. A pesar del " impacto " , la normal general es que la arquitectura eclesiástica en principio continuó usándose; pero, en un acelerado proceso, termina por desaparecer (de acuerdo con las circunstancias, que en los centros urbanos pueden suponer su supervivencia); influidos por este proceso, algunos elementos preexistentes llegaron a transformarse; incluso aparecieron hechos constructivos nuevos; la transformación pudo cambiar de orden como aprovechamiento islámico. Conservación, desaparición, transformación cristiana y/o islámica y creación. En realidad es imposible deslindar cada pauta como hecho puro ya que veremos que se van entrelazando. Por ello mismo no puedo mantener este orden teórico.

Following an extensive archaeological excavation programme in the episcopal centre of Egara, the project continued with the graphic documentation of the Sant Miquel building and an analysis of its construction features. The application of photogrammetric documentation and laser scanning techniques has provided new elements for reflecting on a building that has been almost completely preserved and whose chronology leads us to question a series of stylistic apriorisms in the study of Hispanic Visigothic architecture. The building’s morphological characteristics also link it to the artistic and archaeological tendencies of the Byzantine Mediterranean.

- by Josep M. Macias Solé and +1
- •
- Late Antique Archaeology, Visigothic Spain, Late Antique Basilicae, Visigothic Architecture

La participación se centra en el monasterio de Santa María de Melque (Toledo), incluyendo los resultados de la segunda campaña de excavaciones. Previamente se resumen los escasos restos conocidos sobre otros posibles conjuntos monásticos de época tardo-antigua siguiendo los criterios arqueológicos seguidos para diferenciarlos como tales, sin rebasar la cronología final del de Melque, en la primera mitad del s. IX.

El yacimiento de Camesa-Rebolledo (Valdeolea, Cantabria) alberga los restos de una de las iglesias más antiguas de Cantabria. Pese a que el yacimiento se comenzó a excavar en 1981, este pequeño templo rural no fue detectado hasta la campaña de 1983 y su planta al completo no fue exhumada hasta los años 2002 y 2003. El objetivode esta comunicación es revelar los problemas cronológicos derivados de las
diferentes adscripciones temporales ofrecidas para esta iglesia y exponer nuestras consideraciones al respecto. Desde su hallazgo, se ha defendido su pertenencia al mundo prerrománico sin mayores precisiones. Los principales argumentos barajados han sido el hallazgo de varios fragmentos de capitel, la posible aplicación de un módulo constructivo y las dataciones radiocarbónicas de la necrópolis en la que se inserta el templo. Creemos que estas explicaciones deben matizarse teniendo en cuenta el contexto histórico concreto y analizando otros ejemplos de la inmediata región del Alto Ebro, que pueden ayudarnos a comprender el proceso de cristianización del paisaje rural de estas latitudes entre los siglos VI y VII. El análisis conjunto de todos estos argumentos nos lleva a proponer como hipótesis más probable que la iglesia fue construida en los momentos finales del Reino Visigodo.

València la Vella, a new and very important fortified settlement of 5 hectares, emerged at the end of the 6th century. The site is 16 km away from Valentia on the Turia river. This new city was made ex novo, so it was necessary a great building effort. In addition to the large walled enclosure, three quarters and several public buildings have been located in the lower part and another in the citadel. This site must have been another center of power in Carthaginensis province.
València la Vella was abandoned in the late 7th or early 8th centuries. Contemporarily another important power center was created in Pla de Nadal, about 2 km. from València la Vella. The large palace of central courtyard was its most notorious element, but the various buildings that are appearing around it, indicate that it would be a complex yet to be delimited. Probably the recently disappeared site would be used as a quarry.

This paper tried to frame the urban reality of Toletum within the overall process of transformation that participated Hispanic and other cities in the Western Mediterranean during the Late Antiquity. The urban landscape of Toletum inherited from the roman city was altered or modified, while there was a reorganization and new concept of the ancient suburbium, its spaces, its buildings and its functions. As a long–range phenomenon, Christianity was from the IVth century one of the decisive elements in the society and urban’s transformation. And few centuries later, the consolidation of the Visigoth capital was also particular consequences in spatial planning and structuration of the new public, representation and private space. The episcopal and royal evergetism contributed to the development of a new architecture that set a special topography of urban and suburban landscape, which is conjugated civil architecture with the so–called Christian itinerary or sacred liturgy.

- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +3
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- Archaeology, Roman History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Late Antique Archaeology

Resumen Este trabajo se centra en el estudio de la realidad arqueológica de la provincia romana de la Bética durante el periodo que media entre la caída del Imperio y la desaparición del Reino Visigodo de Toledo. El marco geográfico de nuestro estudio se ciñe grosso modo al territorio comprendido por la mitad occidental de la actual Andalucía, incluyendo también algunos territorios situados al sur de Extremadura limítrofes con aquélla. Partiendo del estado de la investigación actual, abordaremos la cristianización de la sociedad y la arquitectura eclesiástica, como máxima manifestación monumental del cristianismo, y principal estructura de la administración territorial a través de los testimonios epigráficos conservados.

- by Rafael Barroso Cabrera and +2
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- Early Christianity, Visigothic Spain, Visigothic Architecture, Territoriality

El trabajo de Jorge Morín de Pablos, Estudio histórico-arqueológicos de los nichos y placas-nicho de época visigoda en la Península Ibérica: origen, funcionalidad e iconografía, aborda la problemática de la serie de los nichos y placas-nicho en la
Península Ibérica, en el catálogo los ejemplares de la Sedes Regia constituyen uno de los focos peninsulares más interesantes. En las iglesias visigodas, el nicho se presenta como el punto culminante de una programación iconográfica sumamente
elaborada y concebida en sentido ascendente. Su origen inmediato hay que buscarlo en el mundo bizantino, dentro del esquema general de la “arquitectura de poder” de
las construcciones aúlicas tardorromanas. Estas consideraciones, unidas a la conservación de algunos ejemplares in situ permiten defender la idea de su ubicación en el fondo de las iglesias visigóticas, presidiendo el santuario y en relación directa con
las mesas de altar: El análisis interno de los ejemplares revela, además, la influencia del arquetipo simbólico del Templo de Jerusalén, cuyos elementos ideológicos se han visto reelaborados desde una óptica eminentemente cristológica, y en la que
se puede vislumbrar una creciente presencia de la lectura del Apocalipsis pareja a la influencia que este libro sagrado tuvo en el desarrollo de la liturgia de la época.

- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +2
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- History, Archaeology, Iconography, Art History

The aim of this project is the archaeological knowledge of the architectural ensembles of religious character (church and funeral) that marked the landscape of cities and their territoria in the Iberian Peninsula during the Late Antiquity and later the survival of the cultural heritage of the classical world during the Umayyad period of al-Andalus.
The new archaeological data relating to urbanism and architecture of prestige, civil and sacred, of the Late Antiquity and post 711 period are a key to overcoming the impact of the traditional historiographical approach advocated by the existence of a discontinuity and rupture of cultural landscapes between the two periods, distorting the physical interpretation and understanding of the urban phenomenon in the first Andalusian period and relegated to a secondary level the common Roman heritage in the Mediterranean which survived in the Islamic period in the West.
A significant monuments of late antique ecclesiastical character is located at the site of Paço dos Bispos (“Palace of Bishops”) of Idanha-a-Velha (old Igaeditanorum ciuitas) (Fig. 1). The 7th century episcopium of Egitania has been located in the southwest intramural and it is comprises by several phases corresponding to different buildings. There are two baptisteries and several buildings that were excavated between 1954 and the end years of the 20th century.
We have addressed a multidisciplinary study of the urban landscape of ancient Egitania. One of our methodological priorities has been the application of the provisions of the Archaeology of Architecture and Remote Sensing. As a result of this, in 2012 it has been detected with a laser scanner and GPS some architectural elements, getting a new mapping and the lifting of the elevations of the existing walls. We also perform a flight with a drone, which has generated two reservoir orthophotos and 3D modeling. In the 2014 excavation campaign two naves were opened in the south and north of a building which we interpret as a possible chapel or oratory memory of the Episcopal group. It is a rectangular construction longitudinally divided into three narrow naves (about 2 m wide and 16 m long), two rows of supports which are preserved five sections of arches east-west.
The archaeological excavation confirmed that the pillars of stones with archery and footings belong to a building of Late Antiquity and Early Medieval chronology (7-8th centuries). On the one hand, they are affected by a silo of Andalusian chronology (survey 1), and secondly, support and/or cover levels of Late Roman Empire (survey 2).
In the survey 1 has proceeded to drain clogging of a silo, then used as landfill powerful, slow and progressive training, and a wide Medieval-Islamic chronology by the presence of atypical common, varnished and glazes ceramics. Although it has noted here or in other areas intramural no structure associated with a domestic occupation of Andalusian period.
The ceramic assemblage –with about 300 fragments– is both diverse and homogeneous, showing a pattern of local/regional productions of ceramics between about the 9th and 11th centuries. They can generally be ascribed to everyday containers for kitchen and table, storage, lighting and transportation.
The Andalusian landfill also had a significant collection of 1126 remains mammalian fauna which has been practiced its mandatory archaeozoological analysis. There is a great representation of domestic species (35%) as Bos taurus, Equus caballus, Ovis aries/Capra hircus, and among wild animals have been documented lagomorphs (2.7%), Cervus elaphus (12%) and Sus Scrofa. Brands have been observed associated with the dismantling pits of some bones, after being used for different functions (production of wool, milk, transport, etc.) were used for food and meat purposes, thus having a complete amortization.
Some samples from the filling sediment of the northern profile (UU.EE. 11 and 14) were also taken. Pollen analysis reflects a high level of organic matter, which led to proliferate fungi, indicating that was slowly filling with very local sediment.
Another area that would be part of the Egitanian episcopium, perhaps a palatium of Bishops, is masked in the factory of the See of Idanha-a-Velha, that, in its present form, is a reconstruction of the late Middle Ages of a church of the 12th century. The aspect that has attracted the most attention and controversy by specialists is its distribution in three naves with a northeast-southwest direction of the main shaft, which is not canonically set or a Christian or an Islamic temple.
Claudio Torres did not hesitate to give this unique building a religious use during the Visigoth and Andalusian periods, first as a church, later as a mosque. Some of the arguments are based on a southwest facing qibla hypothetical common orientation in al-Andalus, much like a series of close parallels, and the architectural plan, comparable to that drawn by the Great Mosque of Damascus.
Manuel Luis Real, relying on the temporary conquest of the place by Alfonso III and the supposed restoration of the diocese of Egitania builds its proposal for a renovated late 9th or early 10th century.
Nevertheless, is no doubt that both positions have been built as historiographical proposals without archaeological references. In fact, others scholars deny the liturgical use of this construction and prefer consider a civil order, perhaps a palace, objecting to its use as a mosque. Little more can bring about their archaeological interpretation and functionality, since there is no material or structural or epigraphic evidence to raise its use as a mosque. Some of the items inside, including the presence of a well, provide certain optimum qualities to be engaged inside the Koranic worship. But it must be noted that no structural change that they confirm is observed, except for the late medieval adaptations, the building is clearly from the seventh century.
After 711 the previous episcopal structure would break, creating a new model of organization and structuring of the territory, where Idania, Exitania or Antaniya capital Kura counted at least four districts or iqlim, take his own place on the border lower in the southern part of Garb al-Andalus (West Iberian Peninsula). Perhaps it was controlled by Abd al-Aziz, son of Musa, who managed the western territory of the peninsula. The long episode of riots staged by Ibn Marwan was the cause of the destruction of Idahna, rather than Marwan restore itself to transform the city into their residence.
The ceramic registration documented in the excavation of the silo, with materials attached to the 11th century, suggests that it may result in a farmhouse of suburban type, residual inhabited by human groups dedicated to agriculture and livestock, and located within the boundaries of Santarém and Mérida.

- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +2
- •
- Roman History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Islamic Archaeology, Late Antique Archaeology
- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +2
- •
- Archaeology, Roman History, Late Antique and Byzantine History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies
- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +2
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- Archaeology, Roman History, Archeologia, Visigothic Spain

El artículo pretende documentar una serie de monedas visigodas de oro y bronce encontradas fortuitamente dentro de la provincia de Cáceres, todas ellas de forma aislada y en solitario. La procedencia exacta de todas las piezas no se conoce del todo, aunque están circunscritas con seguridad a Cáceres. Además, dos de las monedas son inéditas: un triente pseudo-imperial a nombre de Justiniano I y un tremís de Égica y Witiza procedente de Acci.

- by David Martínez-Chico and +1
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- Medieval Studies, Late Antique Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Early Medieval History

RESUMEN
Desde su descubrimiento allá por los últimos años del siglo XVIII, la llamada “basílica exterior” de Cabeza de Griego ha sido uno de los edificios emblemáticos de la arquitectura de transición entre las fórmulas artísticas paleocristianas y visigodas. Considerada un raro ejemplo de iglesia de planta basilical, la construcción segobricense ha llamado la atención de numerosos especialistas debido a sus extraordinarias dimensiones, su señalado ábside y su transepto anormalmente alargado. A pesar de estas características únicas en la arquitectura peninsular del momento, prácticamente existe unanimidad entre los investigadores a la hora de considerar este conjunto como un edificio destinado a la práctica eucarística.
El presente trabajo ofrece, sin embargo, una interpretación alternativa del conjunto, desechando que pueda tratarse de una auténtica basílica y sugiriendo para el mismo una finalidad funeraria como panteón episcopal con atrio exterior descubierto. Dicho monumento surgiría a partir de un primitivo martyrium o memoria martirial de planta octogonal, probablemente erigido como enterramiento privilegiado de dos importantes personajes de la comunidad, al que posteriormente se le habrían añadido diversas estancias que habrían servido como cámaras funerarias destinadas a la jerarquía episcopal segobricense, tal como se deduce de la amplia colección epigráfica hallada en las excavaciones del conjunto.
El primitivo mausoleo octogonal parece haber estado vinculado al culto de dos importantes personalidades de la comunidad, quizá dos mártires o dos fundadores; culto que sería monopolizado por el episcopado segobricense, que lo convertiría en referencia simbólica de la comunidad. Como tal, el conjunto serviría de centro de atracción de las sepulturas de los fieles cristianos del lugar, dando origen así a la necrópolis anexa excavada por Almagro Basch en la década de los setenta.
ABSTRACT
Since its discovery in the last years of the 18th century, the so-called "foreign Basilica" of Cabeza de Griego has been one of the emblematic buildings of the transition between the Palaeochristian and Visigothic architecture artistic formulas. Considered a rare example of Church of Basilica plant, the construction drew the attention of numerous specialists due to its extraordinary dimensions, its marked apse and its abnormally elongated transept. Despite these unique features in the peninsular architecture of the time, there is practically unanimity among scholars in considering this set as a building destined to Eucharistic practice.
However, this book offers an alternative interpretation of the set, discarding that it can deal with a real Basilica and suggesting a funerary purpose as episcopal Pantheon with an open atrium. This monument arise from a primitive martyrium or martyrdom memory of octagonal scheme, probably erected as privileged burial of two important personalities of the community, to which later would have added various rooms that would have served as burial chambers for Segobriga’s episcopal hierarchy, as is evident from the extensive Epigraphic collection found in the excavations of the set.
Indeed, the primitive octagonal mausoleum appears to have been linked to the cult of two important personalities of the community, perhaps two martyrs or founding two; cult that would be monopolized by the Segobricensis episcopate, which would make it as symbolic reference of the community. As such, the set would serve as a centre of attraction for the burials of the Christian faithful of the place, thus giving origin to the necropolis annexed excavated by Almagro Basch in the seventies.

- by Jorge Morin de Pablos and +4
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- Archaeology, Roman History, Late Antique and Byzantine History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies

Síntesis del estado de la cuestión (en el año 1994) de la arquitectura entonces explicada como "visigoda" y datada en la segunda mitad del s. VII. Su valor hoy (en 2022, cerca de 30 años después) es solo historiográfico, dado que existe un consenso generalizado de que la fecha en la que en realidad se produjo esta arquitectura y su decoración fue entre50 y 250 años posterior, desde la segunda mitad del s. VIII a inicios del s. X. Este texto resume la hipótesis de una producción de hispano-romana y bizantina, aunque señala algunas contradicciones que comenzaban a observarse en ella. Pocos años después, otro modelo explicativo "mozarabista" demuestra que el arranque de esta arquitectura y su decoración depende de la llegada a la Península Ibérica de la cultura omeya tras la conquista islámica ocurrida en el año 711. El texto no recoge la bibliografía citada por decisión de la Editorial.

The Battle of Guadalete, far from bury the memory of the Visigothic kingdom, was the beginning of its mythification. From then on, royal dynasties, bishops and politicians of different ideologies have used their memory to defend their own rights and build the Spanish identity. Despite the lack of written sources and almost total ignorance about its material culture, the Visigoth monarchy was considered «the oldest European nation» strengthened by its defence of the Catholic faith and its fight against the heresies. The written and archaeological records were «tortured» in order to establish a mythical image of this historical period, a mistake that remains the main obstacle in the development of their research.

The article offers an overall analysis of changes undertaken in Hispanic architectural culture between 6th-7th century. This process was consequence of social and political transformations of Late Antiquity, and its architecture shows us a diversified reality, where several types of constructions and technical solutions reflect the variety of social and economic contexts. The architectonic analysis complement the study of late antique society, where we find from simple structures of wood to sumptuous palatial buidings. A new concept of domestic housing, for the majority of the population, and news types of court palace cleartly distinguish this historical period in comparison with Roman Empire.

The Pla de Nadal was an exceptional palatine building, situated in Ribaroja de Turia, near Valencia. It was built between the end of the 7th century or with more probability in the beginning of the 8th century. It was excavated between 1981 and 1989 by the Museo de Prehistoria of Valencia with the direction of Empar Juan. This palace was accidentally discovered by works in the fields of this area. This agricultural activity destroyed more than the half of the building. The main facade and the whole southern part is the only area that has been preserved.
The palace was a monumental building with two towers on the façade, a central courtyard, and a luxurious top floor of aristocratic and representative character. The ground floor was of utilitarian function. We can highlight its extraordinarily rich architectural decoration from the collapsed upper floor.
The walls are nearly a meter thick and they have been kept in a height of 2.35 meters, with the windows. The walls have not foundations, and they supported on the solid natural soil, which was also the paving of the lower floor. The most of the walls are of masonry with the surface plastered. The architectural decoration highlights, because it constitute the most important collection, both by the number and the quality of its size, of the Visigoth Kingdom and one of the most significant of the entire Western world. They present a great functional and typological diversity, and a very specific iconography. We could speak too about the very interesting signs of the work of sculptural workshops techniques. Moreover, by the circumstances of its discovery, these sculptural pieces were found in situ in the levels of destruction of the building.
There are almost 800 pieces, which we could divide into two groups. On the one hand, the reused Roman stones of good quality and large size, which are the least. They had mainly architectural and structural function. On the other hand, the numerous sculptures who were worked directly on-the site for several hands or workshops, that developed the iconographic program of the building. About 400 of them, more than half, are ornamental and decorative, and they would be in the main room on the upper floor. The sustentation elements are also very numerous: capitals, columns and bases, some of them without authentic architectural feature, because of in the most of them prevailed the decorative function. We can see a constant repetition of the themes of scallops and the trifolias in the inner parts of the arches. There are some unique pieces, such as openwork crosses, the rosettes and the merlons.
The architecture of this building has a very clear Eastern influence of the Byzantine world.
Pla de Nadal is an exceptional ensemble of Palatine character in the territory of Valentia, which was the B.l.nt.la of the Arabic texts of the Theodemir Pact. Their architecture responds to the model of the Late Antiquity villae with Gallery and corner towers on the flanks, and a central peristyle. The compact ensemble with angular towers has the aspect of a Palace-fortress.
By archaeological and Epigraphic documents, we can link this building to Theodomir, the dux of this territory in the dawn of the Visigoth Kingdom and the beginnings of the Arab domination. Theodomir would represent the rise of the nobility in the front of the Royal power, at the same time that the historical sources reflect the failure of centralization and a State strong Visigoth. These duces provincial focused civil and military power in his hands. This early proto-feudal aristocracy would use a model house with porches, open areas of representation and copious use of the architectural decoration.
The building was used little time, less than a century. A great fire provoked the collapse and the destruction, which was been preceded by the total looting of furniture elements.
By a lot of studies about his historical, archaeological and architectural modulation, we can propose a new interpretation of the ensemble. There was another nearby building, Plan de Nadal II, which had been destroyed by the construction of a motorway.

- by Albert Ribera and +3
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- Late Antique Archaeology, Late Antiquity, Visigothic Spain, Visigothic Architecture

San Juan de Baños. A baptismal iconography.
Interpretation of the iconography of the pieces that frame the founding inscription of the Church of San Juan de Baños (Baños de Cerrato, Palencia, Spain) and its connection to the cult to Saint John Baptist.The possibility of the authorship of Saint Eugene of Toledo for the verses of the inscription is also postulated here.

Ripercorrere le vicende storiche del popolo visigoto, dalla leggendaria migrazione scandinava sino alla creazione di un regno nella penisola iberica, significa riflettere su una fase storica straordinariamente cruciale e tumultuosa, che segna l’inesorabile fine del “mondo antico” e l’inizio del medioevo europeo. Dopo la caduta del regno di Tolosa, a opera dei Franchi di Clodoveo, i Visigoti, stanziati definitivamente nell’Hispania, daranno vita a uno stato espressione dell’incontro-scontro tra l’eredità romana e la tradizione germanica, rappresentando nel contempo uno degli ultimi “baluardi” nella conservazione e trasmissione della cultura greco-romana, sia attraverso vescovi cattolici imbevuti di cultura classica sia mediante l’insegnamento impartito nelle scuole presbiteriali ed episcopali a ecclesiastici e laici. Tra sanguinarie congiure di palazzo, intrighi nobiliari per l’eredità al trono, lotte continue contro Vasconi, Asturi, Cantabri, Svevi, Franchi e Bizantini per conservare l’unità e l’indipendenza del regno, i Visigoti produssero un’originale e raffinata cultura artistica ben testimoniata da chiese, sculture ed eccellenti opere d’arte suntuaria. Dopo la conversione al cattolicesimo di Recaredo e il rafforzamento dell’unità statuale, la guerra civile e l’espansionismo della dinastia Omayyade porranno fine, dopo quasi tre secoli di vita, a questa esperienza».

- by Fabrizio Sanna
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- Medieval Studies, Medieval Art, Visigothic Spain, Visigothic Architecture

Estado de la cuestión del estudio del monasterio de Santa María de Melque (Toledo). Se inicia con un resumen historiográfico explicando las distintas posturas seguidas para explicarlo. Se describe la estructura monástica con sus distintos elementos, cercas, embalses y recintos, y las fases de su vida monástica, desde su construcción hasta su abandono. Finalmente se hace una exposición crítica de los datos utilizados para su cronología. Se termina con una breve nota comparativa sobre el monasterio de Santa Lucía del Trampal (Cáceres).

- by Luis Caballero Zoreda
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- Archaeology, Art History, Historiography, Early Medieval Archaeology

Se presenta en este catálogo una síntesis descriptiva e interpretativa de los rasgos principales de la arquitectura del edificio visigodo hallado en "Els Casals del Mas de Sabater". Así mismo, se introducen aspectos relevantes del entorno físico y arqueológico en el que se inscribe dicho yacimiento arqueológico, sin olvidar una breve reseña sobre las circunstancias que han propiciado su hallazgo y estudio.
El texto presentado se publicará ampliado en las "Actas de las II Jornadas Internacionales de Arqueologia de Riba-roja de Túria".

- by José Manuel de Antonio Otal and +1
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- Visigothic Spain, Visigothic Architecture, Visigodos, Morella, Els Ports