La ciudad andalusí de Madīna Balaghí (ss. VIII-XII) ha sido objeto de investigación documental y arqueológica desde hace años. Recientemente, se han ido incorporando estudios propios de la bioarqueología. El presente artículo presenta los resultados obtenidos del análisis de 57 esqueletos procedentes de la maqbara de la madīna, en los que se evalúa la presencia de enfermedades bucodentales, metabólicas, traumáticas y degenerativas. A partir de estos resultados y de su combinación con la información carpológica y arqueofaunística obtenida del mismo yacimiento, la información documental sobre la madīna, la información isotópica relativa a la dieta obtenida de los mismos individuos y la comparación de la patologías observadas con las identificadas en otras poblaciones de geografía y cronología similar, se presenta una visión multidisciplinar sobre el estado de salud, dieta y calidad de vida de los habitantes de Madīna Balaghí.
Talking about the history of health, hygiene and disease in al-Andalus necessarily implies talking about the remedies used by its populations to treat their ailments and diseases. As a case study, the present research analyzes the knowledge collected in Andalusi texts of Galenic-Islamic medicine and pharmacology about the potential and therapeutic uses of Olea europaea L. in the fields of dermatology, dentistry and ophthalmology. The results include the ailments and diseases treated, the therapeutic uses, the parts of the plant used in each treatment, its preparations and forms of administration, the Andalusi authors who provide this information, and the Greek and eastern Arabic sources they cite. These data are evaluated in the light of current scientific knowledge on the therapeutic potential of Olea europaea L. as well as in the light of ethnobotanical evidence of its uses in the Mediterranean basin over the centuries.
En este artículo se plantea la hipótesis del origen de la cisterna de la catedral de Tarragona que podría haber sido un pozo de hielo, relacionándose con el comercio histórico de hielo en el Camp de Tarragona. Sus características geométricas y su volumetría son compatibles con este uso, según estudios previos y documentación histórica. El artículo analiza esta estructura para determinar su cronología y sus posibles funciones buscando resolver esta incógnita tipológica. El escaneo láser y el análisis térmico son métodos clave utilizados para estudiar esta estructura. Investigaciones anteriores han utilizado tecnologías similares para comprender la función y la eficiencia energética de edificios históricos. El estudio incluye el escaneo láser con un escáner Trimble TX5 para obtener datos geométricos, el uso de termografía infrarroja para analizar las condiciones térmico-ambientales, y la modelización térmica con el software Design Builder, permitiendo evaluar las propiedades técnicas de la cisterna y validar las hipótesis sobre su uso.
Se presenta el hallazgo fortuito de una figurita de plomo con dos caras, una representando un hombre y la otra una mujer al pie del castillo. Se revisa los estudios sobre amuletos y talismanes y se indaga su significado.
This article presents a study of the paleodemographic and paleopathological aspects of the dhimmi population of Madinat Ilbira through osteoarchaeological analysis. To this end, human bone material exhumed during an archaeological excavation conducted in 2008 at Cerro del Almirez (Atarfe, Granada), was analyzed. A total of 82 graves were documented, exhibiting ritual arrangements that diverged from conventional Islamic funerary practices. Radiocarbon dating results enabled the remains to be chronologically dated between the 9th and 11th centuries, thereby allowing for the examination of the skeletal remains of a Christian dhimmi community that was an integral part of the Andalusi society of Madinat Ilbira.
The archaeological intervention carried out in 2023 at the iglesia de la Santa Cruz, within the framework of the General Research Project "El castillo de la Estrella in Teba (Malaga)", has documented several funerary contexts associated with the final phases of occupation of the site prior to its abandonment in the 17th century. Preliminary analysis of the human remains exhumed in the chancel area characterises a population sample composed mainly of elderly individuals. One of the most noteworthy findings is the identification of indicators compatible with syphilitic lesions, suggesting the possible occurrence of an infectious outbreak not previously documented in this context. Additionally, the discovery of the skeletal remains of an individual with achondroplasia constitutes an exceptional case within Early Modern Iberian contexts. Although still preliminary, these results provide relevant insights into thesocial, health-related and ritual dynamics of the last groups associated with the castle.
Malaria, also known as paludism, is a parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium and transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. It is notable for its high morbimortality and its importance throughout human history. References to this parasitosis can be traced in contemporary sources, especially in ancient medical texts. In Al-Andalus, where medical knowledge became influenced by Greco-Latin and Oriental writings, descriptions of symptoms indicate the presence of malaria in populations of the Iberian Peninsula. This study reviews possible evidence of malaria in medical texts from Al-Andalus and presents a novel proposal for paleoparasitological studies in areas especially susceptible to the presence of these parasites in this culture.
The Andalusi farmstead (alquería) of Xaresa (Xeresa, Valencia) is one of the most thoroughly excavated rural sites of the period. These works have revealed several houses, a small pottery workshop, a water wheel and a maqbara (cemetery) with around 200 inhumations. An initial study of this burial site has recently been undertaken based on a random sample of 35 skeletons, which allowed a complete bioanthropological study and several genetic and isotopic profiles of this community. Thanks to these approaches, it is now possible to present a detailed health assessment of this peasant community by studying the skeletal remains from the site. The objective is twofold. On the one hand, to analyse various factors relevant to understanding the well-being of these people; these include their demographic profile, their diseases and pathologies, the markers of occupational stress or the quality of their diet, among others. On the other hand, to study the gender and age roles in the division of labour in this community, as well as the importance of maintenance activities for the success of this rural settlement, which remained populated from the second half of the 10th century until the Christian conquest, in 1239.
The links between the Maghreb al-Aqs & agrave; and al-Andalus have been a constant throughout the centuries. And if they are approached from the perspective of paleoclimatology there is no exception. The main objective of this study is to reconstruct the climatic anomalies- particularly droughts and storms-identified in the writings of the chroniclers Ibn Ab & imacr; Zar`and Ibn `Idh & amacr;r & imacr; during the period known as the Medieval ClimaticAno-maly, dated approximately from 10th to 14th centuries. The direct consequences of a year of crop failure or storms that wreck crop fields, due to climatic fluctuations, are fundamentally twofold periods of famine and the spread of epidemics. Thus, these consequences are also evident in the aforementioned Arabic texts and in the archaeological remains of both places.
The historiography of Andalusi urbanism has traditionally focused on isolated elements or specific periods, thereby hindering an appreciation of urban development as a dynamic, multifactorial process. This article presents a comparative analysis of the evolution of urban development in seven cities of the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula -Almeria, Cartagena, Murcia, Elche,Alicante, Denia, and Valencia- from their urban flourishing in the mid-11th century to the mid-13th century. Through a critical review of the archaeological evidence documented over the last four decades, the distribution and interrelation of the principal urban spaces are mapped and examined. The identification of spatial patterns linked to defined historical phases demonstrates how economic, political, and social changes shaped and reshaped these urban centers, providing an integrated perspective on their growth dynamics and adaptation to the territorial context.
Este artículo analiza el conjunto de material metálico recuperado en el yacimiento islámico de Pla d'Almatà, que se ubica en el noreste de la península ibérica (Balaguer). El estudio aborda los principales desafíos del análisis del metal arqueológico, como la corrosión, la falta de evolución formal y las dificultades para establecer cronotipologías, y presenta un conjunto metálico bien contextualizado. Los objetivos se centran en determinar la funcionalidad de los objetos, con el fin de identificar las actividades desarrolladas en el barrio islámico de Balaguer (actividades textiles, agropecuarias, metalúrgicas, entre otras). Para ello, se analiza tanto el contexto arqueológico como la dispersión espacial del material en las viviendas y viales, antes del abandono del asentamiento hacia 1105, tras la conquista cristiana del territorio. Finalmente, el estudio se complementa con un análisis comparativo y discusión, que permite establecer conexiones con otras producciones metálicas halladas en yacimientos peninsulares y europeos de similares características y cronología.
The links between the Maghreb al-Aqṣà and al-Andalus have been a constant throughout the centuries. And if they are approached from the perspective of paleoclimatology there is no exception. The main objective of this study is to reconstruct the climatic anomalies—particularly droughts and storms—identified in the writings of the chroniclers Ibn Abī Zarʿ and Ibn ʿIdhārī during the period known as the Medieval Climatic Anomaly, dated approximately from 10th to 14th centuries. The direct consequences of a year of crop failure or storms that wreck crop fields, due to climatic fluctuations, are fundamentally twofold periods of famine and the spread of epidemics. Thus, these consequences are also evident in the aforementioned Arabic texts and in the archaeological remains of both places.
La historiografía del urbanismo andalusí ha tendido a focalizarse en el estudio de elementos aislados o de periodos específicos, lo que ha dificultado apreciar el desarrollo urbano como un proceso dinámico y multifactorial. Este artículo presenta un análisis comparativo de la evolución del urbanismo de siete ciudades del sureste peninsular —Almería, Cartagena, Murcia, Elche, Alicante, Denia y Valencia— desde su auge urbano a mediados del siglo XI hasta mediados del siglo XIII. A partir de una revisión crítica de las evidencias arqueológicas documentadas durante las últimas cuatro décadas, se examina la distribución y articulación de los principales espacios dentro del entramado urbano. La identificación de patrones espaciales asociados a fases históricas concretas revela cómo los cambios económicos, políticos y sociales influyeron en la evolución de estas ciudades, aportando una visión integrada de sus dinámicas urbanas y su adaptación al contexto territorial.
Los bosques en Andalucía durante el siglo XV, de Emilio Martín Gutiérrez, es una obra que redefine la historia ambiental medieval al situar el monte como protagonista y no como mero decorado del relato histórico. Con un aparato gráfico excepcional, una precisión conceptual poco habitual y un análisis documental exhaustivo —sobre todo para el reino medieval de Sevilla y territorios vecinos—, el libro combina licencias de corta, ordenanzas, conflictos por recursos, mapas temáticos y representaciones culturales para construir un verdadero “palimpsesto de miradas” sobre el paisaje andaluz. Su apuesta metodológica integra espacio, gobernanza, riesgo, sostenibilidad y cultura material en una narrativa socioambiental total, capaz de conectar casos locales con interpretaciones de largo alcance. Aunque la desigualdad regional de las fuentes y un diálogo más limitado con la arqueología paleoambiental marquen ciertos límites, la obra se impone como una contribución mayor al medievalismo ibérico y a la historia ambiental, ofreciendo un modelo sólido para entender cómo los bosques modelaron y fueron modelados por las sociedades del siglo XV.
In the context of medieval defensive structures, visibility analysis is a highly valuable tool for interpreting the humanised landscape. When applied using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this methodology provides information on visual dominance and offers key indicators for interpreting territorial organisation and areas of particular interest to the feudal nobility. This article examines the viewshed and intervisibility of 10th-and 11th-century castles in the Baix Montseny region of Catalonia, Spain, including Montsoriu Castle, Torrassa del Moro and the Count's Palace ofVilamajor. The study's primary objective is to demonstrate the significant enhancement of our understanding of different territorial occupation strategies that visibility analysis can provide, particularly in relation to defensive and administrative functions.
This study analyses the human remains of eight individuals (six of whom were immature) that were deposited inside a small sarcophagus found by chance in Merindad de Rio Ubierna (Burgos, Spain). Through an anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains, combined with a review of the published literature on similar burials, we have showed that the inhumation under consideration is unique in the archaeological record of the Iberian Peninsula. Given its small size, the sarcophagus was built to house immature individuals, which, regardless of its rough and undecorated appearance, represents a significant investment on the part of their relatives to pay for this type of tomb. Therefore, this discovery can be interpreted as reflecting a family unit that lived far from large urban centers but possessed a wealthy socioeconomic status. This is evidenced by their capacity to provide multiple non-adult individuals, including three perinatal children, with special and costly funerary treatment. This practice would have been beyond the reach of many Late Antique families.
La intervención arqueológica realizada en 2023 en la iglesia de la Santa Cruz, en el marco del Proyecto General de Investigación “El castillo de la Estrella en Teba (Málaga)”, ha permitido documentar varios contextos funerarios asociados a las últimas fases de ocupación del recinto antes de su abandono en el siglo XVII. El análisis preliminar de los restos óseos exhumados en la cabecera del templo caracteriza una muestra poblacional mayoritariamente compuesta por individuos de edad avanzada. Uno de los hallazgos más relevantes ha sido la identificación de indicadores compatibles con lesiones sifilíticas, lo que sugiere la posible vivencia de un brote infeccioso no documentado en este contexto. Asimismo, destaca el descubrimiento de los restos óseos de un individuo acondroplásico, un caso excepcional en contextos modernos peninsulares. Los resultados, aún iniciales, aportan información relevante para la comprensión de la dinámica social, sanitaria y ritual de los últimos grupos vinculados al castillo.
This study analyses the human remains of eight individuals (six of whom were immature) that were deposited inside a small sarcophagus found by chance in Merindad de Río Ubierna (Burgos, Spain). Through an anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains, combined with a review of the published literature on similar burials, we have showed that the inhumation under consideration is unique in the archaeological record of the Iberian Peninsula. Given its small size, the sarcophagus was built to house immature individuals, which, regardless of its rough and undecorated appearance, represents a significant investment on the part of their relatives to pay for this type of tomb. Therefore, this discovery can be interpreted as reflecting a family unit that lived far from large urban centers but possessed a wealthy socioeconomic status. This is evidenced by their capacity to provide multiple non-adult individuals, including three perinatal children, with special and costly funerary treatment. This practice would have been beyond the reach of many Late Antique families.
In the context of medieval defensive structures, visibility analysis is a highly valuable tool for interpreting the humanised landscape. When applied using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this methodology provides information on visual dominance and offers key indicators for interpreting territorial organisation and areas of particular interest to the feudal nobility. This article examines the viewshed and intervisibility of 10th- and 11th-century castles in the Baix Montseny region of Catalonia, Spain, including Montsoriu Castle, Torrassa del Moro and the Count’s Palace of Vilamajor. The study’s primary objective is to demonstrate the significant enhancement of our understanding of different territorial occupation strategies that visibility analysis can provide, particularly in relation to defensive and administrative functions.
