Idanha-a-Velha

ABSTRACT

GALLAECIA GOTHICA: FROM CONSPIRACY OF DUX ARGIMUNDUS (589/590 AD) TO INTEGRATION IN THE VISIGOTHIC KINGDOM OF TOLEDO.
The rebellion of the dux Argimundus was one of the most delicate moments of the reign of Reccared. We have no precise details of how the plot unfolded but certainly the throne was seriously threatened: the John of Biclaro’s Chronicle underline the seriousness of this threat expounding on punishment suffered by the rebel and his accomplices. All this topped with a lapidary phrase with John of Biclaro closes its chronic (et docuit famulos dominis non esse superbos). This categorical condemnation of the attempted overthrow King is unmatched by any other uprisings narrated throughout the pages of his chronicle. It gives us an idea of transcendence that John of Biclaro gave it in his story. The fact that the Biclarensis mentions that Argimundus was not only a member of the Aula Regia but also dux prouinciae, the name of the rebel, the Gallaecia situation and the circumstance of being a newly conquered province, and last, the parallel with the revolt of the Duke Paulus regarding modus operandi and subsequent punishment, are arguments that incline us to think that of dux Argimundus complot was not just a palace conspiracy, but a genuine revolt of the province of Gallaecia that could have ruined the political work built by Leovigild and Reccared. This interpretation confirms an old hypothesis defended decades ago by the Portuguese historian A. M. de Faria, who, based on the study of numismatics Reccared’s reign, suggested that this attempt of usurpation would have taken place in Gallaecia.
However, due to the inaccuracy of our source, it is difficult to prove what the ultimate goal of the dux Argimundus was: if Reccared overthrow the Visigothic throne or, conversely, to restore the old Suebian kingdom in Gallaecia. Some indications seem to suggest rather the latter. First, the province had recently conquered thanks in part to a clash between two factions of the Suebic nobility, and the rebel could belong one of them. Secondly, there is the deafening silence of Biclarensis on the development of the facts, silence that contrasts with the details that contributes to other similar events. And finally, we are inclined to believe in this option the way the rebels were punished, with a final ride on the back of a donkey through the streets of Toledo, in a kind of mock triumph or parody ceremony investiture, which certainly seems more akin to a military triumph than a palace conspiracy. These, in general, were solved with a series of summary trials and subsequent execution of the sentence, as we have seen in the case of conspiracies of Segga in Merida and Uldila in Toledo. In this regard, significantly, in our opinion, the punishment inflicted Argimundus is virtually identical to suffer years after dux Paulus after his unsuccessful revolt in Septimania. Through the study of Onomastic, we propose in this paper the hypothesis of a Suebian origin of dux Argimundus and his possible relationship to the Suebian royal dynasty as well as the possibility that the news transmitted by John of Biclaro hide actually an attempt to restore the Suebian kingdom of Gallaecia.
In our own point of view, the importance of the rebellion of dux Argimundus is mainly to be seen as the beginning of a phenomenon that marks the future of Gallaecia in Visigothic times: the militarization of the Duchy. An analysis of the various literary and archaeological sources that we have been doing confirms the idea that the incorporation of old Suebian kingdom to the Visigoth kingdom of Toledo not has been as peaceful and complete as described in unison the chronicles of the time. On the contrary it seems clear that it was a long and gradual process, alternating with difficulties and successes, which resulted in a significant military presence in the area. In relation with this matter, we also discussed here geography Leovigild’s military campaigns in the Northwest aimed at the conquest of the Suebian kingdom of Gallaecia and location of the territory inhabited by the Ruccones and the Aregenses mountains, whose location is today discussed. We propose here that the Ruccones of the Visigothic literary sources will be identified with old Luggones, an ethnic group related to the ancient Astures, who should inhabit the current region of Bierzo (province of León). And we also propose that the Aregenses mountains will be located in Cabrera’s montains, around the river Eria valley, in the border between de current provinces of León and Zamora.
Definitely Visigothic conquest prompted the province to acquire a strong military character, which would explain the emergence of a strong Suebian-Gothic aristocracy eventually get done with the reins of power and held power in Toledo during second half of 7th Century. In a certain sense, it can be assumed to Gallaecia a situation not unlike of Septimania, but in this case its closeness of Merovingian and Burgundian realms provokes a greater risk and greater chance of success on holdup, hence the need to place in front of Duchy nobles with blood ties with the ruling dynasty.
Anyway, and similar to the Narbonensis case, it seems that Gallaecia was considered a foreign body within the Visigoth kingdom of Toledo. As underlined by one author is highly significant that chronic of Alfonso III of Oviedo mentions the kingdom of the Suebi a century and a half after its conquest. The literary sources, in fact, suggest the existence of a certain feeling of uniqueness in Visigothic Gallaecia that would have kept alive well into the Middle Ages. The heavy militarization of the territory and the enormous power accumulated by his aristocratic circle will make up an important faction within the Visigothic nobility. As mentioned, unlike Narbonensis, geographic isolation of Gallaecia and the impossibility of having foreign allies difficult here any attempt of usurpation, but instead it served to tie important kinship between the Suebian nobility and Gothic one. This should further strengthen the personality of the territory and give it some political content that will hatch in the Middle Ages. In any case, the situation experienced by Gallaecia and Narbonensis during the Visigoth period will have a certain parallel with the events that followed the Arab conquest at 711 with a Kingdom of Asturias isolated and left to their fate and some counties of Septimania and Northern Tarraconensis willing to agree with the Franks. In this sense, if the Galician origin of kings who occupied the throne Toledo in the second half of the seventh Century will confirmed, the mechanisms that led to the emergence of a core of political and military domination of Islamic resistance in the Northwestern area of the Iberian Peninsula would better understand.

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.

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.

La Campaña de Excavación 2014 en el Paço dos Bispos de Idanha-a-Velha se caracteriza por la presencia moderada del material recuperado en los niveles estratigráficos excavados, a excepción de la gran cantidad de material cerámico en el vertedero del Sondeo I, con cerca de 300 fragmentos. El conjunto cerámico es al mismo tiempo diversificado y homogéneo que evidencia un patrón de producciones locales/ regionales de cerámica común. Entre los materiales cerámicos de época medieval islámica, comprendida en un momento impreciso entre los siglos IX y XII aproximadamente, destacan un abundante número de fragmentos que pueden adscribirse genéricamente a la cerámica común, atribuibles, a su vez, a contenedores de cocina, mesa y almacenaje, dentro de los cuales se insertan cuencos, ollas, tinajas, jarros y lebrillos.

Resumen
Se presentan los resultados arqueológicos obtenidos durante la Campaña de excavación de 2014 realizada en el yacimiento conocido como Paço dos Bispos de Idanha-a-Velha. En este lugar, emplazado intramuros junto al lienzo murario suroccidental, se ubica el grupo episcopal tardoantiguo de Egitania. Los trabajos arqueológicos no solo han permitido documentar la secuencia tardoantigua, sino también el momento final de ocupación de este espacio en época andalusí – ss. IX al XI-, cuando el espacio de representación y religioso de la ciudad ha sido transformado para otros usos, como silos excavados en el subsuelo. Se aborda la problemática de este tipo de estructuras y la ocupación andalusí en el solar de la antigua sede episcopal.

Resumen
Se presentan los primeros resultados arqueológicos obtenidos durante la Campaña deexcavación de 2014 realizada en el yacimiento conocido como Paço dos Bispos de Idanha-a-Velha. En este lugar emplazado intramuros junto al lienzo murario suroccidental se ubica el grupo episcopal tardoantiguo de Egitania. Esta publicación pretende dar a conocer la secuencia estratigráfica registrada durante los trabajos arqueológicos, así como
aportar algunas nuevas consideraciones interpretativas y cronológicas en relación a las construcciones eclesiásticas del episcopio egitano.

Abstract

The first archaeological results registered in 2014 during the archaeological excavation conducted at the site called as Paço dos Bispos of Idanha-a-Velha are presented. At this
intramural place nestled along the southwestern wall is located the Late Antiquity Episcopal Group of Egitania. This publication aims to show the stratigraphic sequence
recorded during the archaeological work and provide some new interpretatives and chronological considerations in relation to ecclesiastical buildings.

Summary: This article aims to reconsider the status of the investigation of a significant ecclesiastical complex documented at the ancient ciuitas Igaeditanorum in Late Antiquity. The structures around the church of Idanha–a–Velha, corresponding to two baptisteries and a large building consists of several interconnected spaces, formal and functional interpretation of which is our first object of study. Registration of pop–ups that have geographically referenced through the combined use of GPS and a Laser Scan allowed us to obtain a new mapping and the lifting of the elevations of the existing walls. We propose a new reinterpretation of the main building of the christian complex located between the ancient wall and the church.

El complejo arqueológico de la Sé-Catedral de Santa María parece tener su origen en un lugar de culto atribuido a un emplazamiento poblado desde finales del siglo IV y principios del siglo V d.C., aunque alcanza especial renombre a mediados del siglo VI, durante el dominio suevo, momento en que se levanta un gran edificio relacionado con el culto cristiano, estrenando además una nueva adscripción como cabeza episcopal, llamada Egitania. Este templo mantiene la estructura del anterior en tres naves y apoyos en capiteles y fustes de clara factura romana, y persiste incluso durante el dominio musulmán, levantando un nuevo módulo por la comunidad mozárabe de la zona a finales del siglo IX. El conjunto se complementa con algunas estructuras de cronología más antigua –romana y visigoda-, adscritas al asentamiento vinculado con el templo paleocristiano y probablemente anterior, con cubetas y muros de mampostería que algunos investigadores vinculan con un pequeño recinto fortificado del siglo II d.C.
Una vez conocidos los aspectos cronológicos de las estructuras se decidió realizar una comparativa de las argamasas existentes en diferentes espacios del complejo, realizando primero, un estudio de visu y después, una completa caracterización macroscópica basada en el uso de imágenes de alta definición y en el análisis cromatográfico de las secciones cruzadas. Además, de la colección de muestras –IV1 a IV8- se seleccionaron algunas para la realización de microscopía óptica. Ambas técnicas han permitido establecer una tipología granulométrica según la Clasificación Raymond, así como una diferenciación entre mezclas con componente calcáreo y arcilloso.
Los resultado se han diferenciado morteros de cal en su mayoría con áridos silíceos, cuarzos, micas y feldespatos. La calidad de lo morteros varía en función de la fábrica. Así por ejemplo, los morteros IV6 e IV8 corresponden a emplastos de arcillas. Se ha identificado cierta correlación entre los morteros y las cronologías, siendo los de época antigua más homogéneos y consistentes. Estos aspectos se han comprobado con el uso de herramientas software tales como JMicrivision, Micam o ImageJ, programas de biomedicina que facilitan la clasificación de los morteros y la identificación de sus componentes.

Palabras clave (5): macroscopía, software, cromatografías, Idanha-a-Velha, morteros.

Se presentan los resultados arqueológicos obtenidos durante la Campaña de excavación de 2014 realizada en el yacimiento conocido como Paço dos Bispos de Idanha-a-Velha.
En este lugar emplazado intramuros junto al lienzo murario suroccidental se ubica el grupo episcopal tardoantiguo de Egitania. Los trabajos arqueológicos no sólo han permitido documentarla secuencia tardoantigua, sino también el momento final de la ocupación de este espacio en época andalusí –ss. IX al XI-, cuando el espacio de representación y religioso de la ciudad ha sido trasformado en un espacio con otros usos, como el de almacenaje de cereales en silos excavados en el subsuelo. Se aborda la problemática de este tipo de estructuras y la ocupación andalusí en el solar de la antigua sede episcopal.

Resumen: Este trabajo es un estado actual de nuestra investigación sobre el significativo complejo monumental de carácter eclesiástico documentado hace décadas en la antigua ciuitas Igaeditanorum. Del mismo modo, recoge los resultados de los trabajos arqueológicos de topografía que realizamos en septiembre de 2012 en el sector intramuros de la actual freguesía portuguesa, denominado «Paço dos Bispos».

Summary: This article aims to reconsider the status of the investigation of a significant ecclesiastical complex documented at the ancient ciuitas Igaeditanorum in Late Antiquity. The structures around the church of Idanha–a–Velha, corresponding to two baptisteries and a large building consists of several interconnected spaces, formal and functional interpretation of which is our first object of study. Registration of pop–ups that have geographically referenced through the combined use of GPS and a Laser Scan allowed us to obtain a new mapping and the lifting of the elevations of the existing walls. We propose a new reinterpretation of the main building of the christian complex located between the ancient wall and the church.

Se presentan los resultados obtenido tras el análisis de los restos óseos de fauna mamífera recuperados principalmente durante el vaciado de un vertedero de cronología andalusí, aunque también se presentan otros contextos. La excavación ha proporcionado una colección faunística de 1126 restos con una buena conservación y representación de especies domésticas como Bos taurus, Equus caballus, Ovis aries / Capra hircus, y entre los animales salvajes se han documentado lagomorfos, Cervus elaphus y Sus scrofa. En este sentido, se abordará a problemática de la constatación del consumo en el seno de las comunidades andalusíes, no sólo en Egitania, sino en otros contextos ibéricos.

Se presentan los resultados arqueológicos obtenidos durante la Campaña de excavación de 2014 realizada en el yacimiento conocido como Paço dos Bispos de Idanha-a-Velha.
En este lugar emplazado intramuros junto al lienzo murario suroccidental se ubica el grupo episcopal tardoantiguo de Egitania. La comunicación pretende dar a conocer la secuencia estratigráfica registrada durante la excavación, así como aportar algunas nuevas consideraciones interpretativas y cronológicas en relación a las construcciones eclesiásticas del episcopio egitano.

Se presentan los resultados del estudio de las muestras de sedimento tomadas en los Sondeos I y II durante la excavación realizada en 2014, que permiten  plantear una aproximación a la reconstrucción de los ciclos climáticos y sobre las transformaciones acaecidas en el contexto ambiental y el paisaje de la antigua ciudad histórica. Esta información ambiental resulta de especial interés ante la ausencia de datos palinológicos para el período de estudio que es descrito por las fuentes como un período de mayor aridez que el actual, lo que lógicamente se traduciría en un entorno paisajístico y de aprovechamiento ganadero y agrícola diferente al actual.

Resumen Se presentan los resultados del estudio del material cerámico recuperado durante las excavaciones realizadas en Idanha-a-Velha procedente en su mayoría de un contexto de cronología andalusí.

Abstract The study results of the ceramic material recovered during the excavation ,in Idanha-a-Velha from an islamic context are presented.

To understand the occupation of the territory around Idanha-a-Velha (civitas Igaeditanorum capital) and its settlement dynamics, we built a Potential Land Use Map articulated with the Roman rural sites identified during intensive field surveys. Digital archaeological cartography provides us with innovative methods which differ from traditional soil cartography because they involve historical context and meaning, allowing researchers to produce a map with the particularities of each historical period in mind.

La campaña de excavación arqueológica y documentación mediante el uso del  escáner láser y un dron no tripulado realizada en el solar que ocupaba el antiguo episcopio de Egitania ha permitido documentar un conjunto de edificaciones sumamente significativo. El nivel de arrasamiento de los mismos obliga a la utilización de herramientas 3D que permiten el planteamiento de diferentes hipótesis de trabajo sobre los alzados y restituciones de los edificios. Estas aplicaciones permiten un uso exclusivo para los profesionales en el desarrollo de nuestro trabajo, pero a la vez son útiles para la divulgación de los trabajos realizados.

Durante la Campaña de Excavación de 2014 realizada en el Paço dos Bispos de la freguesia de Idanha-a-Velha, se ha utilizado un drone (vuelo no tripulado) para la obtención de dos ortofotos por procedimientos fotogramétricos y altimétricos. Se han practicado dos vuelos con una altura que oscila entre los 150 metros y 50 metros. La imagen obtenida con la cámara del drone nos permite proponer, además, de una restitución de los límites o perímetro urbano de la ciudad romana, el trazado de los ejes viarios, así como reformular o replantear la ubicación de ciertos espacios públicos significativos.

Este proyecto de investigación se inició en el año 2012 con el objetivo de mejorar el conocimiento del mundo tardoantiguo en la antigua ciudad de Egitania (Idanha-a-Velha, Portugal) y, más concretamente, de los cambios producidos en la topografía urbana por la instalación y desarrollo de la sede episcopal en época visigoda. En el proyecto participan un número importante de arqueólogos madrileños y de otras regiones de nuestro país, así como otros profesionales procedentes de otras disciplinas, ya que se trata de un proyecto interdisciplinar. Desde este año el mismo ha pasado a formar parte de las Excavaciones españolas en el Exterior.

La Guía Arqueológica de la Torre de los Templarios analiza de forma divulgativa los estudios realizados sobre el espacio por el Proyecto IdaVe. La torre se levanta sobre el antiguo espacio forense de Egitania, se ha atribuido tradicionalmente su construcción a los templarios. Sin embargo, proponemos una fecha más temprana, ligada al mundo andalusí.

The western zone of the Iberian Peninsula is a moderate seismicity, but there are important paleoseismic evidences that indicate the occurrence of active faults with stronger seismic potential. Idanha-a-Velha is the first archaeoseismic evidence located in this area that recorded almost two earthquakes: one during the end of the Roman period (4th century AD) and the second related to the AD 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The Roman earthquake is the oldest one recorded in the historical period and not documented before. The Earthquake Archaeological Effects (EAEs) associated to the former show a damage directivity (i.e. direction of ground movement) in a N157°-189°E orientation, compatible with the location of the active fault of Pônsul (10 km south). The EAEs affecting to buildings previous to the 18th century display a larger dispersion in a N150°-240°E orientation, which can be reasonably related to far field effects of the AD 1755 Lisbon earthquake.