The system of Muslim towers built with rammed earth in the Sierra de Segura (Jaén). A contribution to the study of the rural world and landscape of al-Andalus

The system of Muslim towers built with rammed earth in the Sierra de Segura (Jaén). A contribution to the study of the rural world and landscape of al-Andalus

On the border between ġarb al-Andalus and šharq al-Andalus lies the valley of the Guadalimar, Hornos and Trujala rivers in the Sierra de Segura (Jaén, Spain). In this territory the old medieval roads that came from Seville (Ishibiya) and Granada (Gharnatah) joined to go towards Valencia (Balansiyya). Here, there is still an articulated system of towers of Muslim origin built in rammed earth during 12th century. This work focuses on analysing and determining their territorial, formal, technical and constructive characteristics with the goal of documenting those structures of rammed earth, establishing their chronology and proposing hypotheses about their uses and criteria for territory implementation. For these purposes, they are contextualized in their historical and geographical scope and compared with similar peninsular examples. The data and results obtained in the research are examined and conclusions are drawn that can be applied to the characterization of rural settlements and landscape in al-Andalus.

https://doaj.org/article/0309da39208144f992659258eff8bc5c