The French historian Pierre Guichard, prestigious and well-known medievalist, specializing in Al Andalus
and currently Professor of Medieval History at the University of Lyon (France), has been in contact with the "citizen Platform in defense of the archaeological site of San Esteban ", referring to the letter signed then available. It highlights the importance of finding the palace complex and Andalus district of San Esteban and singularity only at the national level, while it conveys its concern over the future of the wreck and its unconditional support for our struggle citizen.
A new voice, this time of international eminence in the world of medieval archeology, and a specialist in the history of Al-Andalus in addition to the claims of the platform for the archaeological site of San Esteban is treated with respect and the seriousness it deserves to become a world leader in the study of urbanism from time to tardoalmohade Almoravid.
You can view this author's extensive experience in the following Web address: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/extaut?codigo=78185
Pierre Guichard
Letter to the Citizens' Platform:
SAVE THE COMPLEX PALATINE AND DISTRICT OF SAN ESTEBAN ANDALUSÍ IN MURCIA.
For some time I am aware of the threats to the very important archaeological remains revealed during archaeological excavations in the Garden of San Esteban in the city of Murcia. This is a sector that, during the Middle Ages, was part of the Arrixaca, a suburb just outside the precincts of the city. The large area under excavation (approximately 10,000 m2) has helped define an area and an extensive palace district formed by a hundred houses, a cemetery and a chapel or mosque, all connected by a network of streets and plazas. This place is well known from the sources, who established the first Christian who came to settle in the city (creating Murcia council of the New) and that it hosted the last Moorish Muslims who were displaced from the inner city when King Alfonso X established the Moors in the suburb of Arrixaca.
No wonder the historical importance of these remains if we consider that Madinat Mursiya, peninsular Southeast capital, reached its peak in the political context of al-Andalus during the XII and XIII, namely under the rule of the dynasty and the Taifa Almoravids of the emirs Mardanish and Ibn Hud Ibn al-Mutawakil. According to the submission made by the directors of the excavation, Alfonso Fernández and José Sánchez Robles Pravia, in this sector of the suburb, near the lower castle (Real Monasterio de Santa Clara), there was another courtly complex whose location would coincide with the current palace of San Esteban, a complex that had been founded
Almoravid period. Judging from the data provided by the excavation, the landscape in this historical phase would mean the existence of orthogonal wide streets of more than three meters wide and extensive landscaped areas in the palatial surroundings of several campuses.
absence of an exhaustive study yet to be done by the archaeologists who have carried out the excavation, it appears that considerable pressure demographic events from the second half of the twelfth century would be at the origin of the development of these large areas were occupied empty progressively from south to north by a thick frame housing similar to the existing configuration inside of the city. Judging by the graphic documentation collected during the excavation, the houses are grouped in sets of 2 or 4 units sharing party walls and are surrounded by ramparts blocks and streets that allow the transit of its inhabitants. Most of the houses reproduced the architecture known for this period have lime mortar walls, earth or brick, and its distribution has hall, toilet, garden (with or without border) and side rooms with alhanías.
We face an extraordinary finding and to a unique possibility urbanized learn how a sector of great Andalusian city and have a complete catalog of the various existing models of domestic architecture from time to late-Almoravid Almohad. I have heard that the archaeological excavation was interrupted in December last year and that, economically, the case has started to declare the site of Cultural Interest (BIC).
However, I also had record which is currently projecting a new action which raises an excavation with depth soundings by another team of archaeologists and the covering of the remains with geotextile and gravel without obtaining the information necessary to complete the investigation began and of course future enhancement and museological. Given this situation I wish to draw attention to the downside risks Andalus neighborhood of Arrixaca in these months of stagnation, and continued as soon as possible to the excavation and research extension of its urban fabric. Given the difficulties of an archaeological operation of this magnitude, unless compelling reasons I do not know is contrary to this, it would seem logical and scientifically more effective than the team that has led so far this excavation can be continued so as to ensure a consistent and documented outcome of work and would be entirely desirable be visually preserved and accessible to all citizens, most of the remains discovered.
Having long ago, followed very closely and scientifically worked very important archaeological and historical research that have made Murcia, in the nineties, one of the greatest urban history and Archaeology of al-Andalus, I think it very unfortunate that the recently discovered remains are not subject to a review and enhancement worthy than it was this time.
The enhancement of the district of San Esteban would be added to other known heritage resources (Museum of Santa Clara, Monteagudo complex, chapel of San Juan de Dios), enhance cultural tourism and the city would place and the region of Murcia to a level comparable (and in some ways superior) to the most important Andalusian cities known for its monumental ruins and medieval Granada, Cordoba and Seville. Pierre Guichard
Université de Lyon
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