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Archaeological History of Iberian Medieval Societies

Code: 106890
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Archaeology OP 3
Archaeology OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Félix Retamero Serralvo
Email :
felix.retamero@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

It is recommended to have a basic knowledge of French and English to read part of the bibliography.

Objectives

This course provides an in-depth study of the major themes raised in the medieval history courses taken during the first and second years, within the specific context of the Iberian Peninsula. The primary objectives are: to familiarize the student with the processes, events, and most prominent figures of medieval peninsular societies; to familiarize the student with the documentation of the time and archaeological research on this period; to introduce the historiographical debates concerning medieval peninsular societies; to explain the keys to the specific developments of the different peninsular societies, from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the final conquest of al-Andalus in the 15th century; and to outline the connections between the processes of destruction and formation of medieval peninsular societies and the transition to the modern era.

Learning outcomes

  • CM23 (Produce innovative proposals with regard to theoretical and methodological processes in archaeology to meet the demands of the immediately surrounding society.) Produce innovative proposals with regard to theoretical and methodological processes in archaeology to meet the demands of the immediately surrounding society.
  • CM25 (Develop skills for working alone or in teams in the exercise of archaeology in local environments.) Develop skills for working alone or in teams in the exercise of archaeology in local environments.
  • KM35 (Identify the main theoretical and methodological debates in European medieval archaeology, taking into account national and global approaches to the discipline.) Identify the main theoretical and methodological debates in European medieval archaeology, taking into account national and global approaches to the discipline.
  • KM36 (Analyse the medieval archaeology and history of the Iberian Peninsula from a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating historical disciplines, forensic sciences, geography and experimental sciences.) Analyse the medieval archaeology and history of the Iberian Peninsula from a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating historical disciplines, forensic sciences, geography and experimental sciences.
  • KM37 (Explain the medieval, historical and archaeological processes of the Iberian Peninsula from the analytical perspective of archaeology to generate new theoretical perspectives and to question previous knowledge.) Explain the medieval, historical and archaeological processes of the Iberian Peninsula from the analytical perspective of archaeology to generate new theoretical perspectives and to question previous knowledge.
  • SM36 (Infer hypotheses about medieval history of local spatial contexts by analysing the archaeological material located therein and by means of prospecting and/or excavation work.) Infer hypotheses about medieval history of local spatial contexts by analysing the archaeological material located therein and by means of prospecting and/or excavation work.
  • SM53 (Apply the logical structure of archaeology as a science to detect theoretical processes in order to analyse the processes of archaeological inference and generation and to offer one's own views in the context of the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula.) Apply the logical structure of archaeology as a science to detect theoretical processes in order to analyse the processes of archaeological inference and generation and to offer one's own views in the context of the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula.
  • SM54 (Identify the processes of the medieval history of the Iberian Peninsula through the use of archaeological methodology, assessing its strengths and weaknesses.) Identify the processes of the medieval history of the Iberian Peninsula through the use of archaeological methodology, assessing its strengths and weaknesses.

Contents

  1. The Visigothic regnum and the formation of al-Andalus. Texts; archaeology; historiography (6th-9th centuries).
  2. From the Umayyads to the Nasrids: the urban and architectural expression of the Andalusi dynasties. The foundations of power (8th-15th centuries).
  3. The formation and expansion of the Christian nuclei: Kingdom of Asturias, Castile and the Pyrenean spaces. "Reconquista", populatio (8th-10th centuries).
  4. A society organized for war: the frontier; seignorialization and the landscapes of conquest (11th-14th centuries).
  5. The construction of an early colonial society. Monarchy, cities, villas, colonists and indigenous Andalusis (15th-16th centuries): the case of the Kingdom of Granada.
  6. One conquest, two worlds. From the eastern Atlantic to America: texts and archaeology of expansion.


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Practical exercises on cases; text and case-study commentaries 50 2 CM23, CM25, KM35, KM36, KM37, SM36, SM53, SM54
Guidance tutorials for the preparation of assignments (oral and written). 40 1.6 CM23, CM25, KM35, KM36, KM37, SM36, SM53, SM54
Theoretical classes: practical sessions and seminars, reading and interpretation of documents and archaeological cases. 50 2 CM23, CM25, KM35, KM36, KM37, SM36, SM53, SM54
  • Theory: lectures
  • Practical exercises: case studies; text commentaries...
  • Students' autonomous work: class attendance; readings; information search and analysis; submission of assignments. News and information published on the Virtual Campus/Moodle must be taken into account. All activities will have a fixed deadline that must be strictly respected.


Note: 15 minutes of a class will be reserved within the schedule established by the center or the degree program for students to complete the evaluation surveys on teaching performance and the course or module evaluation.


Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Practical test(s) 40% 7 0.28 CM23, CM25, KM35, KM36, KM37, SM36, SM53, SM54
Test 2 (theory) 30% 1.5 0.06 CM23, KM35, KM36, KM37, SM36, SM53, SM54
Practical test 1 (theory) 30% 1.5 0.06 CM23, KM35, KM36, KM37, SM36, SM53, SM54

Continuous Assessment:

  1. First partial synthesis exam: 30%.
  2. Second partial synthesis exam: 30%.
  3. One or two practical exercises: 40% in total.

One of the exams or exercises will consist of an oral presentation. The minimum grade for an exercise to be considered in the calculation of the average is 3.5. Exchange students requesting an early exam must submit a written document from their home university to the professor justifying their request.

Single Assessment:

  1. Synthesis exam 1: 30%.
  2. Synthesis exam 2: 30%.
  3. Practical exercise(s): 40%.

The teaching staff will announce during the first week of class, both in the classroom and through the Virtual Campus, the single date for taking and submitting the assessment activities. The minimum grade for an assessment activity to be considered in the final grade calculation is 3.5.


Review: At the time of taking each assessment activity, the professor will inform the student (Moodle) of the procedure and date for reviewing grades.


Reassessment: To be eligible for reassessment, the student must have been previously evaluated for 2/3 of the total (CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT) or have submitted all the scheduled tests (SINGLE ASSESSMENT). To participate in the reassessment process, the student must have obtained a minimum average grade in the subject of at least 3.5. All students with a subject average of 3.5 have the right to take the reassessment. The reassessment will consist of a synthesis exam covering the course syllabus and will take place on the date established by the faculty. The student will receive a grade of "Not Assessable" if they have not submitted more than 30% of the assessment activities.


Irregularities: Any irregularity will result in an immediate 0 for the activity. In the event of several irregularities, the final grade for the subject will be 0. Activities in which fraud or misuse of AI has been detected cannot be reassessed. In the event that the student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment act, this assessment act will be graded with a 0, regardless of any disciplinary process that may be initiated. In the event that several irregularities occur in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.


Use of AI: This subject allows the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively for bibliographic or information search tasks, text correction, or translations. The student must (i) identify the parts that have been processed with AI; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a reflection on how these tools have influenced the process and the final result of the activity.


Bibliography

-Barbero, A. & M. Vigil, La formación del feudalismo en la península ibérica, Crítica, Barcelona, 1982 (1ª ed.) Humanitats- 1a planta ; 946.02 Bar


-Barceló, M., El sol que salió por Occidente, Universidad de Jaen, 1997 (edició revisada i ampliada publicada per la Universitat de València,2010) Humanitats- 1a planta ; 946.021 Bar


-Barrios, A.; R. Peinado, dirs., Historia del Reino de Granada, 3 vols., Universidad de Granada, 2000. Humanitats- 1a planta ; 946.81.03 His


-Barton, S. & R. Portrass, eds, Beyond the Reconquista. New directions in the history of Medieval Iberia (711-1085), Brill, 2020, 103. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uab/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=6175832


-Garcia Fitz, La guerra contra el Islam peninsular en la Edad Media, 2019. https://sintesis-read-garden.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/viewer/la-guerra-contra-el-islam-peninsular-en-la-edad-media/1


-Guichard, P., De la expansión árabe a la Reconquista: esplendor y fragilidad de al-Andalus, El Legado Andalusi, Granada, 2002. https://www.legadoandalusi.es/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/FLA-BIB_0022_Guichard-es.pdf


-Martín Viso, I., ed. Los procesos de formación del feudalismo: la península ibñerica en el contexto europeo. Ed. Trea, 2023. Humanitats- 1a planta Signatura: 321.17 Pro


-Monsalvo, J.M., Atlas histórico de la España Medieval, Madrid, Sintesis, 2010. Humanitats- 1a planta ; 946(084.4)


-Powers, J., A society organised for war. The Iberian municipal militias in the Central Middle Ages, 1000-1284, University of California Press, 1988. https://archive.org/details/societyorganized0000powe/page/n7/mode/2up


-Rios Saloma, M.F., La Reconquista. Una construccion historiografica (siglos XVI-XIX), UNAM-Marcial Pons, Madrid, 2011. Humanitats- 1a planta ; 930.1(46) Rio.


Software

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Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed