Chapter Un estudio preliminar de las micropolíticas en el centro de la Península Ibérica en época altomedieval: el caso de la Sierra de Ávila

Abstract

This paper presents the preliminary results of a research project aimed at the analysis of the early medieval settlement pattern in the Sierra de Ávila, a territory located in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula characterized by a long-term strong internal cohesion. Through four case studies -i.e., La Coba (San Juan del Olmo), El Palomar (Chamartín de la Sierra), Las Henrenes (Cillán) y San Simones (Sanchicorto, La Torre)- we will Delve into the process of emergence of a micropolitical territoriality during the early medieval ages. The archaeological interventions have documented different rural settlements dated between the 7th and the 10th centuries, which present a internal polyfocal organization based on the configuration of various domestic units, and also a complex social and economic complexity. These settlements are part of a process of expansion of the settlement pattern from the 7th century onwards, constituting the material basis upon which a micropolitical space was built.