Reproduced with permission of the publisher. © Authors and School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, 2004. Details of the full publication are available at: http://www.le.ac.uk/ar/research/pubs/catalogue.htm

Christie, N

Creighton, O.H

Segui, J

Open Research Exeter

MANOLO'S WORLD. THE SERRA DE L'ALTMIRANT SURVEY. A concentrated flow (normally a volume ofwater running through the ravine). Structureswill accordingly be located near or even in theravine bed (e.g. VG4; cf. LL A).Similarly, the landscape was fully utilised interms of building materials, since the naturallimestone's geological characteristics facilitatedthe process of stone extraction. Three basictypes of extraction process were recognised:. Sites at which strata have been quarried fromthe slope (e.g. VG16. cf. Corral del TioJoaquim - LL EE). Corrals at which an escarpment needed to becreated in order to obtain stone from thestratum near the surface (e.g. Conal de Paco,VG4, VG5, VGl. cf. LL E). The simple collection of stones from ravinebeds: these stones tend to be rounded throughwater action, and do not display marks ofcutting/exffaction such as are evident in thefirst two fypes described.These observations combine to enhance ourunderstanding of the necessary union betweenfarmers and the surrounding natural landscape.This must, however, have been a constantlyevolving relationship,, and the symbiosis musthave been modified depending on changinglevels of exploitation due to economic andhuman demand. The terrace systerns, forexample, would not have been laid out in oneinstance and may denote expansion ofcultivation, with accordingly increased waterdemands. These considerations have importantimplications for understanding the sequence andcharacter of usage (e.g. whether pennanent orseasonal, whether agricultural or pastoral) and onpossible causes of decay and abandonment(Section 5.3).2.7 Case Study II: VG4 -Building and Land Use(NC, O. Creighton, JS)The most fully investigated complex in ourSurvey is the corral and terrace system at VG4,towards the west end of the Vall de Gallinerasurvey area,lying relatively isolated from othersites almost alongside the main W-E trackleading towards Lorxa, shortly before thetransformation of the dirt track into a tarmacsurface (ftg.27; pls.18, 19,, 33; see Gazetteer).The setting has already been discussed in detailabove by Gil Senis in Section 2.6.1.ii. Thiscorral is interesting frorn a number ofperspectives: (i) it bears a name - the Corral dela Serreta de Baix, documented in the 1946150map fig.33), and one of the few with atopographic designation ('Corral of the little hillover there' see Section 2.l3iii); (ii) localinformation on ownership and function wasforthcoming; (iii) sections of its terraced fieldsremain under cultivation; (iv) it preserves twocisterns, one in excellent condition (VG4b) usedfor animals and humans in particular, and theother (VG4a), now ruinous, used for thenorthern terraces; (v) fields, cisterns andbuildings are carefully integrated within thesurrounding landscape context; and (vi)architecturally it can be viewed as a fairlytypical corral in build and fonn. Effectively,although the structure itself is ruinous, VG4'sassociated features make it a 'complete'complex from which to draw valuable insightsinto farmer-shepherd working relationships (seeSection 2.12).The corral overall consists of an abandonedbuilding of dimensions c. 12.20 x 21.10m,oriented W-E, with its walled enclosure on thesouth side, and an external vaulted subterraneancistem (VG4b) and trough close to the south-west flank. The structure backs into the rockyslope of a hill (670m) from whose summit onecan survey a network of terraced areas (F, G, H)to the south-west of the corral, extending downthe slopes and into the ravine running north-westwards (fig.27; pls.33-35). On the north-eastern slopes of the hill extend areas A and B,with a natural line of fractured rockface, clearlya relic of ancient land movement, utilised as aneastem edge. The ruinous roof to a secondcistern (VG4a) luy on these terraced slopes,midway down to the ravine.To the immediate east of the corral is a sub-circular threshing floor, whilst between corraland road to south and then east is a set of three'fields' or cultivated spaces (areas C, D, E).These plots are still used for cherry and legumecultivation; sections of fields F, G and H areretained for cherry and ahnond trees, but thoseterraces away from the road in these areas were(in our study seasons) neglected and overgrowTlwith weeds irnplying, however, that theirredundancy was quite recent. Terraces A and Bare no longer cultivated and in places their wallsare badly eroded. Clearly, at its height, this wasa very busy farmed landscape, exploiting key44MANOLO'S WORLD. THE SERRA DE L'ALTMIRANT SURVEYareas of water and soil catchment; terracingalone reflects significant human investment.Now, howevero despite the pockets ofmaintained terracing and cherry trees, the rockyslopes seem particularly barren.The corral is well preserved, with wallsgenerally extant to roof height; part of the northface has collapsed near its eastern doorway andalso some of the intemal sub-divisions. Whilstthe roofing has collapsed or been removed, thestart of the roof pitch on both the north and westflanks is preserved, indicating pitches inwardtowards the enclosure. On the terraced northflank, the fagade stands upto 2.3m highexternally, and nearly 2.9m high internally; atthe south-west corner of the north block,external height is 1.80m. The western flank toVG4 is set on more level ground, but at itssouth-west comer is extemally 5m high(intemally 3.9m) (p1.35), diminishing to 3.5rnexternally at the junction with the enclosuresouth wall. A levelling course 1.0m below theroof line on the west wall coincides withinternal holes for ceiling beams. The enclosureall told covered an open space of c. 16.65 x7 .40m (123.2m2). Wall construction tends to beof medium (20cm +) to srnall stones, someweathered, with variable use of larger material(dimensions greater than 30cm long), except inthe lowest foundation levels of the walls andparticularly at the wall angles/corners, wherecareful efforts at quoining with quite well cutstone have been executed (fig.30:1-4).Detailed elevation drawings and photographiccoverage of the corral walls were executed,combined with mortar analysis (by NigelJeffries). These studies highlighted a series ofphases to the structure of VG4 (figs.28, 29),although it is not easy to discern the tirne spanseparating these (but see Section 2.10 below).The first phase will have comprised arectangular building, with byre and store overon the western flank,, fronting onto the largeenclosure; the northem flank was occupied bythe residential block with two doors, althoughanimal access into the enclosure must have beenthrough the eastern of the two doors, whichcommunicates directly with a door on thenorthern side of the enclosure. Mortar analysisand wall construction joints would suggest thatthe northem block was constructed as the firstunit of this Phase I plan, but with the enclosureprobably added irnmediately afterwards. The'house' mortar in this phase was of sandstonefiller with some oxidised red clay, aggregates ofcarbonate (pebbles, chips) and occasionalcharcoal inclusions; that of the enclosure wallappears a harder mortar with some tileinclusions. Most of the materials needed for thepreparation of the mortar will have been drawnfrom the immediate area of the corral. (Note thatrn Section 2.10 JAG suggests that the Phase Ijust outlined above may in fact follow anoriginal plan consisting of just north block andmatching naffow enclosure - although evidencefor this is by no means conclusive).Subsequently (Phase II) the northern unit wassubdivided as was the enclosure (with nocommunicating door), probably indicating twoseparate owners or at least a significant changein function (although, interestingly, our localinformants argued against the corral ever havingjust one owner). The dividing wall in thenorthern block featured little mortar (or it wasvery poor mortar now largely decayed). Theenclosure division, however, was drystone-builtwith largish stone,, and accordingly was thicker(0.6m) in construction than most of the corralwalls (generally 0.45-0.5m thick).A third phase appears to have been rnarked bythe blocking off of the eastern half of the corral.by the closure of the eastern door on the northwall, and a reduction in width of the westerndoorway from the byre to the enclosure (froml.5m wide to just 0.6rn). Various of these laterepairs were effected with mortar featuring tilefragments, although the north-east doorblocking was in fairly large drystone. Theremaining house door featured a concrete jamb.There were also evident signs of partial andrecent post-abandoment (re)use of VG4 as ashelter (as indicated by the presence of moderntile, and by used gun cartridges) (cf. Section2.12 below); and, as noted, the continued use ofat least part of the terraced field systems showsa maintained agricultural value to the site.2.8 Case Study II I :  VG16 (NC)The unnarned, less complex corral at VG16 liessouth of the modern main route across theGallinera watershed close to the track leadingtowards Beniali. lt occupies a stunning locationclose to the slopes of the rantbla (torrent)cutting down towards Beniali-Benisiva withextensive views westwards and towards VGl4with its extensive network of naffow slope-45

Case Study II: VG4 - Building and Land Use

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