Carmen Fernández Ochoa

Late Antique Environment and Economy in the North of the Iberian Peninsula: The Site of La Tabacalera (Asturias, Spain)

The exceptional preservation of organic remains in a well-reservoir at the site of La Tabacalera (Asturias, Spain) is the subject of an interdisciplinary study regarding past human-environmental interaction. The feature, dated to Late Antiquity, corresponds to a large well containing a wide range of organic material (animal bones, pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs ( NPP s), mites, seeds, wood and wooden artefacts, etc.). This article examines both plant micro (pollen and NPP s) and macro-remains (seeds and wood) dated between the late 5th–8th c. AD . The palynological evidence suggests that the structure investigated was colonised by different species dominated by ivy, while the surrounding anthropised area was characterised by the presence of open areas, probably occupied by meadows and pastures. A mixed deciduous forest was also present not far from the site. The abundant plant macro-remains include the presence of water-loving woody species, which inform us about the vegetation growing around the well-reservoir. The seed record comprises cultivated plants, and a wide range of wild species typical of humid environments. Among the remains there are also some wooden artefacts. Plant remains have provided significant information, not only to reconstruct the landscape around the site, but also on the formation of the feature’s backfill. Moreover, the remains offer us information regarding objects of daily life and the maintenance of the feature.

Sobre la implantación romana en las tierras de Madrid. Algunos logros y grandes retos / About The Roman Presence In The Lands Of Madrid. Some Achievements And Great Challenges

En esta aportacion se valoran los avances que se han producido en la investigacion sobre el area de Madrid en epoca romana. A traves de un conciso analisis de los testimonios arqueologicos exhumados en los ultimos anos se ofrece un panorama sobre la implantacion romana en la Carpetania, el desarrollo del fenomeno urbano y las formas de ocupacion del ambito rural. El texto plantea tambien la necesidad de establecer una mayor colaboracion entre los organismos encargados de proteger el patrimonio arqueologico de Madrid y las instituciones dedicadas a la investigacion. Palabras clave: Implantacion romana en la Carpetania, civitates, Complutum, vias romanas de Madrid, asentamientos rurales, patrimonio arqueologico. Abstract This paper evaluates the progress achieved in research on the Roman period in Madrid. From archaeological evidence we synthesized a concise overview of the Roman presence in Carpetania, the development of the urban phenomenon and the forms of rural occupation. Our text also raises the need to improve collaboration between the agencies responsible for protecting the archaeological heritage of Madrid and institutions dedicated to research. Keywords: Roman settlement in Carpetania, civitates, Complutum, Roman roads in Madrid, rural settlements, Archaeological heritage.