From Stones to Clay Bowls: Visual Arts of the City’s Islamic Past

Abstract

Granada was one of the great cities that marked the Spanish Middle Ages. The material remains of this period speak very clearly of this, and are key to recon- structing the city's historical and material evolution over time.

The present chapter will deal with the analysis of its material culture, under- stood in a broad sense, from the vestiges of medieval urbanism-infrastructure, buildings, construction material, etc-to the items manufactured in the city's Industrial areas, which played such an important role in everyday life. Material remains that are difficult to interpret, considered a result of a certain social, economic, and cultural group activities, should be analyzed out of both the social and cultural context in which they were produced and the special con- text in which they fulfilled their function and were utilized. Considering this general concept of material culture, those vestiges will be examined in depth in connection with the urban and domestic context from where they come, highlighting their specific material features (building techniques), structure and disposition. Finally, the development of these pieces will also be analyzed, depending on both the different dynasties ruling Islamic Granada and the scene in which these objects were used in the daily life, although many of these specific issues will be treated more in detail elsewhere in this volume