Madīnat al-Zahrā', Spanien. Der Vorplatz des Kalifenpalastes. Die Arbeiten des Jahres 2022

Abstract

In Madīnat al-Zahrāʼ (Córdoba, Spain), the foundation, expansion, and destruction of a 10th-century AD caliph's residence can be studied in exemplary fashion. The focus of a 6-year project is the material form of the caliph's role in society and the contact zones between ruler and urban population. In cooperation with the Conjunto de Madinat al-Zahra, the forecourt of the caliph's palace, the so-called Plaza de Armas, has been investigated since 2017. The goal of the fifth and final field campaign was to investigate the south side of the plaza. Here, the plaza borders on a residential and commercial area of the city, with a height difference of around 16 m between the plaza and the urban area. In a 13 m long and up to 4 m deep trench, the southeast corner of the square was discovered. The remains of a massive terrace wall were found, which may have been more than 6 m thick. It was also possible to investigate part of the building complex adjoining the plaza to the east. In this area, there was a paved courtyard surrounded by rows of rooms, including a latrine, as well as the section of a paved passage.