Sierra Nevada

UGR will present "The recovery of the medieval irrigation channel of Barjas (Cáñar, Granada)" by L. Delgado Anés at the Conference XXXIV Meeting of associations and organizations for the protection of cultural heritage and environment organised by Hispania Nostra.

We have begun the archaeological survey in the area of "Marquesado del Zenete" (‪‎Sierra Nevada‬) with our Prehistorians colleagues at the University of Granada. ‪

Cultural Heritage (CH) itself, the ways in which it is made, held, collected, curated, exhibited, or simply exists, have completely changed in the 21st century. This context of change has also transformed the roles and links between memory institutions, CH professionals, citizens, and economic and social actors at all the spheres of society.

In order to understand this context of change, the RICHES project organised a workshop at the Turkish National Library (Ankara, Turkey). Two intense days of discussion allowed the participants to discuss key questions about how these transformations are evolving, and identify the main opportunities and trends for the upcoming years.

On the 14th May the workshop explored best practices and trends on Cultural Heritage transmission in a changing world. Amalia Sabiescu (Coventry University, UK) provided insights about this context of change, particularly on the development of new skills and the preservation of traditional skills. Mayor Veysel Tiryaki, from the Ankara Municipality of Altindag (Turkey), presented the experience of Hamamonu and the transformation of physical resources. A guided tour on the afternoon allowed the participants to discover the results of the intervention at Hamamonu, which constitutes a case study in the framework of the RICHES project. Exploring the CH transmission and its impact on education and learning, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Kucuk (Hacettepe Technology Transfer Center, Turkey) presented the Global Libraries Project Turkey. Closing that session,  MEMOLA Project presented its activities on Cultural Landscapes as places to get involved.

The final session of the workshop was completely interactive and open to discussion. Participants addressed specific aspects linked to the workshop topics in three parallel discussion groups. 

Finally, the findings of the discussion sessions where reported to the global audience, and the RICHES project coordinator, Neil Forbes, concluded the event sharing the closing remarks. The event has been a successful platform to discuss key aspects linked to the RICHES project research, proving insights to continue exploring and understanding the context of change and the move from analogue to digital.

For more information visit: RICHES Workshop in Ankara (Turkey)

J.M. Martín Civantos, MEMOLA coordinator,  presents "the Andalusian Landscapes: agroecosystems, peasant logic, production and subsistence", on 20th of May. Organised by "Arqueología somos todos", at the "Casa Árabe" in Córdoba.

‪The University of Granada organizes a MEMOLA workshop "techniques for screening and flotation of ‪archaeological‬ sediment" on 18th of May. There are two turns, sign up already! With a certificate of participation.

15th of May the University of Granada will present "MEMOLA project" by J.M. Martín Civantos and L.Delgado Anés at the Conference "Jornadas Ecocampus 2015" organised by IDEA and the University of Granada about environmental volunteers.

14th of May UGR, EAP and UNESCO-AND will present "Cultural Landscapes: Places to get involved" by J.M. Martín Civantos, M. Toscano and L.Delgado Anés organised by the RICHES project about "the context of change and the move from analogue to digital workshop"

14th of May J.F. Ruiz Ruiz presents "‪Agricultural‬ ‪landscapes‬ of Europe and Mexico: community management of irrigation water from an ‪ethnoecology‬ perspective" in the Centre of Research on ecosystems of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

The Restoration of a Historic Trail in Cañar started on May 11th. Cañar's city council, with the support of the MEMOLA team, and the financial aid of the Alpujarra Local Development Association, started the recovery of a historic route which connected the village with the higher mountains and runs through a landscape of great natural and heritage value.

The goal is to recover this variety from Sierra Nevada and provide farmers with its seed for planting, as well as give technical support to cultivate it and to elaborate environmental guidelines to assure its conservation. The recovery process has been design to ensure market supply with three productions per cycle. This cycle starts during winter at the Coastal Plain with the seed produced in the upper mountain, it  continues with its planting in the month of February at the Middle Plain ( 600-800 meters) to conclude at the beginning of summer with its planting in Sierra Nevada, depending on the altitude, allowing obtaining a new harvest of this high quality product and the production of a new seed.

The cultivation areas to recover this local product are Nieles (Cástaras), Lugros y Cáñar. Depending on the terrain conditions the planting will be done in different periods of time and altitudes. The planting at Nieles has already started.  The work involved will be done with traditional techniques and by the local farmers. In the following months planting will start at Lugros and Cañar.

The "copo de nieve" potato is a variety of a size of 5 to 10 centimeters, rounded, with many sprouts for germination. It was cultivated in Sierra Nevada until the 18th century, thanks to its good adaptation to the terrain and weather conditions.