New constraints on the medieval repopulation process in the northern Iberian plateau from the full vector archaeomagnetic dating of two hearths at La Pudia site (Caleruega, Burgos, Spain)

Abstract

The progressive southward reoccupation of territories of the Iberian Peninsula by the Christian kingdom against the Muslims from the eighth century AD onwards is a well-known process. However, there are few well-dated sites of this period, especially in the northern plateau of Spain. Here we report the full vector archaeomagnetic dating of two hearths from the archaeological site of La Pudia I (Caleruega, Castile-and-Leon, Spain). Both hearths were archaeomagnetically investigated in order to date their last use linked to the abandonment of the site. The archaeomagnetic direction was analysed through thermal (TH) and stepwise alternating field (AF) demagnetization of the natural remanent magnetization (NRM). Pseudo-single domain slightly substituted magnetite was identified as the main magnetic carrier. Thellier–Coe type absolute archaeointensity determinations were carried out on 48 samples from both hearths. The mean directions obtained were independently analysed both at sample and at specimen levels yielding very similar results but statistically distinguishable at 95% confidence level. The archaeomagnetic dating was carried out by comparing the mean directions and archaeointensity values of both hearths with the SHA.DIF.14k geomagnetic field model. The results obtained are in agreement with the archaeological context, suggesting that the abandonment of the archaeological site took place between the end of ninth century and the first half of the eleventh century AD. These results provide one of the first evidences of independently well-dated sites of the Christian conquest in the Iberian northern plateau at the onset of the Early–High Middle Ages.