Paisajes duales en la Galicia tradicional: estructura, génesis y transformación

Abstract

We study the cultural landscapes of two parishes in the interior of Galicia using archaeological, ethno-historical and ethnographic data with a structural methodology. The features identified in these parishes suggest that they can be labeled as a «dual landscapes» anchored or built on the remains of the Iron Age period. This fact invites us to wonder about its genesis. We argue about the existence of a dialectical dualism of Celtic roots, and we remember that Celtic cultural and linguistic features are well attested in the region. Some kind of correspondence between the historical landscapes examined and the Celtic dualism is suggested. However, the relevance of the concept of «survival» is dismissed as both the local settlement pattern and the religion change at the beginning of the Middle Ages. Thus, although the identified dual structure finds their roots in the Iron Age, the observable social and religious reality belongs to the Christian peasants of later centuries.