In Sobrarbe, “transterminant” breeding has been practiced for 7,000 years, that is, a type of grazing in which animals move throughout the year between neighboring areas in search of better pastures, for example between valleys and higher areas, but always within the area. same region or territory. This is a common practice in mountainous areas throughout Europe, where the terrain and weather conditions change with the seasons.
Transterminance differs from transhumance because, although both involve movements of livestock, in the second case they involve much longer movements. In transtermination, “the shepherds take the herds to the mountain meadows in May or June to take advantage of the time when the grass is better and in September or October they take the herd down,” explains David García Casas, author of an important work archaeological. study developed in the Mallatas de Albella, in Fiscal, Sobrarbe.
This type of breeding continues to be practiced, but “much less due to the rural abandonment of cities. The idea was to find its origins to rethink the future of livestock farming as a sustainable practice for the territories. This type of livestock farming represents an important point in the creation of the mountain landscapes that we see, these are humanized landscapes,” explains the researcher, who adds that “being aware of this history can perhaps help to think about alternatives for the sustainable development of the region. livestock in mountain areas.
The village of Mallatas de Albella consists of two parts, a more modern hut which was no longer used in 1982, with the death of the last shepherd and “another part of the village, a hut and an enclosure, which seem older and even older. the people of the city who practiced transtermination had no memory of having been used. The study aims to date these settlements to find out when animal occupation began in the area.
The shepherds’ huts, some of which are still in use, have enormous archaeological potential which reveals details of the practice of herding in the past. David García Casas, in collaboration with the research team of the Institute of Heritage Sciences (INCIPIT) of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), carried out an archaeological intervention in the Mallatas de Albella, in Fiscal, Sobrabre, with the aim of determining the origins of the practice of transterminating breeding, which still persisted in the 20th century in the region.
This study began with García Casas’ project to study the origin of livestock landscapes and how the landscape has been modified. “As part of this project I did excavations in Galicia and took the case study of Aragon in the Sobrarbe region as there was an earlier architectural and ethnographic study carried out by Dr. Carlos Fernández, thanks to whom we already had some historical data on the habitat”, he explains.
As part of the work carried out, the team carried out excavations in a shepherd’s hut. One of the most remarkable discoveries was the discovery of a sidewalk, which acted as a floor. At this level, ceramic fragments were found, as well as an ovicaprid vertebra, testifying to the presence of cattle.
The cabin structure featured an unexpected design. Initially it was thought to be square, but excavations revealed that one of the sides, the entrance, was circular, where the house stood. Remains of fauna and a piece of metal, probably part of a sickle blade, were found around the house.
For precise dating of the cabin, charcoal samples were taken from the hearth for carbon-14 analysis. Additionally, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) studies were commissioned, which will determine the last times the cabin sediments were exposed. in the sun. This analysis, led by external geodynamics professor Dr Jorge Sanjurjo, from the University of A Coruña, will complement C14 by providing more precise dating, the results of which are expected next year.
These analyzes will provide a better understanding of the rates of occupation and abandonment of dry stone pastoral structures, in comparison with other enclaves, such as in Galicia, where the team is also working.
