Within the framework of the re -urbanization works of the street of La Fusteria de Barcelona, between the streets Ample and De la Mercè, the remains of five houses of medieval origin have been documented, as well as its evolution until the demolition in 1909, and the subsequent construction of the Via Laietana and the Post Office building.
The works have exposed the ground floor and some basements of these homes, along with a stretch of the pavement of the Voltes dels Enchards – a portico square that, since the fourteenth century, housed carpenters, barrels and other artisans or menestrals of the city -, which formerly opened in the Plaza de San Sebastián and in the streets of the carpentry and historical width. Among the most outstanding findings is a ceramic pavement of the fourteenth century, as well as medieval and postmedieval structures, including wells, deposits and sanitation networks.
Archaeological materials have also been recovered such as ceramics from different eras, architectural and decorative elements of demolished houses, metals, fauna and glass remains. One of the most unique pieces is an image of San Antonio de Padua, probably from the 18th century, which has been found in the pavement of one of the homes. Documentary investigations have also allowed to establish that one of the houses could have hosted one of the first documented museum collections in the Peninsula.
Remains of the ‘Font de l’àngel’
The remains of this apple, which has its origin in the fourteenth century, can be related to the remains of the Font de L´àngelof similar chronology, previously found in the Plaza de Correos. Although the recovered source structures were foundations, their historical importance is highlighted, since it was one of the few public sources of medieval Barcelona, responsible for supplying water to the port and receiving the first travelers who arrived in the city by sea. Thus, the intervention has allowed to provide new information on the occupation of this space in the city in medieval chronologies.
The archaeological excavation occupies a total area of 239 square meters, with a length of 36.7 meters and a width of 6.5 meters. The reurbing works of Fusteria Street are also allowing to recover relevant historical information about the Barcelona configuration.
The archaeological works will continue to complete the documentation of all the remains and will end once the subsequent analysis by the archaeologist at the head of the excavation can be carried out. The intervention is directed by the archaeologist Toni Fernández, under the supervision of the Barcelona Archeology Service (ICUB) and the Archaeological and Paleontological Heritage Service of the Generalitat. The team consists of an archaeologist director, a technical archaeologist and five archeology assistants of the company Actium Patrimoni Cultural, SL.
Barcelona, a city with years old
As explained by the archaeologist of the Barcelona Archeology Service, Laia Macià, the fact of finding archaeological remains was “predictable”, since “Barcelona is a city of seniority, especially the Ciutat Vella.” However, Macià has clarified that, despite having plans and knowing that in the past there had been constructions, “you never know to what extent the subsequent urban intervention will have left structures that can be found.” In this way, archaeologists cannot be totally sure of what they are going to find, since, as he has pointed out, “written sources come to where they arrive.”
As for the findings, the image of San Antonio de Padua has been the one that most surprised archaeologists for the fact that it is on the ground. According to Macià, a set of polychrome tiles like this, “it usually be on the walls, and not on the ground.” At the moment it is still not known why the image is in that location, but the archaeologist said they are doing “field work” to understand the reason for their location.
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