Apuntes de arqueología y cultura material granadina. El baño del Albaicín (Siglos XIII-XVI)

Abstract

In the present study, on the Albaicin Baths and their history in the I 3t to the 16th centuries the author provides a series of intersting data on this Moorish buildings. The archaeological and artistic aspects have been studied by Gómez Moreno and Seco de Lucena, and other references to planning details have been provided by Carmina Villanueva Rico.
We still lack, however, studies on other aspects of these Baths, and the author uses references in documents of fiction to provide information on the nature of the water used in the Baths, how it was distributed among the propietors after being used for ablutions, and how this development is related to the waterworks in the Alfacar and Viznar dykes undertaken by the Ziries in the 11 th century and the development of the Albaicin in the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th centuries up till the Christian reconquest of the town. Another interesting piece of information provided in this study concerns the (renta de la haguela) which the Baths belonged to. We now know how this source of rent worked, and this again takes us back to Moorish times. The present study concludes with sorne remarks on the disappearance of the Baths. In summary, we can now appreciate how a careful study of one of the most interesting buildings in Granada can lead us to a deeper understanding of Moorish town planning and the vital role played by water in this community.