Modern Spain is a complex mixture of traditions and cultures, many of them ancient. It is not an easy culture to understand, and it is the aim of this course to introduce students to the field of physical, archaeological, and cultural anthropology by using Spain as a laboratory. The course has a chronological historic structure and aims to detect the ancestral origins of actual Spanish beliefs and traditions. It starts by explaining the first appearance of humans on the Iberian Peninsula and ends with considerations on modern Spain. But, rather than a strictly historical approach, we are interested in syncretism, the complex layering of ancient belief systems inside a modern country.
The course includes local site visits and an optional study tour (day trip) to a site of archaeological interest. The amount of the fee to cover costs of transportation, group meal, and entry will be announced in Madrid and may be paid on site with a credit card.
Department: Anthropology
Location: Madrid
Semesters: Fall, Spring
Credits: 3