Results of the excavation campaigns in El Carpio, Córdoba (2021–2022)

The town of El Carpio, located approximately 27 km east of Córdoba, traces its origins to the former Muslim fortress of al-Qusayr, situated on the left bank of the Guadalquivir River, near the hermitage of San Pedro, as referenced by the 12th-century geographer al-Idrisi. It was not until the 14th century that this Islamic fortification was abandoned to establish a new settlement 700 meters south of the original site, easily recognizable by the imposing tower commissioned by Garci Méndez de Sotomayor. Over the centuries, the town of El Carpio experienced significant demographic growth and a profound urban transformation, which included the disappearance of the defensive moat and the demolition of the walls, paving the way for the creation of new streets. During 2021 and 2022, as part of the town’s urban improvement plan, trenching work was carried out on El Santo and Altozano streets, as well as on Graneros alley, with the aim of installing a new potable water supply network, renewing the sewer pipes, and constructing new paving. These interventions were accompanied by the corresponding archaeological monitoring, the results of which are presented in this report.