| Andalusia | | History and Culture |
The existence of human populations in the region goes back to the Upper
Paleolithic era and from those dates are many found archeological sites,
such as paintings preserved in many caves. In the beginning of the
historic era, Andalusia maintained the population of Tartesus,
the first organized state on the Peninsula from what we now see with
the Treasures of Carambolo.
Afterwards, the Greeks and the Phoenicians established their costal
colonies and cities creating great trade centers such as Cadiz. After
a century of Carthage's stay, Rome conquered Andalusia.
In 711, we find the key date of Andalusian history. The entering
of the first Arab contingents constituted the beginning of eight
centuries of Islamic domination. The period of the Caliph of Cordoba
was a flourishing period making the entire region the center of
gravity of Western Islam. The disintegration of the Caliphate
constituted a grand opportunity for the Northern Christian kings.
After Castile and Leon's unification by Ferdinand III, there was a
great movement for the recuperation of Christian Andalusia. The
Catholic Kingdom ended the splendid past of Al-Andalus with the fall
of Granada in 1492, the same year Andalusia contributed to the
decisive discovery and later conquest and colonizing of America.
Andalusia came into the 19th century with an active participation
in the War of Independence, but there will be two facts not only
in this century but rather a great part of Spanish history:
the convocation of the Courts of Cadiz and the proclamation of the
1812 Constitution.
Ortega y Gasset affirms that Andalusia is among the Spanish regions that
possesses its own more distinct culture, plural and composed of diversed
elements.
The traditional culture is seen in the richly artistic pottery, leather works,
wood carving, metal works and basket weaving as well as fabrics that are found
in all Andalusian establishments.
One can acquire blankets from Grazalema (Cadiz) or from Alpujarras, lace from
Andévalo in Huelva, Moroccann leather works from Ubrique,
leather wear and country footwear from Valverde del Camino (Huelva).
In Granada there are original craftsmen of street lights and wood
working and jewellery presented in various manners.
Regarding the literary aspect, Andalusia has offered great names in Spanish culture
and to the West, such as Mateo Alemán, Juan de la Cueva, Vélez
de Guevara, Góngora, Cadalso, Bécquer, Antonio and Manuel Machado, Juan
Ramón Jiménez, Lorca, Alberti, Aleixandre and Cernuda,
among others.
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