Resumo
Since the origins of archaeology, researchers have used place names as a complementary source. However, as Elisabeth Zadora-Rio pointed out in 2001, combining oral and material sources is not always straightforward and can lead to incorrect analyses and forced interpretations. Nevertheless, greater stability in place names has been observed in mountain areas, and the potential for combining oral, written and material sources to construct more robust interpretations of changes in medieval and post-medieval landscapes has been demonstrated. A detailed study of toponymy, and oral tradition in general, also enables a better understanding of the relationship between communities and their environment, opening up interesting avenues for community archaeology projects. Unfortunately, the ongoing process of rural depopulation throughout Europe has resulted in the loss of numerous place names that have not yet been documented or analysed. This paper will focus on: (1) illustrating the capabilities of toponymy and oral tradition as valuable sources for landscape archaeology in mountainous contexts; and (2) raising awareness of the risks of losing this intangible heritage, and of the role we must play in conserving it. In order to illustrate this points, a series of practical examples will be presented from the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula.
Palabras chave
Toponimia. Metodología. Arqueología del Paisaje. Tradición oral.