This presentation examines the cultural landscape of Las Merindades (northern Burgos, Spain) through the material and immaterial legacies of the Italian Corpo di Truppe Volontarie (CTV) during the Spanish Civil War, situating this case study within broader debates on nationalism, identity, and the politicization of the past. The CTV, a fascist expeditionary force deployed by Mussolini in support of the military uprising, was stationed in northern Spain in the summer of 1937. Their tangible and intangible legacy represents how propaganda, heritage, and historical narratives were mobilized to legitimize a nationalist and authoritarian regime.
Through archaeological survey and excavation, archival research, and oral testimonies, the study adopts a multiscale approach to explore how a relatively brief period of military occupation followed by a 40-year dictatorship produced long-lasting transformations in both the physical landscape and its social meanings. These remains are analyzed as material practices through which power, identity, and belonging were physically inscribed onto space, forming the basis for later processes of symbolic appropriation.
The presentation further examines how these landscapes have been subsequently reconfigured through Francoist monuments and memorials, interpreted, neglected, or silenced until today. The “official” narratives are contrasted with the present-day archaeological investigation of the same spaces, which has generated new data but also sparked opposition to what is perceived as the “reopening” of the past.
By analyzing the tensions between material remains, state-sponsored monumentalisation, and contemporary research following democratic laws, this case study highlights the challenges faced by researchers working in politically charged landscapes. It argues for the importance of critically engaged research to expose silenced histories, combat simplifications, and contribute to a more accurate interpretation of the past. In doing so, it contributes to current debates on how archaeology can responsibly engage with conflict-related heritage in an era of resurgent nationalism and polarized identities.

First Author: AMALIA PEREZ-JUEZ

Co-Authors: Davide Zendri, Alicia Torija, Octavio Torres

Keywords:
MEMORY
SPANISH CIVIL WAR
DICTATORSHIP
CORPO TRUPPE VOLONTARIE
LAW OF DEMOCRATIC MEMORY