The application of a schema to Late Gothic heritage: creating a digital model for a spatio-temporal study in Andalusia

Abstract

Late Gothic architecture was produced during the late 15th and early 16th centuries in a “supranational” European context in which the rich interaction of professionals created a map of exchange with a significant impact on the territory. This historical period can therefore be viewed as a complex system shaped by the activities of various actors and phenomena. Our methodology includes geographical analysis and visualisations of historical data ‒ geolocalised primary sources ‒ and allows us to generate new hypotheses and interpretations about this historical period. This project proposes a new perspective for studying transit in Andalusia during the Modern Era, based on the creation of a digital model of Late Gothic heritage using the spatial data infrastructure currently being generated by the International Late Gothic Network (www.tardogotico.es). Our research examines four geohistorical elements ‒ roads, fluxes, buildings and professionals ‒ and uses a methodology that may have applications in the future for many fields of heritage research and management. This paper presents the initial results of this innovative way of researching cultural heritage.