Villagers of the Sierra De Gredos - Transhumant Cattle-Raisers in Central Spain

This is the first study of a transhumant cattle-raising community in Spain. Transhumance is the seasonal moving of livestock to another region. This book shows the social and economic factors upon which the continued vitality of this mountain village is based: the use of communal summer pastures; the transhumant groups which walk the cattle to the winter pastures over the mountains; and the system of taking turns for many tasks within the village. The book analyses the sharp divisions between the more rigid organization of life within the village, and the organization of life outside the village in the transhumant group which goes to the winter pastures in Extramadura.

List of contents

The setting; village institutions; transhumance; Extremadura as earthly paradise.

About the author

William Kavanagh Lecturer in Social Anthropology,Comillas University, Madrid. Acted as the consultant anthropologist for a film on the transhumant cattle-raisers in the Granada Television production,

Summary

This is the first study of a transhumant cattle-raising community in Spain. Transhumance is the seasonal moving of livestock to another region. This book shows the social and economic factors upon which the continued vitality of this mountain village is based: the use of communal summer pastures; the transhumant groups which walk the cattle to the winter pastures over the mountains; and the system of taking turns for many tasks within the village. The book analyses the sharp divisions between the more rigid organization of life within the village, and the organization of life outside the village in the transhumant group which goes to the winter pastures in Extramadura.

Product details

• Authors: William Kavanagh, Kavanagh William
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.05.2021
• EAN: 9780367717223
• ISBN: 978-0-367-71722-3
• No. of pages: 174
• Series: Mediterranea
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Human Geography, Spain, Anthropology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Animal Husbandry, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / Rural, Rural communities, Human Geography, Animal Husbandry, Settlement, urban and rural geography, Physical anthropology