Blog post 1 - Working on The Field – Museu d’Història de Barcelona (MUHBA) – The roots of Catalonia. - Austin Leibowitz

Austin Leibowitz

IESAbroad – AN 345- Catalan Cultural Studies

 Prof: Xavier Alcón Riera 

Blog Post 1

1.  Roman monumental influence compared to Catalan influence can be seen through their

walls, towers, sewers, public baths, and streets. The Roman influence is there, yet Catalan

towers differentiate themselves through more precise structuring, whereas the Romans were

more focused on the completion rather than the detail of the work. The Roman sewer system

was way ahead of their time, and Catalonians have used their framework to create advanced

versions of the ancient Roman sewer system. Catalonian streets also have Roman influence,

that being their streets are narrow. Their technology has advanced, introducing larger streets

with advanced technology.

2.  At the start of the Roman religious origin, they worshipped many gods and goddesses.

With the rise of Christianity, Romans shifted their ideology towards Monotheism. 

3.

Above are the pictures that I took on our class field trip. One of the main similarities that I

noticed regarding the architecture of the buildings is the gothic, medieval style. Another theme

that I noticed is the specific intricate details on the outer walls and frame of the buildings.

I have noticed that Catalan buildings tend to be highly focused on detail, specifically made

up of ceramic and stone. These buildings exhibit the Roman Catalan Style as I noted above,

including detail etched into the stone. Many buildings in the United States exhibit Roman

Catalan-style architecture. Most famously, the White House exhibits arches and columns

that are very similar to ancient Roman architecture. 

a. The culina in a typical Roman House or Dumas area was the kitchen. 

b. The Pertistlyum was a columned yard or garden often featured in ancient Roman homes. 

c.  The atrium was usually a central room in ancient Roman homes that was typically open

to the sky and where visitors would enter the house.  

d. The triclinium was the dining area in typical Roman homes, which featured a three-couch

arrangement used for reclining during meals. 

4. Some of the domestic objects that I saw in the museum could be found in a Roman house.

Those include spoons, pots, and wine cups among other household items. It was very

interesting for me to see how different the personal items from ancient roman times are

compared to those of today. The style and what is considered to be unique and stylish have

changed immensely. 

b. The tablinum was a reception room in ancient Roman houses. This room was used as an

office for the father of the Roman House.

5. Roman wine culture was extremely influential in the daily lives of ancient Romans. Romans

believed that wine was a daily necessity and would provide wine to any type of individual,

including slaves, women, and peasants. This shows the importance and significance of the

wine culture in ancient Rome. In Roman times, they worshipped Dianysis, the god of wine,

highly influencing the wine culture. Today, wine is still influential, and often represents the

nation of Catalonia. In the Christian Religion, wine is often referred to as a blessing given

by the gods. In Catalunya, wine culture includes having a bottle of wine alongside a meal,

and included often during social gatherings. Two examples of Catalan Wine brands include

Atlés and Cellers Bellod.

6. The Visigothic influence in Catalunya can be seen through the arts, religion, artifacts,

and architecture. These show the culture of the Visigothic people. The changes in culture

with the arrival of Christianity in Catalunya were significant. One significant change was the

discovery of baptism pools, which were first found in Catalunya in the 4th Century A.D,

showing the importnace of religion early on in society for the Visigothic people.  The picture

on the right shows the detail of a Capital in the church of San Pedro de la Nave, one of the

few remaining influences of Visigothic culture in Spain. On the left is a picture from the museum

of the Visigothic Baptism Pools.