El origen del ambientalismo arqueológico en la obra pública española (I)la Arqueología Preventiva en el planeamiento de la Autovía A-92 Baza–Puerto Lumbreras (1988-1994)

Abstract

The archaeological research performed on Highway A-92 constitutes a case study concerning the foundations of European archaeological environmentalism. According to European environmental law, archaeological impact prevention is meant to avoid in origin, which implies the planning of construction projects. However, European Preventive Archaeology dodges this key environmental principle, inhibiting itself in the planning of projects. Instead of averting impact, its preventive refers equivocally to the contrary -that is, forecasting the impact and the consequent development of voluminous excavation seasons. The archaeology of A-92 Baza-Puerto Lumbreras brought about a substantive application of environmental regulations, highlighting this original vice of archaeological conservation whose adverse effects are currently the topic of international debate. In the case of Spain, Preventive Archaeology is nominal and draws upon Salvage Archaeology from archaeological emergency management. It is supplied by field archaeography, whose surveying underestimates the archaeological impact prediction, and, rather than environmental mitigation measures, its excavations continue to be mere deficient formalities.