Rethinking tourism narratives on the cultural landscapes of Asturias (Northern Spain) from the perspective of Landscape Archaeology: do archaeologists have anything to say?

Abstract

As in other rural areas in Spain, the Asturian countryside suffers from a profound demographic and economic crisis. Since tourism emerged as one of the main hopes for the reactivation of rural economy, the regional government has made a particular effort in promoting rural tourism. This paper intends to assess the effects that naturalistic and atemporal narratives of Asturian landscapes exert on the rural farming communities, which define the `tourism imaginaries¿ as they become established as identity referents not only for visitors, but for the inhabitants of the region themselves. Archaeology can enhance the local communities¿ agency through the appreciation of cultural values attached to these landscapes. To this end, the diachronic depth of the social and productive processes which shaped the Asturian landscapes is emphasised by relying on Landscape Archaeology. The relevant role played by farmers and herders in these activities merits their involvement in actively designing future policies.