Uncomfortable Memories and Non-Heritages: The Archaeology of Counter-Revolution and the Carlist Wars in the Basque Country

Abstract The development of historical archaeology in the Iberian Peninsula has opened new and stimulating avenues research into its most recent times. One these been Carlist Wars, a series nineteenth-century conflicts related to overarching process emergence liberal governments Europe and, contemporarily, counter-revolutionary movements. This paper will describe excavations at sites southern part Basque Country order tackle two interrelated questions: limits possibilities close connection specific materialities events politics memory surrounding them. It is argued that War materiality not considered construction heritage because are introduced legitimating narratives failed-state formation project identity.