Overview
Archaeological or architectural heritage Maps
Title: The Checkerboard Code: A Geographic Proof of the 12th-Century Way of Saint James
Subtitle: Using Jaquese Checkerboard (Ajedrezado Jaqués) as a Geospatial Validation Tool for Medieval Pilgrimage Networks.
1. The Problem: Politics vs. Physical Evidence
Current Situation: Many official “Ways of Saint James” are based on modern administrative decisions or 20th-century reinterpretations, often lacking consistent 12th-century archaeological evidence.
The Conflict: Historically authentic routes, such as the Vía Céltica (passing through Santa Comba), are sometimes marginalized by regional authorities despite preserving an exceptionally dense historical heritage.
The Need: A scientific “litmus test” to verify the historicity of pilgrimage itineraries across Europe.
2. The Method: The “Jaquese Checkerboard” as a Beacon
The Hypothesis: The Jaquese Checkerboard (Ajedrezado Jaqués) was not merely a decorative motif but a deliberate 12th-century signaling system. It acted as a “visual code of safety” for the medieval traveler.
The Data Set: We have geolocated every church across Europe featuring this specific Romanesque motif.
The Overlay: Our interactive map superimposes three critical layers:
Location of churches with Jaquese Checkerboard.
Ancient Roman Roads (the original engineering backbone).
Official vs. Proposed Jacobean itineraries.
3. The Tool: An Interactive Geospatial Ledger
European Scale: Our work covers the entire European network, demonstrating that this architectural “DNA” follows a precise logic of territorial organization.
The “Vía Céltica” Case Study: In this specific route, we have identified 17 churches with checkerboard patterns. This density proves it was a major signaled artery in the 12th century, challenging modern narratives that deny its historicity.
Technological Integration: The map allows for real-time verification of route authenticity. If the chequerboard pattern follows the itinerary, we are looking at the true pilgrimage route.
4. Alignment with Time Machine Europe Goals
Big Data of the Past: We are converting architectural motifs into quantifiable geospatial data.
Terratorial Continuity: We demonstrate how 12th-century infrastructure relied on Roman engineering, creating a 2,000-year continuity map.
Democratizing History: Our interactive tool provides an objective, evidence-based alternative to “official” histories, aligning with the Santiago Declaration of 1987.
5. Call to Action / Collaboration
We are looking to integrate our dataset into larger European historical clouds.
We aim to provide a scientific validation standard for any entity claiming “historical status” for a cultural route.
https://inferninho-net.github.io/axedrezado/index.html
Project lead
Mr Manuel Amigo