EEA History On the 4th of February 1932 the Gaceta de Madrid published a Law that was passed on the 27th of January of the same year via which the School of Arabic Studies of Madrid and the School of Arabic Studies of Granada were established. The aim was "to protect and promote Arabic studies in Spain", as stated in the Preamble of the Law. With the creation of a centre of these characteristics in Granada a long-standing aspiration was fulfilled, and in the middle of the 19th century the centre began to attend requests from the University of Granada.
Creation and Organization of the School of Arabic Studies (EEA)
The presence of Emilio García Gómez, who held the chair of Arabic Studies in the University of Granada from 1930, and the beneficial effect that this had on Arabic studies in the area may have complemented the atmosphere that had been established. His role was decisive as illustrated by the fact that, initially, the plans to set up a School of Arabic Studies involved Granada exclusively, and the School in Madrid was established on the basis of his recommendations, bearing in mind that the most important teachers of Arabic studies at national level were to be found in the capital.
The text of the Law passed by Parliament specified that the main objective of the School in Madrid was to "supervise and promote scientific research into history, civilisation and Muslim life". The School in Granada was assigned the main task of "teaching Arabic language and civilisation at higher levels, along with Hebrew and rabbinical matters and the attraction of the youth within Muslim culture, in addition to scientific research work". In order to achieve the first objective, teaching began in the following areas: Arabic, Hebrew, political and cultural history of the Muslims and Islamic law and institutions. Specific studies were carried out in relation to Moroccan affairs, dialectology, art and archaeology. The results of this research were published, in collaboration with the School in Madrid, in the specialist journal Al-Andalus and in a series of monographs. All publications bore the double imprint of Madrid-Granada.
Both the School in Granada and the School in Madrid were authorised to issue certificates of aptitude to their scholarship students, which were subsequently used in processes of University chair selection in this field, in applications to diplomatic and consular posts in Arabic-speaking countries, and in applications to secure the posts of Archivist, Librarian and Archaeologist in centres that possessed an Arabic collection. In addition, the School in Granada was authorised to confer the title of Doctor to holders of a degree in Semitic Philology obtained in a Spanish university, and to foreigners who held an equivalent degree, via an examination process similar to that of the University of Madrid.
Another unique feature of the School in Granada, which was a consequence of its pedagogic focus on students from Arab countries, involved the possibility of establishing a Hall of Residence to house these students. All of this was carried out in accordance with the text of the aforementioned Law.
At the time of its creation, the School of Arabic Studies of Granada, whilst maintaining its independence, was attached to the Faculty of Arts in the University. The school was governed by a Board formed by the Vice-chancellor, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Architect charged with the maintenance of the Alhambra and two professors from the same Faculty, one of which could be freely appointed whilst the other held the Arabic Language professorship and occupied the post of Technical Director of the Centre. The duties of the Board involved internal organization, appointment of teachers and scholarship students, budget management and organizing teaching and scientific works. The Board was obliged to present an annual Report to the Ministry of Public Teaching.
Finally, it should be pointed out that the same Law, via which the School was established, designated the Casa del Chapiz as the headquarters of the EEA. The School was assigned a budget of 120,000 pesetas, which encompassed installation costs, fees for the acquisition of bibliographical material, maintenance costs, personnel, trips, courses and conferences.
With Emilio García Gómez as director, the EEA was officially inaugurated on the 21st of October 1931 and was made up of four departments: I. Philology, encompassing Arabic and Hebrew Literature and Language, Moroccan Studies and Dialectology; II. Islamic Law and Institutions; III. Political and cultural history of the Muslims; IV Arabic Art and Archaeology. Successful completion of the courses taught in these departments conferred a Degree in Semitic Philology.
In addition to the courses a specialist library was gradually built up, Research Seminars were set up and monographical courses, conferences and scientific trips were organized. At the same time, several scholarships were awarded, including four that were awarded to Moroccans.
Emilo García Gómez's departure to Madrid in 1935 came just before the Civil War period between 1936 and 1939, which naturally affected the life of the EEA. Three different people, who, at the very least, ensured that the School remained open whilst the outcome of wider social events was decided, occupied the post of director fortuitously.
Incorporation into the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
In 1939, after the war, the EEA was incorporated into the newly created Spanish Council for Scientific Research. This entailed the abolishment of the Board, the transfer of the classes to the Faculty of Arts, the modification of the statutes relating to the responsibilities of the Institute and the creation of new departments, which more or less were in keeping with the previous scheme.
The fundamental change affected the focus of the School, which, in keeping with its incorporation into the new Council, became a centre that focused primarily on research.
Incorporation as a dependency of the Council meant that the EEA also formed a part of the "Arias Montano" Institute of Arabic and Hebraic Studies, which, in turn, was a dependency of the "Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo" Trust along with the School in Madrid. At a later date, both were merged into a single institute, the "Miguel Asín" Institute, which was named after the famous Arabist who died in 1944.
In time the School in Madrid took on the name of this Institute, whilst the School in Granada maintained its original name. Today, whilst the former "Miguel Asín" Institute has been converted into the Philology Institute's Department of Arabic Studies, the School of Arabic Studies of Granada, in addition to being the only institute that has maintained its name, is also the only Institute within the CSIC that focuses on Arabic studies.
Returning to the period immediately following the war, the EEA was organized into four departments: Arabic Philology, History of the Muslims, Islamic Law and Institutions, and Bibliography.
The Department of Hispano-Muslim Philosophy was added in 1955, whilst other Departments closed as the years went by: the History Department was closed in 1963 and the Bibliography was closed in 1972. A little later, in 1976, Arab literature and spoken Arabic classes were removed from the School's curriculum.
Further restructuring took place which meant that the Departments, which were then referred to as Structural Research Units, were reduced to two: Arabic Philology and the History of Islam. A final change did away with the Units, which were incorporated into the Department of Arabic Studies.
Throughout this period, by which we mean the period subsequent to the EEA's incorporation into the CSIC, the Schools continued to have a close relationship with the University, and more specifically, with the Department of Semitic Philology in the Faculty of Arts. This was mainly due to the fact that the School did not possess its own research personnel, and this task was carried out by professors of Arabic and the History of Islam. The Library was also managed by professors from the aforementioned departments.
The official link between university staff and the EEA allowed the Institute to carry out its activities, with a certain degree of ups and downs, and meant that it was able to remain open at all times, which proved to be extremely important and allowed it to overcome difficult moments. Nevertheless, as time progressed it became increasingly clear that the only logical solution for the future of the EEA implied the possession of its own personnel, who, whilst maintaining the relationship with the Faculty, would produce work that was supervised, developed and completed by the Institute itself. Thus, an increasing number of new lines of investigation would be pursued in an attempt to fulfil the Institute's true objective as a research Institute.
In 1979 the CSIC began to provide posts for scientific personnel: one initially, shortly followed by the post of assistant, which would allow the Institute to carry out its activities. In the 80's four scientists were incorporated and over the following years four more were taken on. Thus, the Institute currently employs a staff of nine scientists in addition to a researcher from the Ramon y Cajal program. The Institute also possesses support staff made up of research assistants, who collaborate in research work and assist in the Library, specialists who run the Library and workers who take charge of other duties within the Institute. The list of personnel is completed by scholarship students and personnel who are hired to carry out a doctoral thesis or a specific project.
At this time all personnel within the Institute form a part of the CSIC, as permanent staff, research students holding a scholarship or temporary staff. The link with the University is evident in the doctorate courses that are taught by EEA members or in the participation of University professors in Research Projects that are supervised by EEA researchers. List of Directors D. Emilio García Gómez (incumbent): 1932 - 1935 D. Salvador Vila Hernández (accidental): 1935 - 1936 D. Ángel González Palencia (interim): 1937 - 1938 D. Antonio Gallego Burín (accidental): 1938 - 1943 D. Luis Seco de Lucena Paredes (incumbent): 1943 - 1972 D. Darío Cabanelas Rodríguez (incumbent): 1972 - 1983 D. Jacinto Bosch Vilá (acting): octubre-noviembre 1983 D. Camilo Álvarez de Morales y Ruiz-Matas (incumbent): 1983 - 1989 D. Luis Molina Martínez (incumbent): 1989 - 1998 D. Antonio Almagro Gorbea (incumbent): 1998 - 2005 D. Juan Castilla Brazales (incumbent): 2005 -
The Houses of the Chapiz Located in the corner that forms the Cuesta del Chapiz (Slope of the Chapiz) and the Camino del Sacromonte (Road to the Sacred Hill), the ancient track to the town of Guadix, the Houses of the Chapiz occupy a wide plot including an orchard and a garden. They are very frequently called House of the Chapiz, using the singular, although it is more accurate to employ the use of the plural, since they are two houses with different origins. This confusion has been produced by the fact that they share an aisle located between both houses and thus they have the shape of one house with two courtyards. However, by the study of its architectural plan, as well as from documented data from the 16th century that have been preserved, it has been revealed that two independent residential units exist.
The entrance was located in the Placeta del Peso de la Harina (Weight of the Flour Square), in the beginning of the Camino del Sacromonte, through a common space of both houses, which would terminate at the entry vestibule to the main house. This house appears to be built on the remains of a 14th century Nasrid palace, of which some of its plan and several other elements are conserved. They were reused when the house was rebuilt at the beginning of the 16th century by the Morisco Lorenzo el Chapiz, whose name has lasted in the houses and the Slope. In this same period, his father-in-law Hernán López el Ferí built the other house, of a smaller size and probably completely new.
Due to these circumstances, both houses constitute a very valuable example in evaluating the typological evolution of the Nasrid domestic architecture from its mature stage until what would be considered its last phase of continuity already in the 16th century, the Morisco period.
Nasrid: Last Islamic dynasty in Spain, which ruled the Granada emirate from 1237 to 1492.
Morisco: Islamic inhabitants of Granada that converted to Christianity by force in the year 1500.
1. The House of Lorenzo el Chapiz:
The main house is built around a big rectangular courtyard, whose greater sides align with the north south direction. In the Nasrid period it would have had aisles with rooms on four sides. The smaller sides had porticos with five arches. The principal rooms would have been located in these smaller sides, probably on the ground floor only. Nowadays, only the north, east and the beginning of the west aisle have been preserved. The typological pattern of a closed courtyard was already pointed out by L. Torres Balbás, the architect that directed the works of rehabilitation between 1929-32, in order to install in the houses the recently created Escuela de Estudios Árabes (School of Arabic Studies).
In the center of the courtyard the original pool, which has a very lengthened proportion, has been conserved. The white marble columns that support the arches of the north portico are other reused Nasrid elements. Located behind the central arch is the portal of the principal room of the house. The beautiful gorroneras (upper hinges) of its door were made of marble and are currently exhibited in the Museum of the Alhambra.
When Lorenzo el Chapiz decided to adapt the house to the tastes and needs of his era, he constructed the upper floor in three sides of the courtyard. Probably, he did not do the same on the south side, since by doing this he would have lost the appreciated views from the gallery to the Alhambra and Generalife. The arrangement of these volumes was drawn with accuracy by the British Richard Ford in 1831-33. In the southern aisle there was a great window looking toward the Generalife, whose rich plaster decoration and fortunate site inspired an engraving by John F. Lewis in those same years. The window attained so much fame that, some years later, it began a trip without return to the Museo Arqueológico Nacional (National Archaeological Museum) in Madrid.
The galleries are built of wood with turned railing balusters that denote the influences of the Renaissance style. The gallery of the east side was thoroughly remade in the course of the rehabilitation, according to the existing remains. The main rooms of the first floor are covered with large wood ceilings accomplished according to the collar-beam roof system. The room located in the west is shared with the house that belonged to Hernán López el Ferí.
2. The House of Hernán el Ferí:
The second Morisco house, of smaller size, has a vestibule with uncentered doors, in order to hinder direct vision to its rectangular courtyard with small pool in the center. The functional organization of the house follows the Mudéjar tradition of building, with wood galleries on the four sides of the courtyard, permitting comfortable access to all the rooms of the upper floor.
Under the north aisle there is a cistern, used to store the water that arrived in the house from the Acequia de Aynadamar (Channel of Aynadamar). The water was used for human consumption. It was also used for the irrigation of the orchard, located to the east and organized in several terraces.
The lower one was converted, around the beginning of the 1930s, into a garden with a design similar to those made in this era, by the same architect, in the Alhambra and the Generalife.
The galleries of the smaller house present decorative characteristics slightly different from those of the other house, although they maintain the fusion of Nasrid, Gothic and Renaissance styles that is a characteristic of the Mudéjar in Granada.
Mudéjar: Islamic inhabitants of medieval Spain that were allowed to maintain their religion and ways of life after the Christian conquest of their territories.
Texto: Antonio Orihuela Uzal
Traducción: Josephine Alcott, Amalia Zomeño, Antonio Orihuela
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EEA History 
