We know nothing of the city of Niebla during Late Antiquity. Only a few remains of architectural decoration used as spolia in different churches of the present city allow us to speak of the existence of a Visigothic phase. Contrary to Italica, the boundaries of the territory of Niebla are well known. Along the territory of the bishopric we have found interesting archaeological remains scattered throughout the area that have enabled the reconstruction of its ecclesiastical topography. In addition, this bishopric contains one of the best preserved mausoleums of all Hispania (Punta del Moral). Thanks to this find, we understand these buildings, the burial ritual, and the funeral ceremonies of Baetica during the late Roman times. As we will see, when interpreting the location of the ecclesiastical centres which have been discovered, it is important to consider the control of routes of communication and exchange. In the case of the bishopric of Niebla, these routes of communication centred on the river Guadiana, which connected the interior of Lusitania to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Periphery of Niebla

We know very little this bishopric. The church of Santa María de la Granada in Niebla shows a large concentration of reused materials (Fig. 42), spolia, spread across the grounds, the naves of the church, and the bell tower. This leads us to believe, quite reasonably, that a Visigothic building was situated in the city itself or nearby. It is not overly clear, though, whether its destruction took place during the Islamic period or after the Christian conquest (or whether this might have occurred during the Late Middle Ages). We should clearly discard the Visigothic dating of some pieces deposited in this church that ‘mimic’, so to speak, the late antique aesthetic (with little success, we should add). This fact, imitation, may be related to some kind of message aimed to prove the seniority of the bishopric, or its importance, an obvious intention in making ‘archaic’ furniture. However, it is very difficult to establish the dating of these pieces (late medieval? modern?) and, therefore, we propose a context for their appearance: several fluted columns (one in the churchyard and another one reused in the belfry), the remains of several large chancel screens made of marble, and the remains of imposts and/or friezes which suggest a monumental building and which share the style of those found in Coórdoba.