Studies for the restoration of the Islamic Bofilla Tower as an example of wood use in rammed earth structures

This paper deals with the analysis of traces of wood technology in the Bofilla Tower, a medieval rammed earth Islamic watchtower close to Valencia. Although the principal material constituting the tower is earth, wood played a basic role in the construction and use. Indeed, wooden elements were used to execute the formwork, as reinforcement for the earthen structure and as structural material for the floors. At the time of restoration, the tower had completely lost its floors, ceilings and stairs, although traces of the original structure and small pieces of woodwork remained. Samples of various elements were extracted and anatomically examined in order to identify the timber. Only four types of timber were identified: olive, maritime pine, mulberry, and ash. Based on the few wooden remains found and the tests carried out, this paper analyses the use of different timbers found within the structure of the tower and tries to identify the provenance of the wood according to the organisation of the rural community living around the building. The paper concludes with a description of the restoration of the tower.