Landscape and Conflict: Glass as a Territorial Interface after the Battle of Jarama (Madrid)

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between landscape, armed conflict, and territorial representation through an operational map of the Battle of Jarama (1937) drawn manually on glass and preserved in the Army Museum. The main objective is to interpret this piece as a geographical device that helps understand the spatial organization of the front and its projection onto the present-day territory. The methodology combines material and documentary analysis, comparison with historical cartography, fieldwork, and spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results allow the precise identification of the represented sector—Rivas-Vaciamadrid spur—and the reconstruction of the defensive system after the stabilization of the front, confirming the correspondence between the sketch and the preserved structures. Furthermore, the study highlights the value of the glass support as a tool for superimposition and direct territorial reading in wartime contexts. In conclusion, the map is understood not only as a representation but also as an active agent in shaping territory, emphasizing the need for integrated landscape management to prevent fragmentation and loss of meaning.