Lectura estratigráfica plano horizontal de la excavación en área abierta en el patio sur del Cabildo de Buenos Aires

The spatial transformations that have taken place over time at the site currently occupied by the Cabildo of Buenos Aires constitute the material expression of the successive changes in its function resulting from the political and institutional processes that have shaped the building, from the colonial period through its subsequent conversion and adaptation to the institutions of the modern nation-state during the nineteenth century. This study focuses on the archaeological excavation conducted in the southern courtyard of the Cabildo in late 2017, precisely at the location of one of the three arches demolished in 1933. The article aims to contribute to the understanding of these transformations from a historical and archaeological perspective by integrating documentary and material evidence. To achieve this objective, a wide range of archival sources was examined, including the Cabildo Records (Actas Capitulares) of Buenos Aires, historical maps and architectural plans preserved in the Cabildo Library, and documentation held by the Centre for Documentation and Research on Public Architecture (CeDIAP). The information derived from the documentary analysis was systematically compared with the archaeological evidence obtained during the excavation. Particular emphasis was placed on the architectural documentation of the excavated structural remains through detailed planimetric recording and elevation surveys of the exposed walls. These data enabled the production of a new archaeological plan of the site, which was subsequently compared with the historical cartographic record. This integrated methodological approach made it possible to reconstruct the spatial evolution of the Cabildo and to assess the correspondence between historical documentation and the structural evidence preserved in the archaeological record.