Communal spatial orders in Umbrian fortified borghi: a morphological classification of spatial skeletons

Abstract

This study develops a comparative framework for interpreting communal spatial order in medieval fortified settlements through NAIN-based spatial skeletons. Thirty-eight borghi in Umbria, Italy, were analysed to identify recurring spatial configurations and compare morphological characteristics using five indices. Four types were identified: Ring, Linear, Composite, and Compact, interpreted as Circulatory, Axial, Polycentric, and Concentrated communal spatial orders. A Social Correspondence Index showed that piazzas corresponded most consistently with spatial skeletons, while civic buildings and gates showed type-dependent relationships. Findings indicate communal spatial order emerges through configurational relationships between spatial centrality and social spaces, rather than from a single dominant centre.