Gary Snapper

Bilbao Bloggings

The rain in Spain is mainly in Bilbao

www.gabrielsnapper.co.uk/bilbao-bloggings
  • Home
  • English
  • Family
  • Choral
  • Arts
  • Photos
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Links
  • Bilbao Bloggings
  • Midland Missives

The Wonderful World of Discoidal What-Nots and Waxy Thingamy-Bobs

28/8/2013

 
Historically a relatively poor, rural place without any major centres of power or wealth (until the industrial revolution), the Basque country does not contain the plethora of fantastic early and late medieval remains that other areas of Spain do (such as Castile and Catalunya). Nevertheless, it has its share of medieval treasures of various sorts, and some really excellent archaeological museums to see them in.

Whichever of the museums you visit, one of the first things you’ll see will be the ancient steles (memorial stones, ‘hilarri’ in Basque) which are common throughout the Basque Country. And not just any old steles: the Basques specialised in very characteristic discoidal steles. (Despite ‘stele’ being a common archaeological term, it took us a while to get used to it, by which time we were habitually referring to these things as ‘discoidal what-nots’.)
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Many of the discoidal what-nots – I mean ‘steles’ – date from pre-Christian times (the Basques converted to Christianity rather late) and the oldest ones (such as those in the 9th century pre-Christian graveyard at Argieta near the little town of Elorrio) are decorated with distinctively Basque pagan symbols, often including the sun and stars. (Although I went to Elorrio, I didn't manage to get to this graveyard, so these pictures are from the internet).
Picture
Picture
Many modern Basque gravestones are still in the form of discoidal steles with Christian and traditional Basque symbols. These are in the moderen graveyard at the old Romanesque church above San Juan de Gaztalugatze.
Picture
Another very distinctively Basque object you’ll find in these museums is the ‘argizaiola’ (‘waxboard’), a carved wooden board around which a long wax taper is wound. This ancient device is a type of funeral candle designed to give the dead person light in their new world of darkness. The candle was traditionally lit in the hearth of the person’s homestead (‘etxea’) and taken to the grave at the church. The argizaiola is still lit today at funerals and on memorial occasions. (I didn't manage to get any good pictures of these, so these are from the internet).
Picture
Picture
As a starting point for an exploration of medieval Basque history and culture (and pre- and post-medieval too), six museums are very useful: the wonderful San Telmo Museum in San Sebastian, the excellent Archaeology Museums in Bilbao and Vitoria, and the Basque Museums in Bilbao, Gernika and Bayonne.

The San Telmo Museum in San Sebastian, in the old San Telmo convent, recently redesigned with all mod cons, is highly recommended for its beautifully displayed survey of Basque archaeology, history and art:
Picture
Picture
Picture
The Archaeology Museums in Bilbao and Vitoria are similarly very well displayed, and set in interesting contemporary buildings with great use of graphic and audio-visual display. Vitoria’s is in a handsome modern annexe to an old Renaissance palazzo...
Picture
Picture
Picture
… whilst Bilbao’s is in a new building on Plaza Unamuno, with beautiful alabaster windows which shed a pretty, muted light on the ancient objects.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Like the San Telmo Museum, the Basque Museums in Bayonne and in Gernika contain an overview of Basque archaeology, history and art; again both are modernised and very well designed, both in large old Basque town houses.
Picture
The Basque Museum (Euskal Museoa) in Bilbao is less impressive, but nevertheless well worth a visit. It contains a number of significant treasures, including perhaps the most important archaeological object in the Basque Country, an Iron Age (around 3rd century BC) zoomorphic sculpture, known as the ‘Mikeldi Idol’ (after the place where it was found in the 17th century).
Picture
Picture
Picture
The most wonderful thing in this museum – indeed one of the most wonderful things I’ve seen in any museum anywhere – is a HUGE handmade topographical model of Bizkaia (the region around Bilbao) – a massive 3D map of the whole area, assembled from tiny pieces of wood. A remarkable thing, and quite mesmerising to look at, especially when you actually know the area:
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Miguel Manso
29/8/2013 02:17:54 am

More information about steles here:
http://www.eke.org/fr/nouvelles/1195202592
https://www.facebook.com/steles.basques.larceveau?ref=profile

assignment writing service link
2/12/2019 11:05:06 pm

Many instructive videos I see on this site and all is due to the mindset of a great man which is its owner and also you can get help from this site and I like to appreciate them for this excellent site which is so eye-catching as well as attractive.

engineering assignment help link
27/6/2024 02:18:41 am

Finding engineering assignment help was a game-changer for my academic performance. The experts provided thorough and well-explained solutions, making difficult concepts much easier to grasp. Their engineering assignment help in the UK stands out for its professionalism and timely delivery. I was particularly impressed by their attention to detail and the high quality of work. This support has been invaluable in keeping up with my coursework and achieving excellent grades. If you need reliable assistance with your engineering assignments, I highly recommend their expertise. Their engineering assignment help is truly exceptional and has made a significant impact on my studies.

Assignment Help London UK link
11/7/2024 05:13:00 am

I am thoroughly impressed with the Assignment Help in London provided by Native Assignment Help. When I needed assignment help, their team of experts came through with flying colors. The level of detail and precision in their work was outstanding, showcasing their profound knowledge and expertise in academic writing. Every aspect of my assignments was carefully crafted, ensuring they met the highest standards. The seamless communication and support from their team made the entire process smooth and stress-free. For anyone seeking top-quality online assignment help in London UK, Native Assignment Help is the go-to choice. Their professionalism and attention to detail make them stand out in the field.

Law Assignment Help link
23/7/2024 03:59:54 am

Struggling with complex legal concepts and tight deadlines? Our Assignment Writing Service UK is here to provide comprehensive support with your law assignments. We offer expert Law Assignment Help to ensure you understand the intricacies of legal studies and excel in your coursework. Our team of professional writers delivers high-quality, plagiarism-free content tailored to your specific requirements. Whether you're dealing with case studies, legal essays, or research papers, we can help you achieve top grades. Don’t let the pressure of law school overwhelm you; get the assistance you need from our experienced writers. Trust us to help you succeed academically and advance in your legal career.


Comments are closed.

    Bilbao Bloggings

    A year in Bilbao

    Archives

    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.