Argiñeta necropolis

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Argiñeta necropolis

The necropolis of Argiñeta ( Spanish Necrópolis de Argiñeta - Basque Argiñetako nekropolia called) is located next to the hermitage of San Adrian, two kilometers north of the Mendraka district and north of Elorrio , in the Pais Vasco in Spain .

Argiñeta necropolis
Argiñeta necropolis

In the necropolis there are Christian anthropomorphic body graves and 23 tombstones (7th to 9th centuries). The graves and the grave steles were made of sandstone from the quarries of Mount Oiz. They consist of a monolithic anthropomorphic box and its gable roof-shaped cover. In some cases the two elements do not match.

The average length of the stone boxes is about 2.0 meters. 13 boxes exceed these dimensions and seven are between 1.83 and 2.0 meters. The internal dimensions, which allow a relative approximation of the size of the adults, are between 1.63 and 1.97 meters, the widths are between 0.6 and 0.7 meters, the depth is about 0.32 meters.

Two boxes have grave inscriptions on their lids, which are the oldest written evidence of the presence of Christians in the Basque province of Bizkaia . One carries a simple decoration along the outside.

The steles

The 13 steles of the so-called Estelas cántabras type are kept in the hermitage. The five most interesting specimens can be seen outside. Four are disc-shaped with a diameter of about 70 cm, one is triangular. The iconography is astral and repetitive motifs ( concentric circles, spirals , cross shapes, jagged edges) borrowed from an older tradition.

After the defeat in the Battle of the Río Guadalete against a Muslim invading army under Tariq ibn Ziyad in 711, the fall of the Visigothic Empire was sealed. Visigoths then came to Elorrio and apparently built these graves.

Gonzalo de Otalora became aware of the necropolis in the 16th century. Since then there have been numerous chronicles of Basque history. However, we do not know the story of Argiñeta.

literature

  • Francis DK Ching, Mark Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakash: A Global History of Architecture - Rock-Cut Tombs.
  • Jürgen E. Walkowitz: The megalithic syndrome. European cult sites of the Stone Age (= contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe. Vol. 36). Beier & Beran, Langenweißbach 2003, ISBN 3-930036-70-3 .

Web links

Coordinates: 43 ° 8 ′ 23.5 "  N , 2 ° 32 ′ 9.7"  W.