Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Olcoz

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA... Here is one of the creatures, that are identical in Olcoz and Eunate 400kms south. The "Via Turonensis" had numerous sidetracks that all crossed this area, Olcoz and Eunate are on the "Aragonés" - and are close to Puente de Reina, where the "Camino Aragonés" ends in the "Camino Francés".

Saint Miguel, the parish church, was already some centuries old, when this tower got constructed within the 14th and15th century. A fortified palace for the noble Ozta family in medieval times. At the time the entrance was half way up. The massive tower escaped the demolition decreed in 1512, but was set on fire during the Spanish War of Independence (1808-1812). Only the outer walls were left standing. Meanwhile the tower is fully restored and now is the seat of the local council.

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. Here is a part of the portal´s left side, note the strange creatures populating the outer archivolt. The information given in Olcoz prefers the theory that the carvings should be seen as a calender. Ray ("Adfinem") has done a very interesting comparative study between the carvings around this portal and the carvings of a portal in Biron (Saintonge, 400kms north). While in medieval times Olcoz and Eunate were places on the "Camino Aragonés", Biron was close to the "Via Turonensis" in Western France. I took this photo in the evening, as I stayed overnight in Olcoz. This can be a very windy place at night. Here is the Ray´s study www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/sets/72157630046840688/with...

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. Here is a part of the portal´s left side, note the strange creatures populating the outer archivolt. The information given in Olcoz prefers the theory that the carvings should be seen as a calender. I doubt that actually. Here is a detail from the archivolt: a long snake feeds from a cup, held by a very skinny person. Ray ("Adfinem") has done a very interesting comparative study between the carvings around this portal and the carvings of a portal in Biron (Saintonge, 400kms north). While in medieval times Olcoz and Eunate were places on the "Camino Aragonés", Biron was close to the "Via Turonensis" in Western France. Here is the Ray´s study www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273068968/in/set-721576300...

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. Here is the upper half (and most interesting) part pf the portal. The information given in Olcoz prefers the theory that the carvings should be seen as a calender. Ray ("Adfinem") has done a very interesting comparative study between the carvings around this portal and the carvings of a portal in Biron (Saintonge, 400kms north). While in medieval times Olcoz and Eunate were places on the "Camino Aragonés", Biron was close to the "Via Turonensis" in Western France. Here is the Ray´s study www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/sets/72157630046840688/with...

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. Maybe inspired by the (watch)dog, carved into the right pillar with propper tools (see previous uopload), this dog got carved in, without that tools.

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. This small dog is carved into on of the pillars. Maybe a watchdog. It looks like a carved graffito, though there is some "professionalism" in the work. The carver obviously used the right tools - and was not in a hurry like "taggers" mostly are. He actually inspired a less gifted carver, who used the opposite pillar.

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. Here one of the four capitals of the portal. There is a grotesque head at the corner, flanked by two small, skinny persons, that seem to be enchained. The information given in Olcoz prefers the theory that the carvings of Olcoz and Eunate should be seen as a calender. Following this, the carving seen here stands for LIBRA, I actually doubt that. In case these persons are indeed in chains, they are in deed prisoners (remember the handcuff-greffito in Eunate), this capitals should be seen on the background of the Reconquista.

Saint Miguel is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. The portal of San Miguel is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted. Here a nicely carved capital of the portal, depicting the portrait of a man with a very strange beard. Somebody could not stand the look and so destroyed the eyes and the nose. He did not touch the spirals of the beard. The information given in Olcoz prefers the theory that the carvings of Olcoz and Eunate should be seen as a calender. Following this, the carving seen here stands for ARIES. I actually doubt that.

Saint Miguel is pretty large for a village, that today has a population of about 50. The church is tightly connected to Saint Mary of Eunate (8 kms west) and it is as enigmatic. There are many theories centered around these two churches. As seen here, it is hard to say, how the structure may have looked during the 12th century, as it got enlarged and altered many times. On the opposite side is the portal, that is very similar to the portal of Saint Mary of Eunate, but mirror inverted.

I had noticed already an abundance of new streelights in a couple of Spanish villages. But no village I walked through can beat Olcoz in the ratio streetlight per inhabitant, as the population is about 50 - and on this field alone are more than 30 lights.

Ray ("Adfinem") has done a very interesting comparative study between the carvings around the portal of San Miguel in Olcoz (seen here), the nearly identical of nearby Eunate - and the carvings of a portal in Biron (Saintonge, 400kms north). While in medieval times Olcoz and Eunate were places on the "Camino Aragonés", Biron was close to the "Via Turonensis" in Western France. I will upload details of this portal later. Here is the Ray´s study www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/sets/72157630046840688/with...