Gaztelu zahar

Gaztelu zahar /gas ̪telu s̪ahar/(of Latin castellum ) is the name given in the Basque Country to the Fortified towns Protohistorique S. This name means “old strong Château simply”.

Frequent on the culminating points of about 300 with 600 m in height, they allowed the military control of the transportation routes between valleys.

Description

Typology

The gaztelu zahar were enclosures defended by strings whose only the layout of the ditches remains today, delimiting a kind of cap around the top. Spectacular in air sight, these enclosures let appear ground only setbacks on the silhouette of the mount. They pass often unperceived when the vegetation is high.

One distinguishes some from three types:

enclosures with steps : steps are dug on the slope releasing the strings probably sheltered at the time by a palisade; this type of enclosure seems particular with the Basque Country;
enclosures with ground parapets: most, where the ground of the ditch is raised upstream to form a defensive parapet behind the string;
enclosures with stone parapets: highest (with 600 m on average) and fewer.

The number of lines of defense can vary from 1 to 7 for the Gazteluzahar of Lantabat.

Who built them?

They could not be dated, but their construction is generally allotted to groups military of the late Bronze Age or first age of iron, controlling horsemanship, probably the same ones which introduced into the area the funeral ritual of the Harrespil S.

Jentils, these giants of the Basque Mythology, at the same time foreigners, wise and powerful, who were judicious food at the top of the mountains, could convey well the popular memory of these ancient elites. To Alçay, the gaztelu zahar Maide korralea “the enclosure of the Maide ” is clearly allotted to the Maidé , of the mythological beings taking again certain features of the Jentil S and the Lamina K.

Function

Contrary to the Oppida Gallic, more recent, these gaztelu zahar had only one occasional function military, possibly pastoral or religious, but were not used as permanent place of dwelling.

Castles like those of Mauléon or Luxury, were established on gaztelu zahar .

Name

It is noticed that the gaztelu zahar often leave their name to the mountain concerned. The most frequent names being:

Gaztelu (A) “(it) castle extremely” simply,
Gazteluzahar or gazteluzaharre (a) (generally transcribed gastelusare by the cartographers),
Gaztelu-mendi (a) “(it) mountain of the fort”,
Gaztelu-profit (a) “(it) top of the fort”,
Gaztelu-harri (a) “(it) rock of the fort” (noted gastelary, gastalaria, gastellaya )
Kurku (a) “(it) circle”,
Mokorreta “with the spur”.

See list in appendix.

List gaztelu zahar

Enclosures with ground parapets

The ground released to form the strings is amoncelée in height thus forming defensive parapets.

Enclosures with stone parapets

The parapets hones some meet on the highest gaztelu zahar .

Enclosures with steps

The strings are established on steps cut out on the slope.

Others

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