Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan

Geography

Location

Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is part of Cize/Garazi country which was a historical province in Lower Navarre. It includes three former parishes, sometimes counted as four groups of houses in the Middle Ages and with five toponyms: Alciette, Ahaxe, Garatehegi, Ligeta, and Bascassan located at the confluence of the Laurhibar and Esteneko streams.

Alciette is the parish farthest away to the northeast in the combination of the three parishes.

Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is located some 6 km south-east of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and can be accessed by Highway D18 running from close to there through the heart of the commune southeast to Lecumberry. The village is not on the highway and is left onto the country road Vierge-d'Ahaxe off the D18 heading southeast. There is a country road from Aincille in the west to the village of Bascassin in the commune and there are other country roads entering from the north and the southeast.

Hydrography

The commune is located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, the commune lands are watered by the Laurhibar, a tributary of the Nive, and a tributary of that, the Esteneko stream. The Apatéko stream, a tributary of the Arzubiko stream also crosses the territory of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan.

Localities and hamlets

• Aguerréa
• Ahatsaxilo (former parish)
• Ahaxamendy
• Ahaxe
• Alciette
• Bascassan
• Bastida
• Bernetcheko Borda
• Bidartéa
• Bordes (2 places)
• Buirguista
• Buluntza
• Chilinchabidéa
• Chilo
• Curutchet (or Garat)
• Dorrea
• Errékaldéa
• Erromatéguia (2 places)
• Etcheverria
• Garatehegi
• Garatéko Eyhéra
• Gastelua
• Gastalepo
• Haraune
• Harguindéguia
• Idioinea
• Irahane
• Iriberria
• Irigaraya
• Irustikoborda
• Italatzé
• Kapila
• Larluzia
• Libiéta
• Lietamendy
• Ligeta
• Olherry
• Orido
• Ospitaletchia
• Sagardoyguibel
• Seineguy
• Uhaïtzia
• Urrutia

Toponymy

The commune's name in Basque is Ahatsa-Alzieta-Baskazane.

;Ahaxe The toponym Ahaxe appears in the forms:

• Hatce (1167)
• Fax (1194)
• domine de ahacha (1194)
• Assa, Aassa, and Hassa (1249)
• Ahatxa (1300)
• Ahaxa (1302 Chapter of Bayonne)
• Haxa and Ahaxe (1304)
• Axa (1309 and 1350)
• Hatxa (1350)
• Hadssa (1366)
• Ahtxe (1703
• Sanctus Julianus Ahaxe (1757,).

Jean-Baptiste Orpustan indicates that the toponym comes from the Basque oronymic base of (h)aitz meaning "rock" or "height".

The people of the commune are called in Basque Ahatsar.

;Alciette The toponym Alciette appears in the forms:

• Alsuete (1249)
• La Grange Alsuete (1302, Chapter of Bayonne)
• Alçueta (1305)
• Alzueta (1513,)
• Alçuete and Alçueta (1350))
• Alchuete (1387)
• Alchuette (1387)
• Alçueta (1621,)
• Alsiette (1667,)

The Basque name for the people of this area is Alzietar.

According to Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, Alciette is derived from the medieval Alzueta which itself comes from the Basque alzu meaning "place where there are abundant alder trees".

;Bascassan The name Bascassan appears in the forms:

• Bazquazen (1208)
• Bascaçen (1292)
• Bascacen (1350))
• Bazcacen (1366))
• Basquacen (1413))
• Bazcacen (1513, Titles of Pamplona)
• Vazquacen (1613)
• Vazcazen and Vazaçan (1621 Martin Biscay)
• Bascassan (1789)

Its origin is uncertain. The people of the area are called Bazkazandar in basque.

Ahaxachillo is mentioned in the 1863 dictionary.)

Bastida is also indicated by Raymond.

Errékaldéa is mentioned with the spelling Errecaldia referring to the flowing stream of Bascassan flowing into the Laurhibar.

;Curutchet Curutchet (also called Garat) was a former fief of Ahaxe, a vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre.

;Etcheverria Paul Raymond mentioned an Etcheberry, a fief located in the parish of Alciette and a vassal of the Kingdom of Navarre.

;Garatehegi The name Garatehegi appears in the forms:

• Garateguia (1350)
• sent jullian et garateheguj (1366)
• la parropie de garatehegi (1413)
• Garatteguy (1518, Titles of Pamplona)
• Garatéhéguy (1708,)
• Garateguy (1863)

Garatehegi from Basque means "summit of the high country".

;Gastelua Gastelua appears with the spelling Gastellu in 1863.

;Libiéta Libiéta is a toponym that appears in the forms:

• Libiet (1621, Martin Biscay)
• Libiette (1789)

;Ligeta Ligeta is mentioned in the forms:

• Lagueta (1264)
• Ligueta (1307)
• Liguete (1350), 1366, and 1413).

The origin of this toponym could be the Latin Liger (which was equally likely to be the origin of Loire).

History

The Lordship of Ahaxe, also called the Lordship of Cize, was allied with the Viscounts of Arbéroue in the 11th century as well as the lordships of Guiche and to the Counts of Biscay.

Ahaxe and Alciette-Bascassan were reunited on 11 June 1842.

Heraldry

Blazon:

Quarterly at one and four party per pale Azure with three escallops of Argent and Or with three bars in gules; at two gules with three escallops of Argent and bordure engrailed in Argent; at three Argent with bend engrailed in gules between two escallops gules.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan

Inter-communality

The commune belongs to seven inter-communal structures:

• the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque;
• the AEP union of Ahaxe-Lecumberry-Mendive;
• the energy union of Pyrenees-Atlantiques;
• the RPI (Intercommunal Education) union Hergaray;
• the inter-communal union for the development and management of the abattoir of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port;
• the joint association for the watershed of the Nive;
• the union to support Basque culture.

Population

| graph-pos = bottom |1793 |474 |1800 |485 |1806 |472 |1821 |460 |1831 |555 |1836 |588 |1841 |930 |1846 |864 |1851 |892 |1856 |830 |1861 |738 |1866 |641 |1872 |674 |1876 |670 |1881 |624 |1886 |614 |1891 |571 |1896 |561 |1901 |576 |1906 |570 |1911 |545 |1921 |469 |1926 |462 |1931 |440 |1936 |454 |1946 |419 |1954 |368 |1962 |344 |1968 |335 |1975 |307 |1982 |265 |1990 |263 |1999 |320 |2007 |290 |2012 |283 |2017 |274

Economy

Economic activity is mainly agricultural. The commune is part of the zone designation of the Ossau-Iraty cheese.

Culture and heritage

Languages

According to the Map of the Seven Basque Provinces published in 1863 by Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte, the Basque dialect spoken in Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan is eastern low Navarrese.

Civil heritage

There is a gaztelu zahar (a prehistoric fortified complex) at a place called Gaztalepo (Ahaxe), located 550 metres above sea level. There is also a lice or a fence surrounding a fortification running at 313 metres above sea level at a place called Gaztelua or Gastellia. These artifacts represent the ancient past of the commune.

There are several buildings, houses, and farms in the commune that are listed as historical monuments. These are:

• Houses and Farms (17th - 19th centuries)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Kapila House[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Idioinea farm (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Gohonetxea farm (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Château Saint-Julien (12th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]

Religious Heritage

A number of churches and sites in the commune have been classified as historical monuments. These are:

• Parish Church of Saint Julien of Antioch (16th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]] The cemetery contains a remarkable collection of Hilarri.

File:Ahaxe Stele.JPG File:Ahaxe Stele2.JPG File:Ahaxe Stele3.JPG

• Chapel of Saint-Saveur of Alciette (12th century).[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]] The chapel contains several historical objects:
  • Pulpit (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • 2 Benches (17th & 18th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Main Altar, Retable and 4 Candlesticks (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Secondary Altar. Retable, 2 Candlesticks (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Baptismal fonts (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Ceiling (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Statue: Baby Jesus (18th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Processional Cross (18th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Cross: Christ on the Cross (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Chapel of Saint-Saveur of Alciette (Interior Decor)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Former benoîterie of Bascassan (18th century).[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Former benoîterie of Bascassan garden.[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (17th century).[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]] The church contains a number of historical objects. These are:
  • 2 Altars, 2 Retables, 2 Paintings, 4 Candlesticks (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Baptismal fonts (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Pulpit (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Processional Cross (18th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Cross: Christ on the Cross (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
  • Bronze Bell (17th century)[[File:Logo monument historique - noir sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan (Interior and Cemetery)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]
• Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe (1827)[[File:Logo monument historique - rouge sans texte.svg|18px]]

File:Bascassan.jpg|Church of Bascassan File:Benoiterie.jpg|Benoîterie File:Vieilles tombes Bascassan.jpg|Old Tombs File:Ahaxe Croix.jpg|Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe File:Église Saint-Sauveur d'Alciette.JPG|Church of Saint-Sauveur of Alciette

Facilities

The commune has a kindergarten.

References

References

1. (2 December 2020). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires".
2. [[Brigitte Jobbé-Duval]], ''Dictionary of country names - Pyrénées-Atlantiques'', 2009, Ed. Archives and Culture, {{ISBN. 978-2-35077-151-9 {{in lang. fr
3. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/64220+Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan/@43.1364947,-1.1533755,6647m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0xd572a47b59bd293:0x40665174813af20?hl=en Google Maps]
4. IGN]] {{in lang. fr
5. [https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/en/ahatsa-alzieta-baskazane/ar-18757/ AHATSA-ALZIETA-BASKAZANE], [[Auñamendi Encyclopedia. Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia]] {{in lang. es
6. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000871. IA64000871 Presentation of the Commune {{in lang. fr
7. Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, ''New Basque Toponymy'', Ed. Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, {{ISBN. 2867813964, page 140 {{in lang. fr
8. Paul Raymond]], Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011, p. 3 {{in lang. fr
9. Chapter of [[Bayonne]] - Departmental Archives of Pyrénées-Atlantiques {{in lang. fr
10. fr
11. fr
12. es
13. fr
14. fr
15. fr
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23. fr
24. link. (2014-05-06 , Cellule informatique préfecture 64, consulted on 9 November 2011 {{in lang). fr
25. {{Cassini-Ehess. 192. Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan
26. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-64008#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
27. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000963. IA64000963 Houses and Farms {{in lang. fr
28. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000856. IA64000856 Kapila House {{in lang. fr
29. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000855. IA64000855 Idioinea Farm {{in lang. fr
30. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000854. IA64000854 Gohonetxea Farm {{in lang. fr
31. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000845. IA64000845 Chateau of Saint-Julien {{in lang. fr
32. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000844. IA64000844 Church of Saint Julien {{in lang. fr
33. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000843. IA64000843 Chapel of Saint-Saveur {{in lang. fr
34. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000015. PM64000015 Pulpit {{in lang. fr
35. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000014. PM64000014 2 benches {{in lang. fr
36. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000013. PM64000013 Main Altar, Retable and 4 Candlesticks {{in lang. fr
37. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000012. PM64000012 Secondary Altar. Retable, 2 Candlesticks {{in lang. fr
38. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000011. PM64000011 Baptismal fonts {{in lang. fr
39. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000010. PM64000010 Ceiling {{in lang. fr
40. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000009. PM64000009 Statue: Baby Jesus {{in lang. fr
41. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000008. PM64000008 Processional Cross {{in lang. fr
42. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000007. PM64000007 Cross: Christ on the Cross {{in lang. fr
43. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. PA00084304. PA00084304 Chapel of Saint-Saveur Interior {{in lang. fr
44. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000851. IA64000851 Former benoîterie of Bascassan {{in lang. fr
45. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. PA00084549. PA00084549 Former benoîterie of Bascassan garden {{in lang. fr
46. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA64000850. IA64000850 Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan {{in lang. fr
47. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000021. PM64000021 2 Altars, 2 Retables, 2 Paintings, 4 Candlesticks {{in lang. fr
48. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000020. PM64000020 Baptismal fonts {{in lang. fr
49. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000019. PM64000019 Pulpit {{in lang. fr
50. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000018. PM64000018 Processional Cross {{in lang. fr
51. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000017. PM64000017 Cross: Christ on the Cross {{in lang. fr
52. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. PM64000016. PM64000016 Bronze Bell {{in lang. fr
53. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. PA00084303. PA00084303 Church of Saint-André-de-Bascassan Interior & Cemetery {{in lang. fr
54. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. PA00084302. PA00084302 Cemetery Cross of Ahaxe {{in lang. fr