Thermal spa sculptures

Thermal spa

St James Connection

In the grotto of the thermal station there is some early christian parietal art. Carved on the rock, next to the thermal water storage, right on the center there is a Chi-Ro.

A Chi-Ro or Monogram of Christ ( see Labarum ) is one of the earliest cruciform symbols used by Christians. This Monogram is typical of the ones found in churches, convents and monasteries along the «Way of St James» pilgrimage route. These have the «Cross Of St James»:

superimposed on the Chi-Ro. On this type of monogram there is also a letter «S» at the base of the cross which indicates the «Order of Santiago» This was a religious-military order, related to the Templers and Hospitallers, in charged of protecting pilgrims along the route of St James. The knights were required to take the vows of poverty, obedience and marital chastity.

Venus Connection

It appears now that the Arles route or Via Tolosana exited before christianity. As a route related to prehistoric celtic cults of fertility following the direction of the planet Venus on the west sky (i.e. in the direction of Atlantic Europe from Mediterranean shores).

Symbols of Venus on a shell and Ishtar (the 8 pointed star within a circle) have been found along the paths to Compostela. It is now known that the Chi-Ro is also derived from the 8-Pointed Star which also existed well before Christianity. Here at the grotto there are other symbols that appear to be related to fertility.

The prehistoric relationship between thermal springs and fertility cults is widely documented. For people of the antiquity fertility was the greatest mistery. Warm waters emerging from earth was "Mother Earth" generating life. The equivalent to the female’s birth waters (amniotic fluid) . . . a perfect place to give birth.

See «Mother Goddess» and also «Parietal Art & Thermal Springs» for more information.

La Porte d’Aspe

The famous French artist and sculptor Pedro Tremullas was commissioned to produce two stone interpretations of the sculptures found in the thermal station. You can read in his Biography that in 1992 he produced 2 stone plaques which have been installed on the exterior walls of the château. These are the two, at the top of this page, representing «the sun» and «the moon».

The same year using Fountains Of Escot, and other ancient places on the valley, as inspiration he created the enormous «Porte d’Aspe» Which is located at Gurmençon as a symbolic entrance to the Aspe Valley.

You can not miss this monument when coming to Fountains Of Escot from Oloron Sainte_Marie (in a roundabout on the main RN 134 road) It is possible to recognise some of the carvings on the south facade.