Oiasso: what the Vascon polis was like
Oiasso: what the Vascon polis was like
Irun is home to one of the few monographic Roman museums on the Iberian Peninsula, Oiasso, which has exceptional pieces that are rarely found in archaeological collections. We are referring to leather, wood, and rope objects; footwear, combs, furniture, and port docks; peach pits, cherry seeds, plum pits, and olive stones. They all were preserved thanks to the mud from the marshes and the anaerobic and humidity conditions in which they were buried two thousand years ago. They also share the same port environment and their belonging to the urban agglomeration that gives them their name: Oiasso, a Vascon polis.
The name Oiasso became known through classical sources, as authors such as Strabo, Pliny, and Ptolemy made reference to the Basque city in their texts. Archaeological excavations from recent decades have finally allowed us to identify the ancient metropolis’s location in the historic center of the present-day city of Irun. Philosopher and linguist Koldo Mitxelena theorized that the name of the Bidasoa River (separating Irun from France) came from Latin and meant “Road to Oiasso.” The path led travelers towards the old settlement of Lapurdum (Bayonne), from where the route could be followed to the north (Bordeaux) or to the east (Toulouse). In that area the estuary was about 400 meters wide, having small islands that were probably connected by bridges to allow for passage from one shore to the other.
A walk through the museum’s halls is a journey back in time that takes visitors a bit closer to the daily life of the ancient inhabitants of Oiasso, a Roman city estimated to have sprawled 12 to 15 hectares. This booming settlement was driven by an active port –especially in the period of maximum activity that dates back to between the years 70 and 200 AD– and by the silver, copper, and iron mines of Aiako Harria.
Other archaeological investigations have allowed us to identify a necropolis located outside the town (inside the Santa Elena Hermitage), an anchorage at Cape Higuer (Hondarribia) where boats could take shelter in storms, a bridge that crossed the Bidasoa River, and the thermae (public baths) of the city. As if this were not enough, each of these places has come to house outstanding collections of objects that speak of the standard of living achieved by their occupants, very much in line with the urban environments of coastal Roman cities.
Upon entering the museum, visitors can see a mural that shows a section of Peutinger’s Tabula, a medieval copy of an ancient map depicting the most important Roman roads and towns of the Imperial era. The visit teaches us about the geography, etymology, and lifestyle of the native settlers before the arrival of the Romans. Visitors can also walk along a footbridge over the archaeological remains of the public baths. The museum’s second floor houses an audiovisual narrating what daily life was like at the Oiasso Port, also helping to contextualize the pieces found in the establishment’s display cases.
But Oiasso is much more than a museum, as it offers the chance to visit the Irugurutzeta Mines, with their impressive mineral calcining ovens, as well as the Santa Elena Hermitage, which houses the Oiasso necropolis. A number of activities are also organized, such as temporary exhibitions, specialized courses, conferences, trips, etc. Additionally, there is the FICAB (Bidasoa International Archaeological Film Festival), which takes place in November, as well as the Dies Oiassonis, a Roman festival held in July.
Oiasso Museum
Eskoleta 1, Irun.
