The Mystery of the Inscription on Fuente (de) Reniega

[Bert45]

I took two photos of the Fuente (de) Reniega on the way up to the Alto del Perdón. Only when I got back and looked at the photos could I see that the stone at the back of the spout was inscribed (faintly -- scratched might be a better word than inscribed) with the word GAMBELLACOS and the date MCMXC.

I was quite surprised. I would have expected a much older date, and, if the stone had been added as recently as 1990, I would have expected the inscription ro be much deeper. Can you offer any explanation for the date or the word 'Gambellacos'?

Btw My Spanish-English dictionary does not have the word 'reniega', but it has 'reniego', meaning blasphemy or curse. 'Renegar' (which has 'reniega' as 3rd person singular present tense) means 'deny, disown,detest, abhor'.

 

[Kathar1na]

My Spanish-English dictionary does not have the word 'reniega

In the given context, Gambellacos and Reniega are not dictionary words, they are place names or geographic names for a specific area of land or fields; such names are often old and with a difficult to decipher origin, especially in areas where local language(s) underwent significant changes throughout the centuries. A presumably fairly meaningful and accurate description can be found here: Sierra de El Perdón: Gambellacos y Reniega.

I have read about the legend associated with all this. It is difficult to escape when you read something in a guidebook or on website about the Camino de Santiago in this area. It is a local legend, and I don't think that it was of any wider importance, historically speaking. It is not part of the famous 22 miracles of Saint James that are recorded in the Codex Calixtinus.

 

[Kathar1na]

Here is a bit more about name and origin of Reniega: Sierra de El Perdón-Erreniega. It starts with the words (translated from Spanish): On too many occasions things are not what they seem. It seems obvious that El Perdón is the Castilian name of the mountain range that closes in the south of Pamplona, and that Erreniega is its Basque name.

"On too many occasions things are not what they seem" - that is a good motto, isn't it?

 

[Bert45]

Thank you, Kathar1na. I knew I could rely on you!