Patrimony

Torc (St. Lourenzo - Pastor)

The patrimonial map of O Pino is traced based upon interesting historical legacies that provide an attractive tour, in our XXI century, on the works that our ancestors decided to leave us. Land of castros, the most important and better preserved in our days is the one located in the parish of San Lourenzo de Pastor, near the place of Lameiro. We speak of an oval enclosure 110 meters long in its bigger axis and 72 in the smaller. Still has part of its defenses and within the enclosure undecorated ceramic remains were found, as well as two torques of 22 karats gold and 350 grams of weight. They are in the Archaeological Museum of the Castle of San Antón, in A Coruña.

Not too far, in Santa María de Gonzar, the traveler arrives to a field known as Campo das Mamoíñas. We are in the presence a collection of small barrows forming circles. If we continue towards Santiago de Compostela, the next stop is, in the parish of O Pino (that shares name with the municipality), A Ponte Puñide.

Roman bridge (Ponte Puñide)

In this place a Roman bridge in perfect conservation state may be found, one of the biggest archaeological treasures in the city council. Located over the Mere river and according to the historians, it is possible that in that place a Roman settlement existed, given the vicinity of the military road from Braga to Astorga passing by Iria Flavia and the finding of several remains from that time. In the year 1912 several pieces were located, the most important a brass Modium. On the Modium several studies were carried out, among them those signed by Martínez and Salazar and Father García Romero, published in the Bulletin of the Real Academia Galega (Galician Royal Academy). The “modium” was a Roman measure that the inhabitants used officially. Data indicates that the one located in O Pino is not akin to the dimensions of the standard Roman Modium, which takes us to the possibility that it was a local measure adapted to the Roman one. According to the inscription that this brass Modium possesses, the experts locate it between the years 360 and 370.

Art and Faith

Church of Sta. María de Gonzar

In the religious chapter, O Pino has thirteen churches: Santa Eulalia de Arca, Santa María de Budiño, Santa María de Castrofeito, San Xiao de Cebreiro, San Miguel de Cerceda, San Verísimo de Ferreiros, San Mamede de Ferreiros, Santa María de Gonzar, San Xiao in Lardeiros, San Estebo de Medín, San Vicenzo de O Pino, San Lourenzo de Pastor y San Miguel de Pereira.

To them we can add four hermitages: A Magdalena (Castrofeito), Santiso (Castrofeito), Santa Irene (Arca) and San Andrés (Gonzar).

The Church of Lardeiros is better known as the Catedral de la Montaña (Mountain Cathedral). Majestic in its location, in lands of Montaña, as the poet Aurelio Ribalta described the landscape of O Pino, has in its exterior one of the most interesting stone crosses in the city council, this one being one of the most significant examples of the extraordinary artistic ability of the Galician stonemasons.

Stone Cross (San Xulián de Lardeiros)

The stone cross has suffered several restorations, but still keeps a good part of its curious and interesting original elements. Built approximately around the year 1700. In it two artistic tendencies so different as Neoclassicism and Baroque, hold hands. The pedestal is adorned by a long inscription. The shaft and the capital are sculpted according to the stylistic currents that reigned at the time, namely the straight and geometric planes presiding over the neoclassical works that left their compostelan cradle to leave their mark in neighbouring lands, such as O Pino. The cross represents the Baroque part of this work of art. In her a Pietà was sculpted with the dead son in the arms and the crucifix wide apart from the cross.

The past also lets itself be seen in some interesting ruins pending archaeological study. They are in the parish of Cebreiro and very near the place known as the Carballeira do Vinte (scenario in other times of a popular fair and also an improvised cinema set for the movie Divine Words). In this place existed the first parochial church, of which part of the external structure is still preserved. Special mentions deserve the two central arches that are still in good state.

Santa Irene’s Hermitage (Arca)

Regarding the hermitages, one of more unique is Santa Irene’s, in the parish of Arca. The legend states that the water of this source was used for watering the vegetable gardens, with the purpose of ending the presence of plagues. Also, it is said that Santa Irene cures children from their afflictions and those prone to crying too much, by passing under her image in the chapel. Her festivity takes place June 29, in a pilgrimage traditionally carried out by the single youths of the parish; the eldest of each family, having the obligation of paying an annual quota.

In this water source there was an image of Santa Irene dating from the year 1692. It was sculpted in local granite, of medium grade and measured 0'60 meters. An ample tunic was sculpted, with leather belt (such as the norm was at that time) and a mantel with several folds. It possessed a crown and in the right hand it had a long palm leaf. It was stolen in the month of February of 1989.

Stone Cross and Chapel (San Xulián de Lardeiros)

The chapel of A Magdalena is located in a wide green area that shares the name with the hermitage. It also has a water source visited by numerous people every July 22, day in which the festivity of A Magdalena takes place. In the same parish, in Castrofeito, we also locate the more modest chapel of Santiso, of which is said that it is a good charm if you need that the animals produce more milk. Besides San Andrés' chapel, in the parish of Gonzar, the chronicles tell us that a fifth chapel existed, in Arca. It was in the present day Carballeira of San Antón, where the Route to Santiago passes. The temple disappeared in the XVII century because of a fire. It was dedicated to San Antonio.

Emigration legacy

Emigration was also a constant in the city council of O Pino during the first half of the XIX century. Many families saw a son, father, mother, grandson... suitcase in hand, guiding his steps, an ocean in between, to Latin American lands. Three main destinations: Cuba, Uruguay and Buenos Aires. In the memory of many and many people, a constant: their place of origin. Resulting in that one of their concerns, once established, was trying to improve the quality of their relatives and neighbours lives.

Thanks to those longings, today we still have some patrimonial testimonies. Works that were carried out by the generous contributions registered at that time. One of the more noteworthy cases is the school built by Francisco García Naveiro in the parish of O Pino. From the beginnings of the XX century there is also a beautiful water source, next to the educational center. It is dedicated to Francisco Garcia’s father, Antonio Garcia and it has an image of San Antonio. Not far away majestically rises the Manor (Pazo) of the Marquis of Monte Sacro.

Also noteworthy is the school that a group of people, with their contributions, raised in the parish of Castrofeito. The promoters were the brothers Ramón and José Beis Sada. The building dates from the year 1929. It is located very near the road that goes from Santiago to Curtis (hardly a couple of kilometers after leaving the roundabout of the airport of Lavacolla).

TORQUES OF SAN LOURENZO DE PASTOR

It seems to be that the word torque comes from Latin “torquere” that meant to twist or from “torque” that means a twisted rope. Elements used by a great part of the people that occupied Europe before the Roman conquest. In each region they had their own characteristics, as much in form and decoration as in value and use.

In the castro of San Lourenzo de Pastor three gold torques were found. It is possibly an enclosure of an elliptic form, although it is difficult to determine that exactly due to the inclemency of passing time. The bigger axis (headed north-south) measures 110 meters, and the smaller axis (headed east-west) 72 meters. At the peak of its capabilities the castro had defensive structures once its location, in a plain lacking all natural defenses, forced it. It had an external wall of earth and stones that descended in its internal face towards a moat that separated it from the interior defense and in some points reached an width of 15 meters. Its maximum depth was of 3'4 meters.

At the end of the moat a second wall rose, ascending in a steep embankment, reaching its biggest level of 2 meters wide. It descended then towards the interior part of the enclosure. In the enclosure small undecorated ceramic fragments were picked up, all of an atypical aspect.

One of the gold torques found, analyzed by Bouza Brey, consisted of a gold piece of 22 karats, 370 grams of weight and a length of 350 mm. Consists of a bar of rhombic section without any decoration except for a double circle of 1mm. of diameter with a central point, stamped twice. This archaeologist interprets it as an artisan shop mark. In that time, among the inhabitants of this area, several legends circulated about the castro. One of them said that in that place were, buried, a mine of tar and another of gold. Another of the popular rumours made reference to hitting strongly the ground of a neighbouring farm, facing south, where apparently it would sound hollow. Theoretically this it would be the place where the Moors, inhabitants of the castro, would take their mules to water.

The second torques found in Pastor was casually found by a farmer. It has the form of an open C, it has 188 mm. of separation between both ends. Its overall length from the external part is of 410 mm. It is made of 24 karats gold and its weight reaches the 464 grams. As decoration, the ends have five concentric circumferences in relief located in the thin central sheet and around a circle also in relief. The bar is a solid piece, of circular section, increasing its width as it approaches to the center. It reaches 12 mm. in its maximum diameter. It is covered in the inferior thirds by a wire wound around the body. The union is made introducing the end into the hairspring, without using welding.

According to the experts, the piece shows some differences to the typologies of the classified torques. The form of the ends is similar to other torques such as those of Foxados, Melide and Marzán. Regarding the bar, due to its decoration with wires wound around its inferior thirds, connects directly with torques such as those of Viladonga, one of those located in Cangas of Onís, Langreo or Valedouro. Abiding to the classification carried out by L. Monteagudo, Pastor's torque would be in the numbers of the artabrian kind. That is to say, flat central part of the bar, flanked by two wire springs that may appear imitated by small plates and concentric circles; the other two parts of the bar appear covered, like we have indicated, with wound wire and endings in goatee. Anyway, small particulars in its configuration indicate that it is a mixed style.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• El castro de San Lourenzo de Pastor y su nuevo torques áureo. Fernando Acuña Castroviejo, Manuel Carlos García Martínez y José Manuel González Reboredo
• Torques castreños de alambres enrollados. L. Monteagudo. Archivo Español de Arqueología, t. XXV, núm. 86, 1952.
• El toques de S. Lorenzo de Pastor, en el Boletín de la Comisión Provincial de Monumentos Históricos y Artísticos de Lugo, t. I, núm. 2, abril de 1942.
• El tesoro de Elviña y tres torques coruñeses. Trabajos de Prehistoria 36 (p.213-246), 1979. José María Luengo.
• El oro y la orfebrería prehistórica de Galicia. Diputación Provincial de Lugo, 1996