Basusenia House

Built at the beginning of the 19th century on the site of an older house, its Low Navarrese architectural style is typical of the time. Its portal is framed with two original architectural designs in carved stone called hexahedrons (polyhedrons with six faces).

Rather rare in architecture, the Basusenia house’s polyhedrons, probably dating from the 18th century, have the distinctive feature of having surfaces adorned with carved daisies.

There are several theories about its ornamental polyhedrons. These carved stones are sometimes known as Witches’ stones, probably because their design resembles the pentacles used in sorcery or magic rites, the pentagramme inscribed within the circle symbolizing a human being in contact with the infinite.

This would then echo the tradition of sorcery in the Basque Country: “The king of sorcerers in the Basque Country is a 90 year-old man who lives in Saint-Jean-Le-Vieux. The commonly held view is that he is in league with the devil, who he always has in his bedroom in the form of a goat. He also deals the cards. When we have ailing livestock, we seek him out”.