Bareyo - Santa Maria

The "Iglesia de Santa Maria" was built in the second half of the 12th century. From the little hill, the shoreline can be seen. The "Camino del Norte" (aka "Camino de la Costa"), the oldest known "camino" to Santiago de Compostela run along the northern coast, as moorish troops roamed the inland.

Even in the 12th century, when this church was erected, this way was popular as the pilgrims could visit the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana. As the largest part of the "True Cross" (aka "Lignum Crucis") was venerated in that monastery, it had the privilege of perpetual indulgences.

The "Iglesia de Santa Maria" is known for some extraordinary Romanesque carvings. Some are under the roof of the apse. One of them is this rude person. I have seen many such corbels meanwhile, along caminos and chemins. What does the person express, displaying his posterior? Or is this the "moon"? If this is an early form or kind of "mooning", he would express disrespect.

At least two incidents are known from medieval times.

- In 1204 during the siege of Constantinople the Greeks exposed their bare buttocks to the Crusaders after they repulsed them from the walls.

- In 1346 during the Battle of Crécy Norman soldiers "exposed their backsides to the English archers and many of them paid a high price for doing so".