Albelda de Iregua No. 2

Described and illustrated in Sáenz Rodríguez (2004), who notes that this rural chapel, popularly dedicated to 'San Marcos' was originally the parish church of Palazuelos, a medieval hamlet that became abandoned by the 14th century; the church and the basin itself date probably from the late-12th or early-13th century; this author (ibid.) remarks that the fragment of the basin, which is all that is left, appears totally plain, but there are faint incisions that may indicate it had been prepare to have decorations carved along these incised lines; this fragment is now raised on two capitals from the now disappeared monastery of San Martin de Albelda. Sáenz Rodríguez (ibid.) further notes that by the 16th century the rural chapel was being used as an animal pen or corral, the font itself serving as trough for the animals; a visitation report of 1599 expressly forbade the use, apparently without much success; later on it was set up as holy-water stoup stoup at the entrance, until finally it was installed on the said capitals. The entry in the Enciclopedia del románico en La Rioja (2008) suggests there are traces that indicate the earlier existence of ornamentation on it [cf. supra]. The base of this font is noted in Minerva Sáenz Rodríguez' El primer románico en La Rioja durante el esplendor del Reino de Nájera-Pamplona (1000-1076) [https://www.academia.edu/93394430/El_primer_románico_en_La_Rioja_durante_el_esplendor_del_Reino_de_Nájera_Pamplona_1000_1076_?email_work_card=view-paper] [accessed 12 December 2024] described as "un capitel con dos grifos afrontados por sus cuartos traseros y aprisionados por tallos, que recientemente ha sido reaprovechado junto con otro también guardado allí, como pie de la pila bautismal de la ermita de Santa Fe de Palazuelos, entre Albelda y Clavijo."