The gate of the year

The “Tarasque of Noves” is a stone sculpture of the I century B.C., representing a monstrous animal devouring human limbs, with its forelegs resting on two human heads. It was discovered in 1849 near the cemetery of the town of Noves (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and now is housed in the Musée Lapidaire, Avignon, France. Similar representations are found in Medieval sculptures of the same region, like those in the Montmajour Abbey, whose first foundation dates to the XI century.
The Tarasque has become a popular figure in Provencal folklore: it was regarded as a kind of dragon, which once ravaged the region where now is located the city of Tarascon. Saint Martha, a young Christian maiden who came to evangelize Lower Provence, was able to tame the monster, that was quietly drug with a lace by the woman. But the inhabitants, frightened and driven by revenge, decided to slaughter the animal and to found in that place the city which took its name from the killed monster.
Since the XV century there are evidences of feasts celebrated to commemorate this legend, which were held during the second week of Pentecost, and later in July, on the day of Saint Martha, patroness of Tarascon. Still today, on July 29, a great figure of a monstrous animal is brought in procession. Its body is like a turtle, fraught with stingers, with a semi-human semi-animal head and a long tail. It seems unquestionable that this figure had its origin in ancient pre-Christian myths, for which ceremonies were celebrated in a distant past. Christian tradition has superimposed on them, transforming the Tarasque into a negative character, and opposing to it the dominant figure of the Saint, but has not been able to eradicate this mythic monster’s popularity (Dumont 1987).

[Image: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavares]




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The “Tarasque of Noves” is a stone sculpture of the I century B.C., representing a monstrous animal devouring human limbs, with its forelegs resting on two human heads. It was discovered in 1849 near the cemetery of the town of Noves (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and now is housed in the Musée Lapidaire, Avignon, France. Similar representations are found in Medieval sculptures of the same region, like those in the Montmajour Abbey, whose first foundation dates to the XI century. The Tarasque has become a popular figure in Provencal folklore: it was regarded as a kind of dragon, which once ravaged the region where now is located the city of Tarascon. Saint Martha, a young Christian maiden who came to evangelize Lower Provence, was able to tame the monster, that was quietly drug with a lace by the woman. But the inhabitants, frightened and driven by revenge, decided to slaughter the animal and to found in that place the city which took its name from the killed monster. Since the XV century there are evidences of feasts celebrated to commemorate this legend, which were held during the second week of Pentecost, and later in July, on the day of Saint Martha, patroness of Tarascon. Still today, on July 29, a great figure of a monstrous animal is brought in procession. Its body is like a turtle, fraught with stingers, with a semi-human semi-animal head and a long tail. It seems unquestionable that this figure had its origin in ancient pre-Christian myths, for which ceremonies were celebrated in a distant past. Christian tradition has superimposed on them, transforming the Tarasque into a negative character, and opposing to it the dominant figure of the Saint, but has not been able to eradicate this mythic monster’s popularity (Dumont 1987). [Image: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavares]