Two hundred years since the birth of Antoine Abbadia

2010/06/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia
• Astronomia
• Biografiak

This year marks two hundred years since the birth of the prestigious scientific vascophile Antoine Abbadia. It is known above all for its natural geographical, geological, archaeological and historical studies for about twelve years in Ethiopia together with Brother Arnaud. The origins of the Nile River and the discovery of the cradle of civilization were, among others, the purposes that led him to make this long journey.

This was not Antoine Abbadia's only contribution to science. For example, in Brazil, he measured terrestrial magnetism and made several observations of solar eclipses: 1851 in Norway, 1860 in Briviesca de Burgos and 1867 in Algeria. In 1882 he traveled to Haiti to see and analyze the passage of Venus in front of the Sun.

With all these trips he made several publications and received numerous titles and appointments in scientific subjects. Among other things, he received the medal of the Geographical Society of France, was appointed knight of the Order of St. Gregory and member of the French Legion of Honor, and since 1867 he was a member and president of the French Academy of Sciences.

Apart from the scientific issues, Antoine Abbadia was also a Basque; his father received Basque and Basque. In this sense, together with Agustín Xaho (Études grammaticales sur la langue basque) he performed a Basque grammar and wrote several works on Basque in French. In addition, Euskal Lore Jokoa organized and subsidized cultural days from 1851 to 1897, right until his death. During that time he paid every year to the best pelotaris, bertsolaris and writers of bertsos. And he was the creator of the motto Zazpiak Bat.

Currently, the neo-Gothic castle he built in Hendaia is the main memory of Antoine Abbadia. The French Academy of Sciences is now the owner of the castle, which was ceded by Abbadia before she died, and organizes visits to visit the castle. The restoration lasted eleven years and ended in 2004 with the reconstruction of the entire electrical installation, repair of clocks and other useful, repair of parts and steel paintings, etc. They gave everyone the look of the Abbadian era.

This year, the Antoine d'Abbadie Foundation of the Academy of Sciences has organized a series of activities to commemorate the anniversary of his birth. The life, hobbies and activity of Antoine Abbadia are more or less related to the exhibitions, workshops, conferences and auditions they have organized.