Boñar

Camino Olvidado

LeónCastilla y León

Pre-Roman toponym of disputed etymology. The hypothesis with most support derives it from a pre-Roman base *bon- of hydronymic or orographic value linked to the Vasco-Aquitanian substrate of the Esla valley. The suffix -ar, productive in medieval Leonese toponymy with collective or locative value, fixes the current form from the 10th century.

Bon- is a pre-Roman toponymic base of Vasco-Aquitanian filiation, attested in a toponymic strip extending from the upper Esla valley to the central Pyrenees with cognates in toponyms such as Bonastre, Bonete and Boñares. The hamlet of Boñar is documented from 985 in cartularies of the Sahagún monastery as royal property under Vermudo II of León. The famous Boñar aguardiente, traditional distillate of pomace and juniper, has been elaborated here since the 16th century with protected denomination; it is one of the rare five recognised aguardiente PGIs in Spain.

Evolution of the name

  1. *bon-ar pre-Roman Vasco-Aquitanian before the 9th century
  2. Boñar medieval Leonese from the 10th century

Reflections, to the letter

Before it was Bonar the place was written Balneare, a place of baths, and the water that named it still rises: the Fuente de la Calda flows warm in the town, with a Roman inscription claiming a certain Alexius Aquilegus raised it in fulfilment of a vow. Down the valley runs the Porma, whose older name, Borma, means water that boils and bubbles. The place-name marks no saint and no lord, only this spring you can put your hand in.

Languages of origin

Themes

Origin status

confirmed

Glossary

Attested
A form or word documented in writing in historical sources; opposed to "reconstructed" (forms proposed by comparative inference but not actually documented).
Boñar aguardiente
Traditional grape pomace aguardiente with juniper maceration, elaborated in Boñar (León) since the 16th century by the double distillation system in copper still. The final strength oscillates between 40º and 45º. The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Aguardiente de Sidra de Asturias y Aguardiente de Orujo de Boñar, recognised in 2008, limits production to the Porma river basin. It is one of the only five recognised aguardiente PGIs in Spain.
Etymology
The origin and history of a word and the phonetic and semantic changes it has undergone. An etymology may be confirmed, probable or disputed depending on documentary attestations and linguistic parallels.
Hydronymic
Pertaining to hydronyms (place names from watercourses).
Pre-Roman
Prior to the Romanisation of the Iberian peninsula (3rd century BC); applied to toponyms, linguistic roots and populations.

Sources

  • García Arias, X.L. — Toponimia asturiana

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Camino Olvidado

  1. ··· toward Santiago
  2. Cacabelos
  3. Vega de Espinareda
  4. Riello
  5. Toreno
  6. La Pola de Gordón
  7. La Robla
  8. Boñar
  9. Sabero
  10. Cistierna
  11. Puente Almuhey
  12. Velilla del Río Carrión
  13. Guardo
  14. Cervera de Pisuerga
  15. ··· toward the start