# Arhansus

Arhansus (French pronunciation:; Basque: Arhantsusi) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arhantsusiar or Arhantsusitar.

## Geography

Arhansus is located in the former basque province of Lower Navarre some 10 km south of Saint-Palais and 8 km north-east of Larceveau-Arros-Cibits. Access to the commune is solely by country roads with at least two country roads connecting the village to the D933 road from Larceveau-Arros-Cibrits to Uhart-Mixe which passes outside and parallel to the western border of the commune. The commune consists almost entirely of farmland with a few small patches of forest.
The Bidouze river forms the western border of the commune flowing north with two small streams rising in the commune and joining it. One stream is the northern border of the commune.

### Places and Hamlets

* Aguerrengoyhenko Borda (ruins)
* Bidartia
* Bordaberria
* Carricondoa
* Castellu Cahara or Gastelusare
* Charcoa
* Cuçuluteguia
* Elgartia
* Etchessaria
* Eyhera
* Eyheraberria
* Goyhenetchea
* Haramberria
* Harispouria
* Hirrundoya
* Inchaurrague
* Ithurbidia
* Larrondoa
* Lastapia
* Mendionda
* Olieta
* Portasanse
* Solaquia
* Uligainia
vteNeighbouring communes and villages :
Orsanco
Uhart-Mixe
Lohitzun-Oyhercq
Ostabat-Asme
Arhansus
Ainharp
Larceveau-Arros-Cibits
Juxue
Pagolle :

## Toponymy

The commune's name in basque is Arhantsusi (or Arhantsuse). The name is based on the basque radical Arhan-, Arran- from where Arhantz is derived but the etymology "where blackthorn abounds" is uncertain.
The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune.
| Name | Spelling | Date | Source | Page | Origin | Description |
| Arhansus | Sanctus stephanus de aranchiis | 1160 | Orpustan | 93 | | Village |
| | Aranchus | 1160 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| | Arhanssus | 1291 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| | Eransus | 1305 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| | Aransus | 1305 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| | Arhansus | 1365 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| | Arhansus | 1413 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| | Aransus | 1513 | Raymond | 10 | Pamplona | |
| | Aransusi | 1621 | Orpustan | 93 | | |
| L'Eldurne | L'Eldurne | 1863 | Raymond | 58 | | Stream, tributary of the Bidouze crossing Arhansus |
| Etchepare | Etchepare | 1863 | Raymond | 63 | | Fief, under the Kingdom of Navarre |
| Etcheverry | Etcheverry | 1863 | Raymond | 63 | | Fief, under the Kingdom of Navarre |
| Gaztelu Zahar | Gastellusahar | 1750 | Cassini | | | Mountain between Arhansus and Juxue |
| | Gastelluçar | 1863 | Raymond | 68 | | |
Sources:
* Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, New Basque Toponymy
* Raymond: Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, 1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. (in French)
* Cassini: Cassini Map from 1750
Origins:
* Pamplona: Titles of Pamplona

## History
### Heraldry

| Arms of the Arhansus family | Blazon of the Arhansus Family of Lower Navarre Blazon: Gules, 15 billets Or at orle. |
| Arms of the Etchepare (Arhansus) family | Blazon of the Etchepare (Arhansus) Family - former fief of the Kingdom of Navarre Blazon: Party per fesse, 1 Or, 2 Gules with a crescent inverted Argent. |

## Administration

List of Successive Mayors
| From | To | Name |
| 2001 | 2014 | Marc Arrachou |
| 2014 | 2026 | Christine Erdozaincy-Etchart |

### Inter-communality

Arhansus is part of seven inter-communal structures:
* the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque;
* the AEP association of Ostabaret;
* the Energy association of Pyrénées-Atlantiques;
* the inter-communal association for the single purpose of Oztibarre Garbi;
* the inter-communal association for the development and management of the slaughterhouse at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port;
* the association for the operation of schools in Ostibarret;
* the association to support Basque culture.

## Demography

In 2017 the commune had 74 inhabitants.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1793 | 193 | — |
| 1800 | 159 | −2.73% |
| 1806 | 190 | +3.01% |
| 1821 | 171 | −0.70% |
| 1831 | 187 | +0.90% |
| 1836 | 213 | +2.64% |
| 1841 | 192 | −2.05% |
| 1846 | 181 | −1.17% |
| 1851 | 177 | −0.45% |
| 1856 | 163 | −1.63% |
| 1861 | 137 | −3.42% |
| 1866 | 150 | +1.83% |
| 1872 | 125 | −2.99% |
| 1876 | 146 | +3.96% |
| 1881 | 136 | −1.41% |
| 1886 | 120 | −2.47% |
| 1891 | 99 | −3.77% |
| 1896 | 115 | +3.04% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1901 | 122 | +1.19% |
| 1906 | 117 | −0.83% |
| 1911 | 125 | +1.33% |
| 1921 | 121 | −0.32% |
| 1926 | 115 | −1.01% |
| 1931 | 114 | −0.17% |
| 1936 | 124 | +1.70% |
| 1946 | 131 | +0.55% |
| 1954 | 116 | −1.51% |
| 1962 | 109 | −0.78% |
| 1968 | 95 | −2.27% |
| 1975 | 102 | +1.02% |
| 1982 | 97 | −0.72% |
| 1990 | 98 | +0.13% |
| 1999 | 81 | −2.09% |
| 2007 | 72 | −1.46% |
| 2012 | 71 | −0.28% |
| 2017 | 74 | +0.83% |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. :
Source: EHESS and INSEE :

## Economy

Economic activity is mainly agricultural. the commune is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) zone of Ossau-iraty.

## Culture and Heritage
### Civil Heritage

Several sites in Arhansus are registered as historical monuments:
* The Protohistoric Camp at Castellu Cahara at an altitude of 361m
* A second Protohistoric Camp at Portasanse.
* Houses and Farms (18th-19th century)

### Religious Heritage

The Parish Church of Saint-Étienne (15th century) is registered as an historical monument.

#### The Church

* Stained Glass
* Relief