Incubator escapee wiki

Basque mythology

Article Discussion

Template:Short description Template:Multiple issues

File:Obiit.JPG
A reproduction of a Hilarri, a Basque gravestone, from 1736 with commonly found symbols. Translated from Latin, it reads, "Maria Arros Sagaray died on the 19th day of April, 1736".

The mythology of the ancient Basques largely did not survive the arrival of Christianity in the Basque Country between the 4th and 12th century AD. Most of what is known about elements of this original belief system is based on the analysis of legends, the study of place names and scant historical references to pagan rituals practised by the Basques.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

One main figure of this belief system was the female deity Mari. According to legends collected in the area of Ataun, the other main figure was her consort Sugaar. However, due to the scarcity of the material, it is difficult to say if this would have been the "central pair" of the Basque pantheon. Based on the attributes ascribed to these mythological creatures, this would be considered a chthonic religion as all its characters dwell on earth or below it, with the sky seen mostly as an empty corridor through which the divinities pass.Template:Citation needed

Historical sourcesEdit

The main sources for information about non-Christian Basque beliefs are:<ref name=Kasp>Template:Cite book</ref>

  • Strabo, who mentions the sacrifice of male goats and humans
  • Arab writers from the time of the Umayyad conquest of Hispania (8th century)
  • the 12th century diary of the pilgrim Aymeric Picaud
  • various medieval sources making references to pagan rituals, including the records of the Inquisition
  • 19th and 20th century collections of myths and folk-tales, such as those collected by José Miguel Barandiaran, which comprise by far the largest body of material relating to non-Christian beliefs and practices
  • the modern study of place-names in the Basque Country

Mythological creatures and charactersEdit

Template:Main article Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists

The Urtzi controversyEdit

Template:Main article Urtzi may have been a Basque mythological figure—a sky god—but may have been merely a word for the sky. There is evidence that can be read as either supporting or contradicting the existence of such a deity. To date, neither theory has been entirely accepted.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Influence on Iberian pantheonsEdit

The Iberian Peninsula's Indo-European speaking cultures like the Lusitanians and Celtiberians seem to display a significant Basque influence on their mythologies. This includes the concept of the Enchanted Mouras, which may be based on the Mairu,<ref>Anuntxi Arana: Mari, mairu eta beste - 1996 - Bulletin du musée basque n°146.</ref> and the god Endovelicus, whose name may come from proto-Basque words.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Page needed</ref>

Myths of the historical periodEdit

After Christianization, the Basques kept producing and importing myths.

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

BibliographyEdit

Template:Sister project

Template:Refbegin

Folktale collections

Template:Refend

Template:Religion topics Template:Paganism Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://zalansite.site/mediawiki/index.php?title=Basque_mythology&oldid=665271"