Basque mythology

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Cultural and linguistic backgrounds

The Basques speak a language that does not belong to the Indo-European language family. The world view has references to the sun cult . The mythology is difficult to access because the myths by the Inquisition in the late Middle Ages were forced out of religion into the realm of folk tales. It is therefore hardly surprising that the gods are only remembered in a very vague form, but instead the smaller nature demons are richly represented in the local context. A contemporary representative is Patxi Xabier Lezama Perier , who interprets supernatural beings, wizards and witches from Basque mythology.

Gods

Basque Mythology Family Tree
  • Amilamia: goddess of charity
  • Atarrabi: good weather spirit
  • Basajaun: Lord of the forest; Agriculture, blacksmiths, herds
  • Botzi / Ostiri: firmament; Sky, weather
  • Ekhi: female sun; drive out the night demons
  • Ilargi: female moon; Dead light; Friday
  • Lur: goddess of the earth
  • Maju / Suugar: Red storm snake , dragon
  • Mari: Supreme Goddess; Weather, wind, earth; Snake as a symbol; 2 rams as servants
  • Mikelatz: Bad weather spirit

family tree

Mari
 
 
 
 Maju / Suugar
 
 
 
 
 Amalur
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mikelatz
 
 Atarrabi
 
 
 
 Ekhi
 
 Ilargi
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Amilamia
 
 Botzi / Ostiri
 
 Basajaun
 
 
 

Demons

  • Odei : Storm demon
  • Aatxe ("red young bull"): frightening ghost in the Leze cave
  • Eate : demon who creates fire when lightning strikes
  • Herensugue : man-eating cave spirit in the form of a seven-headed snake that is poisoned by the hero Guanidu
  • Torto / Alarabi : man-eating mountain spirit with one eye, one leg and one round foot
  • Akerbeltz ("black billy goat"): healing cave spirit
  • Guitzutso : forest demon in hairy human form with bear feet
  • Gaizkin : cock-headed snake that causes disease
  • Argi ("light"): nocturnal spirit of the dead that lives near Mount Ernio. Nocturnal encounters with him bring death.
  • Inguma : Night spirit that tightens the throat like an alpine sleeper and creates nightmares
  • Bildurraise ("bad air"): spirit of nightmares
  • Gaueko : Night spirit that lets people stay at home at night
  • Laminak (plural): night spirits who work the field when food offerings are made to them; they disappeared when the plow was invented
  • Maideak (plural): night spirits who used to build castles and dolmens when sacrifices were made to them
  • Galtxagorri / Etxajaunak / Aiharra-Haio (plural): servant goblins in the shape of an insect, four of whom live in needle boxes

Metaphysical principles

  • Adur :
    • Everything exists that has a name
    • Symbol magic
  • Betadur
    • Gaze magic
  • Ostri
    • Duality good-bad, symbolized by oppositely rotating Lauburus

Web links

Commons : Category: Basque mythology  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

literature