Basque ethnography at a glance

Lintel inscription in the Andikoetxea farmhouse in Argiñao. Author: Izail Perez Junkera.

This article is based on the final project of the degree in Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage that I carried out in 2023 at the University of the Basque Country, on the more than fifty inscriptions (some of them very old) of the farmhouses of Zeberio.

Zeberio is a rural town located in the Arratia-Nervión region. Although historically the most important socio-economic activity has been rural, since the 1960s agriculture and livestock farming have declined.

Unlike today, the entrance to the house was from the 2nd floor, so most of the inscriptions are found above the main entrance of the building. It is also common to find this type of writing on the facades of houses all over the Basque Country, and of course in the north of Navarre, in houses in Lapurdi or in Lower Navarre. It is worth noting that in the inscriptions found in these areas various figures that do not appear in Zeberio can be seen: stars, moons, suns, tools, animals, plants, etc.

Inscriptions on door and window lintels in Etxebarria Farmhouse (Gorositu neighbourhood). Author: Izail Perez Junkera.

Among the characteristics of the inscriptions found in Zeberio: on the one hand, the basis of the inscriptions (the stone itself) can be elements of the structure of the farmhouse: door lintels, window lintels or facade stones; or alternatively, the plaques aggregated to the house.

Even at the time of writing the letters of the inscriptions there are obvious differences. Some inscriptions have been engraved there using the intaglio technique, while others are simply painted; and finally some writings can also be read as reliefs.

If we observe the types of inscriptions and the writing techniques, we can notice the differences from one period to another. During the 17th and 18th centuries-old stones were used as structural elements, all made with the intaglio technique. As these customs changed in the 19th century, in the 20th century only plaques have been found, and the last writings of that century only use the relief technique.

Regarding the messages of the inscriptions, three important results arise:

1. The year of (re)construction appears in almost all stones (94%).
2. The mention of the property is seen in almost half of them, either in the form of initials or with the full name.
3. The inscriptions were also a form of protecting the buildings. For this, there are phrases with religious references (Viva Jesús [Hail Jesus], Ave María Purísima [Holy Mother], Deo propitio…) or symbolic ones (crosses, symbols of JHS [in spanish “Jesús Hijo del Señor”, in english ‘IHS’, meaning ‘I have suffered’] or the victor symbol).

The largest stone in terms of size measures 262 x 90 cm, and the oldest inscription found dates from 1643. Today, however, the building has collapsed and it is not possible to see the inscription.

Finally, it can be concluded that this study of the inscriptions of the Zeberio farmhouses reveals the historical-cultural heritage of the locality. On the one hand, because of the number of inscriptions found in a town like Zeberio, and on the other, because of the importance that must be given to historical heritage. Bearing in mind that the purpose of this work is dissemination and accessibility, anyone who is interested can access this register at this link: https://labur.eus/zeberioko_inskripzioak. Here you can see all the inscriptions together with the written work, which shows that Zeberio has enough historical heritage to be preserved.

Izail Perez Junkera — Labayru Fundazioa