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The Ethnographic Atlas of the Basque Country is an ethnographic research project intended to provide an overview of popular culture and lifestyles of the Basques throughout the 20th century up to the present day.

Exhibition of the bridal trousseau. Bidegoian (G), 1957. Source: Ana Larrarte, Etniker Euskalerria Groups.

Zurututza Farmhouse. Zeanuri (B), c. 1925. Source: Labayru Fundazioa Photograhic Archive: Felipe Manterola Collection.

Trousseau escorted by wedding entourage on their way to Izagirre Farmhouse. Bidegoian (G), 1957. Source: Martín Photographic Studio.

Funeral procession entering church. Zerain (G), 1965. Source: Karmele Goñi, Etniker Euskalerria Groups.

Pumpkins for the livestock. Lezama (B), 1990. Source: Labayru Fundazioa Photograhic Archive: José Ignacio García Muñoz.

• House and Family
• Diet
• Children’s Games
• Medicine
• Birth
• Funeral Rites
• Livestock Farming
• Agriculture

The kitchen, heart of the home. Andoain (G), c. 1920. Source: Aguirre Archive.

House and Family in the Basque Country

House and Family in the Basque Country

Gure etxean sua batzen, gure etxean aingeruak sartzen. Angels dance happily in a clean house.

House and Family in the Basque Country

Family Diet in the Basque Country

Family Diet in the Basque Country

Family Diet in the Basque Country

Round of the roll on St Christopher’s Day. Oquina (A), 1986. Source: Gerardo López de Guereñu Iholdi, Etniker Euskalerria Groups. Bread and wine hold body and soul together.

Pin, pin, zarramacatín. Carranza (B), 1993. Source: Luis Manuel Peña, Etniker Euskalerria Groups.

Children’s Games in the Basque Country

Children’s Games in the Basque Country

Honek arrautza ekarri, honek erreten ipini, honek gatza eman, honek pixka bat probatu, honek dena jan! Game with fingers

Children’s Games in the Basque Country

Traditional Medicine in the Basque Country

Traditional Medicine in the Basque Country

Baratxuria, hamalau gaitzen kontra. Garlic cures all ills.

Traditional Medicine in the Basque Country

Herbal remedies in store. Elosua (G), 1983. Source: Miren Goñi, Etniker Euskalerria Groups.

Bilbao, 1995. Source: Asier Astigarraga’s private archive.

Rites from Birth to Marriage in the Basque Country

Rites from Birth to Marriage in the Basque Country

Charms, kutunak, were attached to children’s clothes and were said to protect them from the evil eye.

Rites from Birth to Marriage in the Basque Country

Funeral Rites in the Basque Country

Funeral Rites in the Basque Country

The members of the funeral cortege, relatives of the deceased and neighbours alike, would usually carry offerings of bread and light.

Funeral Rites in the Basque Country

Offering bearers. Otsagabia (N), c. 1920. Source: Fco. Javier Zubiaur and M.ª Amor Beguiristain’s private archive: Roldán and Calle Photographic Studios.

Dark-faced latxa sheep. Abadiño (B). Source: Rosa M.ª Ardanza, Etniker Euskalerria Groups.

Livestock Farming and Shepherding in the Basque Country

Livestock Farming and Shepherding in the Basque Country

The permanence of shepherding in the mountains of the Basque Country over centuries may help understand the fact that denominations given to diverse species of livestock, as well as to the implements used, form a distinguishing lexical corpus, independent from Indoeuropean languages.

Livestock Farming and Shepherding in the Basque Country

Agriculture in the Basque Country

Agriculture in the Basque Country

Spades, ploughs, rakes, sickles, scythes and threshers were the essential tools for agricultural work.

Agriculture in the Basque Country

Spading. Zeanuri (B), 1920. Source: Labayru Fundazioa Photograhic Archive: Felipe Manterola Collection.