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The hearth, i.e., the household fire, is present in all cultures. When humans managed to control fire at the end of the Lower Palaeolithic – and –and over time they would learn to produce it –it–, they created a space reserved for this element to which only they would have access.
Humans had lived and moved in a natural environment shared with other animal species up until then. After that first energy revolution<ref>André VARAGNAC. ''La cônquete des energies''. Paris: (Hachette), pp. 65 & ss.</ref>, all other animal species would be excluded from that space.
Numerous traditions related to fire have emerged, such as those listed below and others that will be considered in the chapter referring to the ancient virtue attributed to the household fire and which was widespread throughout the Basque Country.
The household fire would be part of the call for a second tooth to appear, for example. Children used to throw the tooth that had fallen out into the fire and say: ''Tori zarra ta ekatzu berria ''(take Take the old one and bring the new)<ref><span style="background-">This custom and the chants sang are included in the chapter in this Ethnographic Atlas on <span style="background-">''Children’s Games in the Basque Country''<span style="background-">. </ref> (Oiartzun-G). Fire was also capable of cleansing bread or other food that had fallen on the floor or water brought from the fountain after sunset. People or animals that came from outside to join the home had to go around the fire three times.
== The embers of the hearth. Sua biltzen, sua batzen ==
The hearth wide would not be put out in the past; instead, great care was taken to keep it going. The logs were therefore removed and the embers were carefully covered with ash. The fire would thus be kept smouldering during the night and could be got going again the following morning.
== Lighting the hearth on set days ==
=== The Christmas log Gabon-subila ===
The Christmas holiday coincides with the winter solstice. The rebirth of the sun is referred to in Basque as Eguberri (new sun – sky – new) and Urtebarri (new year). Certain practices and beliefs around the household fire at Christmas are lined to the Christian festivity of the birth of Christ. Others seem to be related to the old solstice cults that spread throughout the areas of the early Indo-European Civilisation.
The belief that the hearth had a religious meaning and special virtues on Christmas Eve to mark the birth of Jesus was widespread as well.
=== The new New fire at Easter Su berria ===
Until the Liturgical Reform of the Easter Vigil in 1952, the Easter Saturday church services were held in the morning and began with the blessing of the new fire. A piece of burlap had to be used to light it with a flint spark for that fire to be “new”. That fire would be used to light the charcoal in the incense burner and its flames would be used to light the Easter candle.
