#basque — Public Fediverse posts

Ice Age cave paintings in the Basque region followed a structured pattern, study finds

Ancient artists who painted caves in the Basque region between 16,000 and 14,000 years ago followed a clear visual plan, according to a new study. The research found the paintings were arranged using shared rules instead of being placed at random, pointing to a graphic system with an ordered structure...

More info: https://archaeologymag.com/2026/07/ice-age-cave-paintings-in-the-basque-structured-pattern/

Follow @archaeology

#archaeology #iceage #cavepaintings #Basque

Ice Age cave paintings in the Basque region followed a structured pattern, study finds

Ancient artists who painted caves in the Basque region between 16,000 and 14,000 years ago followed a clear visual plan, according to a new study. The research found the paintings were arranged using shared rules instead of being placed at random, pointing to a graphic system with an ordered structure...

More info: https://archaeologymag.com/2026/07/ice-age-cave-paintings-in-the-basque-structured-pattern/

Follow @archaeology

#archaeology #iceage #cavepaintings #Basque

Asko gustatu zait hau 🖤

#books #bookstodon #libros #literatura #literature #novela #novel #euskera #basque

Asko gustatu zait hau 🖤

#books #bookstodon #libros #literatura #literature #novela #novel #euskera #basque

1987 #SPANISH #LOCAL #ELECTIONS IN #THE #CANARY #ISLANDS
allgraph.ro/advanced-sea...
#DESPENSER S #CRUSADE
headlines-world.com?q=DESPENSER%...
#NAKED #CUTICLE 1
allgraph.ro?q=NAKED%20CU...
1987 #SPANISH #LOCAL #ELECTIONS IN #THE #BASQUE #COUNTRY
headlines-world.com?q=1987%20SPA...
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World Wide Underground
My good friend Iñigo from the Basque Country – thanks to whom I have the lovely “Brutalismos” book – sends his regards from Spain. Now that this world is going to hell through its own stupidity, you’ll probably have to turn to those who’ve never been part of it: the rockers, the punks and the anarchists.
We’re organized worldwide, and, above all, we’ve got culture and music. Cheers, motherfuckers. Long live the underground!
https://word.undead-network.de/2026/07/28/world-wide-underground/
#basque #friend #iran #palestine #punk #reverendelvis #rocker #spain #underground #worldwide

García: The Ancient Basque Name That May Be Older Than Spain Itself

Dear Cherubs, if you’ve ever assumed García is “just another common Spanish surname,” welcome to today’s plot twist. Beneath its everyday familiarity lies one of Europe’s oldest and most debated names, wrapped in Basque history, medieval kingdoms, and just enough linguistic mystery to keep scholars happily arguing over coffee.

Most surnames in Spain are fairly straightforward. Fernández means “son of Fernando,” Martínez means “son of Martín,” and Rodríguez follows the same family recipe. García, however, refuses to play by those rules. It isn’t a patronymic surname, and that’s one reason historians find it so fascinating.

AN ANCIENT NAME

Long before surnames became hereditary, García was already being used as a personal name. Kings of the medieval Kingdom of Pamplona, including García Íñiguez in the ninth century and García Sánchez I in the tenth, carried the name centuries before it settled into family lineages. According to the Real Academia de la Historia, these early records place García among the oldest continuously documented names in medieval Iberia.

So where did it come from? The leading scholarly theory points toward an ancient Basque origin. Many linguists connect García to the medieval Basque form “Gartzia,” possibly derived from the older Basque word “gaztea,” meaning “young.” While the exact linguistic pathway remains debated, this explanation currently enjoys the broadest academic support.

What makes the story even more intriguing is that the name appears in territories where Basque culture flourished, particularly Navarre and surrounding regions. That geographical consistency strengthens the Basque connection, even if the precise meaning has been lost somewhere over the last thousand years. Ancient languages are wonderful like that—they leave clues but rarely complete instruction manuals.

THE BEAR CONNECTION

There is, however, another theory that occasionally captures people’s imagination. Some enthusiasts have proposed that García may ultimately relate to the Basque word “hartza,” meaning “bear.”

Now, before anyone starts printing family crests featuring grizzly bears, it’s worth noting that this idea remains speculative and is not the mainstream academic position. The principal challenge is linguistic: scholars have yet to demonstrate a convincing historical sound change linking “hartza” directly to “Gartzia” or García.

Even so, the hypothesis isn’t entirely without charm. Across Europe, bears symbolised courage, leadership, protection and strength. Names derived from bears appear in many cultures, from the Scandinavian Björn to the German Bernard and the Celtic associations surrounding Arthur. Ancient Basque society also held the bear in considerable cultural and folkloric importance, making the concept of a bear-inspired personal name at least culturally plausible.

Whether or not the theory proves correct, it reminds us that surnames often preserve fragments of forgotten worlds. Behind a simple word passed from generation to generation may lie ancient beliefs, tribal identities or descriptions that made perfect sense a millennium ago.

Today, García is the most common surname in Spain and one of the most widespread across Latin America, carried by millions of people. Yet despite its popularity, its deepest origins remain partly hidden, quietly reminding us that history doesn’t always hand over all its secrets.

Sometimes the oldest names are also the most mysterious. Rather fitting, really. If every mystery had an easy answer, historians would have to find another hobby.

Sources list

Real Academia de la Historia — https://dbe.rah.es/
Diccionario de Apellidos Españoles (Roberto Faure, María Asunción Ribes & Antonio García) — https://www.casadellibro.com/libro-diccionario-de-apellidos-espanoles/9788467018496
Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language) — https://www.euskaltzaindia.eus/
Encyclopaedia Britannica (Basque people) — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Basque
Thisclaimer — https://thisclaimer.com

The Basques: Europe’s Ancient Survivors Who Refused to Disappear

Dear Cherubs, if Europe were a family reunion, the Basques would be that mysterious relative who turns up speaking a language nobody else understands—and somehow has the oldest stories in the room. While empires came and went like fashion trends, the Basques simply carried on, quietly proving that survival is sometimes history’s greatest flex.

AN ANCIENT PEOPLE

The Basques are widely regarded as one of Europe’s oldest continuous cultural communities. While modern genetics shows they are not a completely isolated or “pure” people—a myth long abandoned by historians—they do preserve remarkable continuity with populations living in the western Pyrenees since prehistoric times. According to recent archaeological and genetic research, the region has been inhabited for thousands of years, with cultural continuity stretching back to the Neolithic, even as populations mixed over time.

Their language, Euskara, is the real headline act. Unlike Spanish, French, English, or almost every other European language, it belongs to no known language family. Linguists classify it as a language isolate, meaning no proven relationship has been established with any living language. That’s not just unusual—it is spectacularly rare.

For decades, the oldest known written Basque dated from Roman times. Then archaeologists uncovered the Hand of Irulegi in Navarre, a bronze artifact from around the 1st century BC bearing a Proto-Basque inscription. According to researchers, it pushed written Basque back several centuries and confirmed that the language was already established before full Romanization. It was archaeology’s version of finding an old hard drive that still boots.

EMPIRES CAME, BASQUES STAYED

The Romans conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula but never completely erased Basque identity. Instead, local communities gradually adopted aspects of Roman life while retaining their language in many mountainous regions. Later came the Visigoths, Muslim expansion into Iberia, Frankish influence, and the rise of the medieval Kingdom of Navarre. Through every political shift, Euskara survived where many other ancient European languages disappeared.

By the Middle Ages, Basque sailors were among Europe’s finest navigators. Historical records show they hunted whales in the Bay of Biscay and reached the rich cod fisheries off Newfoundland before many better-known maritime powers. They were quietly building an international reputation long before branding consultants existed.

The modern era brought fresh challenges. Following the Carlist Wars in the nineteenth century, traditional Basque self-government was significantly reduced. During Francisco Franco’s dictatorship (1939–1975), public use of Euskara was heavily restricted in Spain, and many cultural expressions were suppressed. Ironically, those policies strengthened local determination to preserve the language.

After Spain’s transition to democracy, Euskara experienced a remarkable revival. Today it is an official language in the Basque Autonomous Community and enjoys varying degrees of recognition elsewhere. Schools, universities, media outlets, and technology companies actively promote its use, although UNESCO continues to classify some Basque dialects as vulnerable.

The Basques are not “Europe’s original bloodline” in any literal biological sense. Modern populations everywhere are products of thousands of years of migration and intermarriage. What makes the Basques extraordinary is something arguably more impressive: they have maintained a unique language and cultural identity while adapting to every major political transformation Europe has experienced.

History often celebrates conquerors. The Basques remind us that sometimes the greatest achievement is simply refusing to vanish.

Sources:
Thisclaimer — https://thisclaimer.com
Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language) — https://www.euskaltzaindia.eus
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Basque — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Basque
National Geographic — https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/hand-irulegi-oldest-written-basque-language
UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages — https://en.wal.unesco.org/
Aranzadi Science Society — https://www.aranzadi.eus

The Basques: Europe’s Ancient Survivors Who Refused to Disappear

Dear Cherubs, if Europe were a family reunion, the Basques would be that mysterious relative who turns up speaking a language nobody else understands—and somehow has the oldest stories in the room. While empires came and went like fashion trends, the Basques simply carried on, quietly proving that survival is sometimes history’s greatest flex.

AN ANCIENT PEOPLE

The Basques are widely regarded as one of Europe’s oldest continuous cultural communities. While modern genetics shows they are not a completely isolated or “pure” people—a myth long abandoned by historians—they do preserve remarkable continuity with populations living in the western Pyrenees since prehistoric times. According to recent archaeological and genetic research, the region has been inhabited for thousands of years, with cultural continuity stretching back to the Neolithic, even as populations mixed over time.

Their language, Euskara, is the real headline act. Unlike Spanish, French, English, or almost every other European language, it belongs to no known language family. Linguists classify it as a language isolate, meaning no proven relationship has been established with any living language. That’s not just unusual—it is spectacularly rare.

For decades, the oldest known written Basque dated from Roman times. Then archaeologists uncovered the Hand of Irulegi in Navarre, a bronze artifact from around the 1st century BC bearing a Proto-Basque inscription. According to researchers, it pushed written Basque back several centuries and confirmed that the language was already established before full Romanization. It was archaeology’s version of finding an old hard drive that still boots.

EMPIRES CAME, BASQUES STAYED

The Romans conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula but never completely erased Basque identity. Instead, local communities gradually adopted aspects of Roman life while retaining their language in many mountainous regions. Later came the Visigoths, Muslim expansion into Iberia, Frankish influence, and the rise of the medieval Kingdom of Navarre. Through every political shift, Euskara survived where many other ancient European languages disappeared.

By the Middle Ages, Basque sailors were among Europe’s finest navigators. Historical records show they hunted whales in the Bay of Biscay and reached the rich cod fisheries off Newfoundland before many better-known maritime powers. They were quietly building an international reputation long before branding consultants existed.

The modern era brought fresh challenges. Following the Carlist Wars in the nineteenth century, traditional Basque self-government was significantly reduced. During Francisco Franco’s dictatorship (1939–1975), public use of Euskara was heavily restricted in Spain, and many cultural expressions were suppressed. Ironically, those policies strengthened local determination to preserve the language.

After Spain’s transition to democracy, Euskara experienced a remarkable revival. Today it is an official language in the Basque Autonomous Community and enjoys varying degrees of recognition elsewhere. Schools, universities, media outlets, and technology companies actively promote its use, although UNESCO continues to classify some Basque dialects as vulnerable.

The Basques are not “Europe’s original bloodline” in any literal biological sense. Modern populations everywhere are products of thousands of years of migration and intermarriage. What makes the Basques extraordinary is something arguably more impressive: they have maintained a unique language and cultural identity while adapting to every major political transformation Europe has experienced.

History often celebrates conquerors. The Basques remind us that sometimes the greatest achievement is simply refusing to vanish.

Sources:
Thisclaimer — https://thisclaimer.com
Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language) — https://www.euskaltzaindia.eus
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Basque — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Basque
National Geographic — https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/hand-irulegi-oldest-written-basque-language
UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages — https://en.wal.unesco.org/
Aranzadi Science Society — https://www.aranzadi.eus

English language as a poor choice for training language models [*you don't say!*]. David Eichler proposes Basque, a language with very explicit consistency rules in its sentence structure that double as constraints for correctness.

"The hypothesis predicts the Basque-first model will show superior performance on tasks that require robust predicate-argument reasoning, independent of surface language fluency."

"We propose treating English — and any other natural language — as a last-mile rendering layer. [...] Lossy, human-readable projections of representations built on the substrate beneath them."

From: "Curriculum Order and the Geometry of Learned Representations: The Basque First Hypothesis", Eichler 2026.
https://zenodo.org/records/21396981

Expects a flywheel (positive feedback loop) rather than model collapse upon using the output of such model as input:

"Models trained on this substrate should generate outputs that are structurally different from the outputs of current models. When asked to produce arguments, we predict they will produce arguments with explicit logical structure. When asked to prove theorems, proofs with traceable inference chains. [...] These outputs — the proofs, the structured arguments, the logical derivations — are *training data.* [...] Reasoning quality compounds."

Quite the claims in this paper. Also:

"We are making a case for a research direction, not announcing results. The results do not exist yet."

#LLMs #LanguageModels #Basque #euskera

English language as a poor choice for training language models [*you don't say!*]. David Eichler proposes Basque, a language with very explicit consistency rules in its sentence structure that double as constraints for correctness.

"The hypothesis predicts the Basque-first model will show superior performance on tasks that require robust predicate-argument reasoning, independent of surface language fluency."

"We propose treating English — and any other natural language — as a last-mile rendering layer. [...] Lossy, human-readable projections of representations built on the substrate beneath them."

From: "Curriculum Order and the Geometry of Learned Representations: The Basque First Hypothesis", Eichler 2026.
https://zenodo.org/records/21396981

Expects a flywheel (positive feedback loop) rather than model collapse upon using the output of such model as input:

"Models trained on this substrate should generate outputs that are structurally different from the outputs of current models. When asked to produce arguments, we predict they will produce arguments with explicit logical structure. When asked to prove theorems, proofs with traceable inference chains. [...] These outputs — the proofs, the structured arguments, the logical derivations — are *training data.* [...] Reasoning quality compounds."

Quite the claims in this paper. Also:

"We are making a case for a research direction, not announcing results. The results do not exist yet."

#LLMs #LanguageModels #Basque #euskera

Pilo bat gustatu zait hau 🖤🖤🖤

#books #libros #bookstodon #literatura #literature #euskera #basque #poetry #poesia

Pilo bat gustatu zait hau 🖤🖤🖤

#books #libros #bookstodon #literatura #literature #euskera #basque #poetry #poesia

Notre blogue présente des gestes écocitoyens et des technologies vertes, dans le domaine du logement, du jardinage, du transport et de l'énergie, du textile et de la mode, l'agriculture et l'alimentation, la santé et du bien-être, la finance responsable, ainsi que des références de livres

Plus: https://www.revolutionverte.fr

#Avignon #Tournai #Tourcoing #Grèce #Grec #Athènes #Annecy #Limoges #Limousin #Bayonne #Biarritz #Catalogne #Basque #Lacanau #Arcachon #Paris #Cergy #Sarcelles #Villejuif #Nice

The story of the replica #Basque ship from the 1500s is amazing. It was located in Labrador 🍁, after a researcher found the original contract from the 1560s.

There's also a great perspective from the Innu people of the region.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/step-aboard-the-only-replica-of-a-16th-century-spanish-galleon-thanks-to-an-extraordinary-gift-from-canada-9.7246017

The story of the replica #Basque ship from the 1500s is amazing. It was located in Labrador 🍁, after a researcher found the original contract from the 1560s.

There's also a great perspective from the Innu people of the region.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/step-aboard-the-only-replica-of-a-16th-century-spanish-galleon-thanks-to-an-extraordinary-gift-from-canada-9.7246017

Mutilva Alta (in #Spanish) or Mutiloagoiti (in #Basque) is a town south of #Pamplona in #Navarre, #Spain. It belongs to the municipality of #Aranguren.

#dub #soundsystem #languesregionales
Pensé comme un dialogue entre territoires, générations et langues minorisées, À travers les ponts - le nouvel album de #dubamix - fait résonner l’#occitan (du languedocien au #provençal en passant par le #gascon et le #limousin) avec le #catalan, le #breton, le #basque, le #creole, l’#esperanto ou encore le #yiddish en compagnie d’invités d’horizons multiples. Il construit des ponts entre cultures populaires locales et horizons internationalistes, faisant dialoguer langues minorisées, héritages traditionnels et musiques électroniques contemporaines à rebours de tout enfermement identitaire.
https://www.dubamix.net/info-actu/27-06-nouvel-album-a-travers-les-ponts/

Right now, #Mendelssohn #Basque songs, des Prez and improvisations from #Cologne https://www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/mendelssohn_basque_songs_des_prez_and_improvisations_from_cologne/92701/ #wch

Right now, #Mendelssohn #Basque songs, des Prez and improvisations from #Cologne https://www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/mendelssohn_basque_songs_des_prez_and_improvisations_from_cologne/92701/ #wch

In 15 minutes, #Mendelssohn #Basque songs, des Prez and improvisations from #Cologne https://www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/mendelssohn_basque_songs_des_prez_and_improvisations_from_cologne/92701/ #wch

In 15 minutes, #Mendelssohn #Basque songs, des Prez and improvisations from #Cologne https://www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/mendelssohn_basque_songs_des_prez_and_improvisations_from_cologne/92701/ #wch

Musicas secretas y vandalismo pop

Yesterday, Schubert’s “An die Musik” was performed at Chemnitz City Hall, accompanied by a full orchestra and a mezzo-soprano. A declaration of love. The Capital of Culture has triggered just one thing among the colonial and provincial officials – hatred of beauty. Even high culture is now to be curtailed, whilst officials and functionaries increase their salaries and pensions.

Now it would be nice (and I can almost hear it already) if this were just a provincial farce. But it’s the agenda. Germany has fallen prey to malicious stupidity – indeed, the whole world has.

All the better, then, that the underground and music exist. Also yesterday, a parcel I’d been eagerly awaiting arrived, containing a book given to me by the Spanish anarchists. Above all, a true friend from the Basque Country, Iñigo, put me in touch with “Agente Provocador” in Madrid. Of course, it’s not a gift; we’re swapping art for art. As soon as my screen-printing setup is up and running again, “I hate people” T-shirts will be printed. For EVERYONE!

The book with the lovely title “Brutalismos” is about youth, music and subcultures from all over the world. Rebellious youths, rockers, punks and teddy boys. Czech beatniks, Japanese biker gangs, Scottish skinheads and, of course, Spanish anarchists. Self-empowerment without the state and without officials.

Because one thing we’ve learnt is this: whether East or West, nothing good comes of it, for only the courage to use our own minds will save us. That’s why: Down with the traitors – no love for the state.
And music is one of our strongest allies.

Du holde Kunst, in wie viel grauen Stunden, Wo mich des Lebens wilder Kreis umstrickt,
Hast du mein Herz zu warmer Lieb’ entzündet, Hast mich in eine bessere Welt entrückt!

https://word.undead-network.de/2026/06/12/musicas-secretas-y-vandalismo-pop-2/
#anarchsit #anarchy #art #basque #music #punk #rocker #skins #spain #underground

Today, #Mendelssohn #Basque songs, des Prez and improvisations from #Cologne https://www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/mendelssohn_basque_songs_des_prez_and_improvisations_from_cologne/92701/ #wch

Today, #Mendelssohn #Basque songs, des Prez and improvisations from #Cologne https://www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/mendelssohn_basque_songs_des_prez_and_improvisations_from_cologne/92701/ #wch

#PhotoMai2026 #PhotoMay2026 jour 27 : thème « écriture ».

Ici à Ognate au Pays Basque en 2024.

#PaysBasque #PaisVasco #Basque #Euskadi

The Ertzaintza known for brutal policing; Its agents have established links, through training, with the Israeli police and are equipped with Israeli #surveillance technology.

On Sunday, May 24, a large #Palestine #solidarity demonstration brought together people in #Bilbao to denounce police violence against the #flotilla activists.

https://freedomnews.org.uk/2026/05/25/basque-police-brutalise-returning-sumud-flotilla-activists/

ContreAttaque report)
https://contre-attaque.net/2026/05/25/pays-basque-la-police-tabasse-des-membres-de-la-flottille/

https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/7048

#Basque #Gaza #SumudFlotilla #Surveillance

The Ertzaintza known for brutal policing; Its agents have established links, through training, with the Israeli police and are equipped with Israeli #surveillance technology.

On Sunday, May 24, a large #Palestine #solidarity demonstration brought together people in #Bilbao to denounce police violence against the #flotilla activists.

https://freedomnews.org.uk/2026/05/25/basque-police-brutalise-returning-sumud-flotilla-activists/

ContreAttaque report)
https://contre-attaque.net/2026/05/25/pays-basque-la-police-tabasse-des-membres-de-la-flottille/

https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/7048

#Basque #Gaza #SumudFlotilla #Surveillance

@danmccullough Well, in #Basque country and particularly in #Bilbao, we use to throw rocks like this with wave... , specially to touristic cruises :ablobcatwobpatted:

@danmccullough Well, in #Basque country and particularly in #Bilbao, we use to throw rocks like this with wave... , specially to touristic cruises :ablobcatwobpatted:

⭕Des milliers de personnes à #Bilbao contre la police #Basque qui a tapé sur les militants de la #Flottille à leur retour #d’Israël.

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2cte4wipyk47qjujtxrskqcx/post/3mmm3772vdc2c

⭕Manif à #Bilbao en soutien aux militants de la #Flottille frappés par la police #Basque à leur arrivée à l’aéroport

⭕Manif à #Bilbao en soutien aux militants de la #Flottille frappés par la police #Basque à leur arrivée à l’aéroport

Unbelievable footage. #Basque police brutalize the #flotilla activists upon arrival. Hitting them on the head while they're being dragged away.

This is the price for having courage and a heart in a continent full of cowards.

Better not fight the murder that Europe wants.

@johansolo https://mstdn.social/@johansolo/116624287314723595

Unbelievable footage. #Basque police brutalize the #flotilla activists upon arrival. Hitting them on the head while they're being dragged away.

This is the price for having courage and a heart in a continent full of cowards.

Better not fight the murder that Europe wants.

@johansolo https://mstdn.social/@johansolo/116624287314723595

La policía vasca golpeó a los sobrevivientes de la tortura de la Flotilla Global de Sumud en España (Ahmed Eldin, 2026-05-23)

Ahmedeldin.substack.com/p/span...

#Ertzaintza #Basque #GlobalSumudFlotilla #BreakTheSiege #Gaza #palestine #StopIsraelNow

@[email protected] @[email protected]

https://ahmedeldin.substack.com/p/spanish-police-beat-global-sumud

La policía vasca golpeó a los sobrevivientes de la tortura de la Flotilla Global de Sumud en España (Ahmed Eldin, 2026-05-23)

Ahmedeldin.substack.com/p/span...

#Ertzaintza #Basque #GlobalSumudFlotilla #BreakTheSiege #Gaza #palestine #StopIsraelNow

@[email protected] @[email protected]

https://ahmedeldin.substack.com/p/spanish-police-beat-global-sumud

⭕La police #Basque a tapé sur les militants de la #Flottille à leur arrivée à l’aéroport de #Bilbao.

⭕La police #Basque a tapé sur les militants de la #Flottille à leur arrivée à l’aéroport de #Bilbao.