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List of Basque mythological figures

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The following is a list of gods, goddesses and many other divine and semi-divine figures and creatures from ancient Basque mythology.

Deities

  • Aide: a minor goddess of wind and air.
  • Eate: a storm god sometimes associated with fire and ice.
  • Egoi: a minor wind deity.
  • Eki: the solar deity, the daughter of Lurbira.
  • Ilargi or Ile are the known names of the Moon, also a daughter of Ama Lur.
  • Inguma: god of nightmares
  • Mari: a mother goddess and wife of the deity Sugaar.
  • Orko: a thunder god.
  • Sugaar: a male god associated with storms and thunder, and the husband of Mari.

Spirits and other figures

Basajaun, the wild man of the woods
Tartalo, the Basque cyclops
  • Aatxe: or Etsai is a cave-dwelling evil spirit who adopts the form of a young red bull, or a young man.
  • Akerbeltz: a demonic spirit in the form of a goat.
  • Basajaun: the wild man of the woods. His female counterpart is called basandere.
  • Gaueko: an evil spirit that comes out at night.
  • Herensuge: a dragon who plays an important role in a few legends.
  • Iratxoak: Basque imps, which can be helpful or mischievous depending on how well one treats them
  • Jean de l'Ours: a man born to a woman and a bear
  • Jentilak: a race of giants, sometimes portrayed throwing rocks at churches.
  • Lamiak or laminak: a type of nymph with bird-feet that dwelt in rivers and springs.
  • Mairuak or Intxisuak: the male equivalent of lamiak in the Pyrenean region, where they are said to have built up the cromlechs.
  • Odei: a nature spirit who personifies storm clouds.
  • Olentzero: a jentil, the Basque equivalent of Santa Claus.
  • San Martin Txiki: a popular local Christian character, is a trickster.
  • Sorginak: handmaidens and assistance of the goddess Mari. The word sorginak is also used to as a term to describe witches.
  • Tartalo: the Basque version of the Greco-Roman Cyclops.

References