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List of Basque mythological figures

Basajaun, the wild man of the woods

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.
  • Amalur, the goddess of the earth.
  • Eate, the god of storms, sometimes associated with fire and ice.
  • Egoi, a minor wind deity, associated with the south wind.
  • Eki, the goddess of the Sun, the daughter of Amalur.
  • Ilargi, the goddess of the Moon, also a daughter of Amalur.
  • Inguma, the malevolent god of dreams and nightmares.
  • Mari, a mother goddess, and wife of the deity Sugaar.
  • Orko, the god of thunder.
  • Sugaar, the god of storms and thunder, and the husband of Mari. He is normally imagined as a dragon or serpent.

Spirits and other figures

Tartalo, the Basque cyclops
  • Aatxe, a cave-dwelling spirit who adopts the form of a young red bull, but being a shapeshifter, sometimes takes the shape of a man.
  • Akerbeltz, demonic spirit in the form of a billy goat.
  • Basajaun, the wild man of the woods.
  • Gaizkiñ, an evil spirit that causes diseases.
  • 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, giants sometimes portrayed throwing rocks at churches.
  • Lamiak, nymphs with bird feet that dwell in rivers and springs.
  • Mairuak, giants who build stone circles.
  • Odei, nature spirit of thunder and the personification of storm clouds.
  • Olentzero, a jentil, the Basque equivalent of Santa Claus.
  • San Martin Txiki, popular Christian trickster figure.
  • Sorginak, handmaidens and assistants of the goddess Mari.
  • Tartalo, the Basque equivalent of the Greco-Roman Cyclops.[1]

References

  1. ^ ikaskuntza, aunamendi.eusko. "Mythology". Auñamendi. Retrieved 8 July 2019.