The Basques, residing in northeastern Spain and southern France, are a unique and mysterious ethnic group. They have distinctive features, with elongated faces and darker skin tones, setting them apart from their neighboring Spaniards and French. In 1981, an event marked a significant moment in Basque history when a Spanish destroyer named "Marquis of Sargadelos" was bombed by Basque nationalist guerrillas in the port of Santander, representing a part of their struggle for national self-determination.
Since the 19th century, scientists have attempted to unravel the mystery of the Basques' origins. Some believe they may be descendants of ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, or other peoples, while others have even suggested they could be survivors of the lost civilization of Atlantis. The Basque language is unique and complex, not belonging to the Indo-European family, which has puzzled linguists. Some have even speculated that Basque might be the language of God due to its difficulty.
There are numerous dialects of the Basque language, with eight officially recognized and as many as 25 sub-dialects. This makes learning Basque quite challenging. It is said that a sorcerer moved to the Basque region and lived there for seven years, yet could only manage to learn the words for "yes" and "no." In the early 19th century, archaeologists discovered a skull of a Caucasian type in the Basque region, but this finding soon vanished. In 1860, French archaeologist Dr. Broca found another skull of an ancient European type in the Basque area, which showed significant differences from modern Basques.
Archaeological research in 1918 indicated that the Basques had been living in this region since the Upper Paleolithic period. In 1936, two Upper Paleolithic human skulls were discovered in the Urtiaga cave, further proving that the Basques are descendants of the indigenous people of the area. Despite this, records of Basque history remain scarce, and discussions about their language and history continue.
