Euskeraren Jatorria Elkartea association has launched a new initiative to disseminate information on the Iruña-Veleia subject throughout the world: the international bulletin. This first issue will be sent to 3,000 archaeologists and other persons involved in the study and protection of the cultural heritage, and we expect to reach more people in the following issues of this bulletin, which will be published three times a year.

Introduction

Euskeraren Jatorria Association is issuing a three-monthly bulletin for worldwide information on Iruña-Veleia, an archaeological site at Alava (Basqueland). This association was founded to disseminate the proposals on the origin of Basque, possibly the oldest language in Europe.

This site is key to understand the Iron Age and the Roman period in the Basqueland. Additionally, it has provided novel data on early Christianity, ancient Basque language, and the so-called “vulgar Latin”, among other crucial information on ancient history. The graffiti found at the site include what could be the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer in Basque language and a scene of the Calvary.

What is Iruña-Veleia?

It is an archaeological site located near Vitoria, Alava, Basqueland (Northern Spain).  It was most likely the Caristian capital and later a Roman city named Veleia that had several thousand   inhabitants.

In the excavations carried out by Lurmen, an archaeological excavations company working at this site, graffiti were found which are important for knowledge of early Christian icono-graphy, ancient Basque language, etc.

Some professors at the University of the Basqueland who examined the graffiti initially considered them to be a great discovery, but they soon changed their minds, asserting that they were false. Lurmen requested that the findings be studied by an international committee of experts, that analytical tests be performed on them, and that controlled excavations be carried out, but this request was turned down. Later on, Lurmen was expelled from the site and the chief archaeologist (Eliseo Gil) was sued by the provincial authorities, accused of forging the graffiti. After 6 years, injustice goes on, since the judicial trial still has not taken place.

Some analyses performed at a Spanish institute have found some metallic remains on the surfaces, which were interpreted as proof of falsehood, failing to consider the treatments to which the graffiti had been subjected for cleaning, and without analyzing calcareous crusts which could provide data on their authenticity. The case is still under a judicial process.

Photographs

The following links lead to photographs and to all archaeological information on the graffiti.

Ostrakabase