Ethnography

Etymologically made up of the terms Argizaia (wax) and Ola (board), the word argizaiola gives us a wooden support in the form of a board around which wax is rolled that burns in memory of the dead, highlighting the central axis of this collection: the cult of our ancestors in Euskal Herria.

Basque society has always been closely linked to its ancestors and not only spiritually but also socially and economically. This shows us the importance of these inter-generational points represented through fire, a sign of life and ownership that purifies and accompanies the dead.

Since the end of the 16th century, the argizaiola has been an element deeply rooted in Basque culture paying homage to their dead. There are over fifty items in the San Telmo Museum argizaiola collection demonstrating this exceptional spiritual wealth.