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Is the Irulegi hand inscription in an ancestor of Basque?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Is Iberian related to Basque?·3 answers·0·0 following
Three answers, none aheadNone is ahead yet. See what would settle it.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible.

Why it matters

If it is, it shows a Vasconic language written in Palaeohispanic script next to Iberian territory, which changes the frame for comparing the two⁠[1].

Answers 3

None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Disputed
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Manterola & Mounole puts forward: the language of the Irulegi text cannot be identified from so short a text.
  2. Manterola & Mounole: a comparative-method test of the key cognate found the evidence inconclusive.Against: The inscription is Vasconic and its first word is cognate with Basque zorion, "good fortune".
  3. Aiestaran et al. puts forward: the inscription is Vasconic and its first word is cognate with Basque zorion, "good fortune".
  4. Aiestaran et al.: the editors read the script as a Vasconic subsystem and the text as apotropaic.For: The inscription is Vasconic and its first word is cognate with Basque zorion, "good fortune".
  5. Asked on this site
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