The Lauburu or Basque cross is a traditional Basque hooked cross with four comma-shaped heads. Today it is a symbol of the Basque Country and the unity of the Basque people. It is also associated with Celtic peoples, notably the Galicians and Asturians.
It can be constructed with a compass and a ruler, starting with the formation of a square template; each head can be drawn from a neighboring vertex of this template with two compass settings, with a radius half the length of the other.
1. Background
Historians and authorities have attempted to apply an allegorical meaning to the ancient symbol. Some say it means the “four heads or regions” of the Basque Country. The Lauburu does not appear on any of the seven coats of arms that have been combined in the arms of the Basque Country: Upper and Lower Navarre, Gipuzkoa, Vizcaya, Álava, Labourd, and Soule.
The Basque intellectual Imanol Muxika liked to say that the heads signify spirit, life, consciousness, and form, but it is generally used as a symbol of prosperity. After the Antonine period, Camille Jullian found no examples of hooked, round, or straight crosses in the Basque Country until modern times.
Paracelsus’ Archidoxis Magicae presents a symbol similar to the Lauburu that must be drawn to heal animals. M. Colas considers that the Lauburu is not related to the swastika, but comes from Paracelsus and marks the graves of animal healers and soul healers (i.e., priests).
Around the end of the 16th century, the Lauburu appears abundantly as a Basque decorative element on wooden chests or tombs, perhaps as another form of cross. Straight swastikas are not found until the 19th century. Many Basque houses and shops display the symbol above the door as a kind of talisman.
Sabino Arana interpreted it as a solar symbol, supporting his theory of a Basque sun cult based on erroneous etymologies, in the first issue of Euzkadi. The Lauburu has appeared on flags and emblems of various Basque political organizations, including Eusko Abertzale Ekintza (EAE-ANV).
The use of the Lauburu as a cultural icon fell into disuse under the Franco dictatorship, which repressed many elements of Basque culture.
2. Etymology
Lau buru means “four heads,” “four ends,” or “four peaks” in Basque. Some argue that it could be a popular etymology applied to the Latin labarum. However, Father Fidel Fita thought that the relationship was reversed, with the Basque word labarum being adapted under the reign of Augustus Caesar.
3. Symbolism
“The Lauburu (or four-headed cross)” is the oldest coat of arms in the Basque Country, which flew victoriously for the “Várdulo,” “Caristio,” and “Austrigon” tribes during the early part of Basque history (200 BC). Until then, the Basque emblem could have had naturalistic, religious, and philosophical meanings expressed by numerous authors.
It may also have had a cosmic, astronomical, meteorological, or anthropomorphic expression for the Basque pagans of the time. What is certain is that when Roman troops arrived in the Basque area, the Lauburu was a Basque emblem and was used at that time as a war banner to defend the territory that was being threatened by the imperial legions.
This symbol has been adopted by the Romans and the Nazis in its linear form as a sign of brute force and modern barbarism. Emperor Augustus brought the emblem of the Pyrenees to Rome as a symbol of a false triumph over the Basque troops. Emperor Constantine Christianized the symbol by identifying it with the Cross of Calvary. The Nazis misused it to promote their totalitarian party.
The Lauburu symbol has interrelated meanings:
- It symbolizes humanity, composed of four elements: Form, Life, Sensitivity, and Consciousness.
- Form: symbolizes a passive quality and serves as a container for the other three; philosophically they are called Mary, Mari, Maya, and Miriam. It is Mother Nature in solid form. Form serves as a tool.
- Life: symbolizes the force or spirit we possess, also known as Jehovah.
- Sensitivity: symbolizes Christ and, in our evolutionary state, symbolizes love and human balance. Sensitivity guides us toward the force that acts through desires, and consciousness tells the individual how to behave in order to achieve those desires or emotions.
4. Consciousness: symbolizes the Father.
The four basic human elements are related to the four scientific elements: solid, liquid, gas, and radiant. Once these two types of elements have been outlined, Imanol Mujica, a Basque intellectual, suggests that the Lauburu is a symbolic expression of these elements.
Lauburu means “four heads.” In Basque, 1 is murciélago, 2 is bi, 3 is iru, 4 is lau, and buru means “head,” hence the name LAUBURU.
- The first head symbolizes form or density.
- The second head symbolizes life or vitality
- The third head symbolizes sensitivity
- The fourth head is the state of consciousness
The Lauburu emblem is designed as a “Z” shape, outlined from top to bottom.
These two arms represent cosmic energy and are related to the two human elements: consciousness (superiority) and form (inferiority). The other outline is an “S,” outlined from bottom to top. This pattern symbolizes the evolution of energy toward its origin and is related to the other two human elements: life and sensitivity.
It symbolizes Nature in action and can be associated with the movement of the Earth around the Sun. The Earth moves around the Sun from west to east and also oscillates towards the Sun, giving rise to the four seasons. The Lauburu outlined in its positive form relates to when the Sun is in its positive form and when Nature is in full bloom.
The opposite rotation between the Earth and the Sun occurs during winter, creating reverse rotation and, in turn, Nature is inactive or resting.
If we place the Lauburu on our chest with the “Z” traced from the right side of the chest to finish the shape of the z on the left side and using the “S” as another outline from the right side of the chest to the left end, the movement imparted by the Lauburu is that of the Earth’s movement in summer (i.e., an active form) going from left to right (or from top to bottom).
The Lauburu symbolizes two aspects of energy: creation and regression to its origin. In short, it also symbolizes the movement of the earth and its influence from the sun. The Basque philosophy has always been based on understanding nature. They were aware of the role of nature and adapted their lifestyle accordingly.
Today, the Basque people have the opportunity to draw on the values of nature symbolized by their emblem.
Ilkley Moor Swastikastone (West Yorkshire, United Kingdom)
In Ilkley Moor, a place near Otley, where Lauburu languages are found, there is also a prehistoric swastika carved into a stone, dating from the Bronze or Iron Age. Although its meaning is unknown, it is related to the sun, as in many ancient civilizations.
In the Lauburu languages, it is believed that cultures have more in common than differences. The Basque Country shares with West Yorkshire its swastika and very similar traditional dances. Like these cultural links dating back to ancient times, the four heads of Lauburu represent the four elements of form, life, sensitivity, and consciousness and are related to a positive view of life.
