“We ask whoever uses the Hand of Irulegi image to donate some of their benefits to archeology or the valley itself”

What does the discovery of Irulegi’s Hand mean for Aranzadi?

–For the Aranzadi Scientific Society, this discovery marks a milestone in its 75-year history. There are dozens and dozens of prehistoric, medieval and Roman sites currently being explored. We have historical landmarks such as the discovery of Ekain caves, Urdax paintings, Iron Age towns, dolmens, the oldest human skeleton remains in Arrasate… But in terms of the archeology of the manuscript, this is an exceptional milestone. We have never gone this far back in written testimonies. We are a country on the periphery of Europe and we envy the written tradition of cultures such as Greek or Roman. Therefore, this little testimony is very important to us. It speaks of the linguistic reality that exists in the heart of the Basque region, the Pamplona Basin. It is also concerned with an intangible heritage of belief, language and human life.

The piece shows that Basque has been spoken in Navarra for 2,100 years and the Basques are illiterate.

–Yes. The Hand of Irulegi excites us because it tells us about our linguistic origins. So we’ll need more excavations to be introduced during this century to uncover documents like these that help us learn about the origins of the Basque language. Navarrese archeology has improved a lot in recent years because many young teams have joined and in addition to intervention archeology, research archeology conducted on this model of university students and communities in auzolan has greatly increased.

Do you plan to get more corporate support from now on?

–Considering the societal impact of this discovery, I invite public institutions to give more support to archeology research teams. Heritage and history are very important to Navarra because they reinforce its identity and are one of our resources for cultural and natural entertainment. The further we advance in the knowledge of our past, the richer and more prosperous we will become a society.

How about the commercial exploitation of the already iconic Hand of Irulegi?

We are utterly impressed with the impact that the reproduction of –El, and even the name Irulegi, has had among citizens. As Aranzadi Science Society, we have always gone hand in hand with our Aranguren Valley Mayor. What both institutions want from those who graphically use or draw inspiration from Hand of Irulegi is that at least some of its benefits have an impact on the preservation of valley heritage and the advancement of archaeological research. We have been working in Auzolan for many years and both the City Council and Aranzadi public service organizations are at the service of the citizens. Those companies and individual startups that appreciate and use this discovery need to give some thought to where it all came from.

Who owns the Hand of Irulegi and where will it stay?

–In just a few hours, the Hand of Irulegi has become the legacy of Navarre and all its citizens. It is a free inheritance for pleasure, as everyone knows. The Hand of Irulegi has become a trending topic and is featured in the international press as something extraordinary in the archaeological world. At that time, the Hand of Irulegi, like all archaeological remains, is the property of the Government of Navarra, and it will decide where to stay. Often these magnificent works are exhibited in the Museum of Navarra.

Worried that the visitor area might be overcrowded?

–At Aranzadi we have full confidence in the strategy of Aranguren Valley. In these 20 years, he has shown us that he knows how to manage his natural resources in a sustainable way. He knew how to deal with a developmental urban expansion and we were confident. We are part of the valley and we know that they will take correct and fast measures.

What are the next steps to take on the Irulegi site?

–Irulegi, like other archaeological sites, needs many years of research. We only work one month a year, and archaeological research will continue to be conducted for the next few years. I am sure we will have many positive surprises in the remaining homes and other parts of the city.

How did you live these days? I think you’ll get a lot of congratulations…

–We’ve never had such a big social and media influence in Aranzadi. We were stunned by the amount of congratulations that came our way. In any case, we will continue to work on a daily basis. We have clearly defined the roadmaps for our archaeological research projects and above all we are clear that it is important that work is done to move forward in preserving the knowledge of our heritage and past. with the participation of auzolan and the communities in which this heritage resides. The formula would be: scientific methodology, auzola and local communities.