Automatically translated from Basque, translation may contain errors. More information here. Elhuyarren itzultzaile automatikoaren logoa

Another bronze hand finely

  • The Himyar Kingdom (present Yemen), II-III AD century. A man named Wahab Ta'lab left a bronze hand in a temple in the city of Zafar to ask for protection and welfare to the god Ta'lab. It was discovered in 1983 and is part of the British Museum collection. “The oldest sign in a piece representing a part of the body,” according to experts, until they find Irulegi’s hand in Navarra.
Ezkerrean, yemengo zafar aztarnategian agerturiko eskua; eskuinean, Nafarroako irulegiko burdin Aroko herrixkan aranzadik berriki aurkitu duena. antzekotasunak dituzte, baina ezberdintasunak ere bai. (Jade Koekoe - British Museum / Nafarroako Gobernua)
Zarata mediatikoz beteriko garai nahasiotan, merkatu logiketatik urrun eta irakurleengandik gertu dagoen kazetaritza beharrezkoa dela uste baduzu, ARGIA bultzatzera animatu nahi zaitugu. Geroz eta gehiago gara, jarrai dezagun txikitik eragiten.

Zafar's hand and Irulegi's hand are made of bronze. Both represent the right hand with inscription on the back and the least worked palm. In one temple, one at the door of the house, another, they had a similar function. They're similar in size, but Zafar's has more volume and weight, and more details.

The language of the inhabitants of Zafar was Himyari, but, as in other countries of southern Arabia, they used savanna writing in the texts. The sum of secret offers, legal texts and short graffiti has allowed us to reach thousands of texts written in savanna, which has allowed the experts to translate the text in full by Zafar. The sign is full of toponymy and proper name and offers a lot of information. He tells us that the hand offering was made at the place called Zafar, on the mountain of Yemen, in the temple of the god Ta’lab Riyam.

The language of the inhabitants of Zafar was Himyari, but, as in other countries of southern Arabia, they used savanna writing in texts

The owner of the hand was Wahab Ta’lab, a member of a clan that was part of an older tribe and whose god was Ta’lab. In southern Arabia, the pagan gods are then cultivated; then Judaism, Christianity and finally Islam will come.

Hand owner health indicator

Researchers conclude that Wahab Ta’lab was a senior member of the community. On the one hand, let the surname be the same name that the god represents his status and, on the other, he had to have a great economic power to pay and offer these kinds of pieces.

They believe that the bronze hand represents Wahab's own hand. And because the piece has so much detail, it also allows you to formulate hypotheses about your health.

The Himyaresa language disappeared.

When the hand surgeon Jeremy Field examined Zafar's hand, he first found that it does not represent an amputated hand; the large veins on the back indicate that there is blood circulation. Looking at the nails, he observed that they were spoon shaped, which is usually indicative of anemia. Moreover, he has come to the conclusion that he had a broken little curved finger. In a piece of this detail, these characteristics could not be random.

In the end, they were not as fortunate as we were and lost one of their principal riches. His tongue, Himyaritana, disappeared by the 10th century.

In short, in front of Irulegi’s humble hand, Zafar’s hand represents the prosperity of the Himyar Kingdom. Himyar was the principal state of Arabia until the 6th century. Founded at the same time by the hand of Irulegi, it was an important mall between Asia and the Roman Empire, enriched by the trade in incense. A few centuries before his hand he took over the Kingdom of Saba and at the time of his hand also conquered Qataban and Hadhramaut.

But in the end, they weren't as lucky as we were, and they lost one of their main riches. His tongue, Himyaritana, disappeared by the 10th century.


You are interested in the channel: Irulegiko Eskua
The hand of Irulegi, what news does Antiquity magazine bring?
A group of experts has published in the international scientific journal an article that explains the most “complete” research on the bronze piece exposed in the fortified people of the Iron Age of Irulegi. It incorporates news that we didn't know until now.

Irulegi's hand cannot be registered as a trademark
The Spanish Trademark and Patent Office has rejected the thirteen applications for trademark and/or industrial design registration, including that of the Aranzadi Society of Sciences, arguing that the discovery is not distinctive and will not be branded.

Irulegi: beyond hand, thanks to hand
Irulegi, about 2,100 years ago. After the Iron Age village was attacked and burned, it was abandoned by its inhabitants at the age of 1,100. From this last time it is the well-known hand that was published in last year’s campaign and the discovery has significantly influenced... [+]

In this campaign many unique houses and archaeological pieces have emerged in Irulegi
In the excavation area of Navarre where the hand appeared with ancient words in Basque, archaeologists have continued to work this year and have found more remains of a town in the Iron Age, a dwelling with stone stairs, which had never been found in the Western Pyrenees.

The Government of Navarra begins the process of declaring the Hand of Irulegi as a Good of Cultural Interest
The Historical Heritage Service argues that there are sufficient reasons to affirm the importance and uniqueness of the piece.

Go look for the treasure and destroy the common heritage

You might see it in mountains or rural areas, looking for underground footprints with metal detectors. They're detectors or pitchers, they bond to play for treasure. Detectorism has become fashionable and there are youtubers and television series talking about them. This activity... [+]


2023-04-02 | Joseba Azkarate
Divergent reports

I believe that in recent years two well-differentiated stories are being constructed about our history, our culture, our language, etc. On the one hand, what we could call "official line" and on the other, a line based on recent research and archaeological findings.

The discovery... [+]


Irulegi clarifies our identity

The hand of Irulegi, over 2,000 years old, is being an unprecedented incentive in the national conscience of the Basque Country. Its impact, so that the Basques feel so strong and emotionally challenged, invites us to think about what really lies behind this discovery.

This is... [+]


Iron Age
A journey through the Basque Country of protohistory
The public presentation of the hand of Irulegi has aroused in society the interest to know what the Basque Country was like over two thousand years ago. Fortunately, the archaeology of the Iron Age has a long tradition in our country, and knowing some of the sites of the time,... [+]

2022-12-16 | ARGIA
The word of the year is "congratulations", chosen by Euskaltzaindia and UZEI
Each year the two entities choose the word of the year and the word of 2022 have decided to be happy: "As for Irulegi's hand, we've chosen this word based on the media and its use on the net," they said.

Irulegi hand usage manual
Little week friends. An empty frenzy. How many passions, how many illusions, how many fever. It will be true that in the end I do not know who said – and everyone blames Lenin – that sometimes decades go by without anything happening, and that in a few days whole decades... [+]

Vascones, rewarded or punished by the Romans?
The excavations of Irulegi, in addition to a bronze sheet with inscriptions in Old Basque that has turned around the world, have already revealed many other valuable vestiges that can help us fill a void in the history of Euskal Herria that we have often filled with myths.

‘Sorioneku’ The hand of Irulegi!

Because you have fulfilled newspapers, magazines, televisions, radios and social networks ‘Sorioneku’, and all in your honor. The graffiti by Iruña Veleia was not so lucky.

He found me ‘Sorioneku’ L.M. excavator. Those of Iruña Veleia were dismissed as... [+]


Eguneraketa berriak daude