Genetically, Basques aren't that different from other Spaniards
All descend from the same Stone Age migrants
WITH THEIR unique language, unrelated to all other European tongues, the continent’s oldest cave paintings, and their seafaring, gastronomic and choral traditions, the Basques have long had a strong sense of identity. Nationalist propagandists have gone further, claiming that the Basques form an ancient and superior race, the first Europeans. In some versions they descend directly from the biblical Noah.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Yes, Basques are different”
Europe April 10th 2021
From the April 10th 2021 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Europe
Meet Europe’s Gaullists, Atlanticists, denialists and Putinists
As Donald Trump returns, so do Europe’s old schisms over how to defend itself
Inside Europe, border checks are creeping back
Voters and politicians are worried about unauthorised migrants
The EU is worried about sensitive exports to competitors and foes
A lot of bureaucracy will ensue
A day of drama in the Bundestag
Friedrich Merz, Germany’s probable next chancellor, takes a huge bet and triggers uproar
Amid talk of a ceasefire, Ukraine’s front line is crumbling
An ominous defeat in the eastern town of Velyka Novosilka
The French government’s survival is now in Socialist hands
Moderates attempt to move away from the radicals