Urtzi

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Urtzi, Ortzi, Ost and similar forms are the old Basque words for "sky". Currently the Latinate zeru (from caelum) is used and Urtzi is used as a person name or in compounds like osteguna ("Thursday" and oskorri ("day break", literally "red sky").

The medieval pilgrim Aymericus Picaudus notes that the Basque word for the Christian God is Urcia^[1].

In the mythology of the ancient Basques and Iberians ^{[dubious — see talk page]}, Ostri was the god of the sky. The term "Ostri" was also used to refer to the heaven of ancient Iberian religion. When the Basques became Christianized, Ostri was associated with the Christian God. Ostri is represented symbolically by the lauburu ("four heads")^{[dubious — see talk page]}, a swastika like pictogram. He was known by various names among different Iberian tribes, including Ost, Ortz, Ortzi, Ortze, Urci and Urtzi. Certain minor spirits of Basque mythology are also referred to as "Ostri".

[edit] Sources

• Encyclopedia Mythica

1. ^ Codex Calixtinus cited by Koldo Mitxelena, Textos Arcaicos Vascos, Madrid, 1960, page 49.