So how does an isolated language originate? It’s a bit of a puzzle to linguists. Many believe that this language pre-dates the European conquests which is why it bears no European influences. Some have noted that the words for "knife" (aizto), "axe" (aizkora) and "hoe" (aitzur) are all derived from the word for "stone" (haitz), and have therefore concluded that the language dates to the Stone Age, when those tools were made of stone. Basque-type skulls discovered in Neolithic archaeological sites support this theory.
Although rich in oral history, the Basque language was not written until the 16th century. Rural communities have kept it alive. In fact, there are some 520,000 Basque speaking people in Spain which is a quarter of their entire population.
