Noted Basque ethnographer Jose Miguel de Barandiaran was an exceptional witness to an entire century of the history of the Basque Country. He was born in 1889 and died in 1991, just prior to his 102nd birthday, having remained active until a year before his death. An ordained priest, he dedicated most of his life to researching the past of his homeland. His research included excavating caves and dolmens as well as recording the traditional lifeways, legends, and superstitions of the Basque people. His findings were published in hundreds of articles appearing in the "Anuario de Eusko-Folklore" and other journals, as well as several monographs. This work includes an extensive introduction by the editor, Jesus Altuna, with biographical information on Barandiaran and a discussion of the selected writings from Barandiaran's books: "Mitologia vasca" ("Basque Mythology"), "El Hombre prehistorico en el Pais Vasco" ("Prehistoric Man in the Basque Country"), and "Bosquejo etnografico de Sara" ("An Ethnographic Sketch of Sara"). Also included are a number of Barandiaran's drawings, photographs, a bibliography, and an index.

Translated by: Frederick H. Fornoff, Linda White, Carys Evans-Corrales