The Bells of the Basque
Cencerros sorter
Image | Jorge Román
As a tour guide, one of the few good things about these crazy times is having time to do some tranquil research. I’ve always been attracted to local activities in small towns—their way of living, customs, local history and curiosities. Not so long ago, I escaped for three days to the Basque Country, where I’m fascinated by how the identity of the people today is rooted in their ancient ancestors. For roughly 500 years, this region has been part Spain, and its traditions go back even farther.
One of the things I associate most strongly with the Basque Country is bells. There are many different kinds depending on their use—different sizes, sounds, materials, etc.
But, what about animals’ bells?
Yes, we’ve all seen a cow or a goat with a bell hanging from their neck, but have you ever stopped to think what the purpose is, besides locating the animals?
Indigenous blond cow from the Pyrenees
Image | Jorge Román
Let me share one particular purpose with you.
Imagine yourself as a shepherd. You are in the mountains while your trained dog is taking care of the herd. There’s always one crazy cow, goat or sheep that insists on going their own way and getting lost. The dog might have missed it, but then the shepherd notices that one of his animals is missing—these men have a sixth sense with extremely well developed sight and hearing. In the distance, by the sound of the bell alone, they are able to tell if it is their missing animal or one from another herd.
How can it be?
Easy. It’s the sound of the bells.
In Spanish the word is cencerro. There are other words for bells: campanas is used for bells that are mainly related to churches or public buildings, but cencerro is specifically used for animals’ bells.
Bells of various sizes, prices, and models
Image | Jorge Román
Imagine my fascination when I found a store in a tiny town in the Pyrenees and saw endless cencerros in different shapes, sizes and materials. I approached the lady owner and asked her the reason for such a variety. When I heard her reply, my brain just exploded!. Not only do the shapes and materials differ, but the clappers also have a lot to do with the variation in the bells.
Clappers of varying size and shape hanging from a cord
Image | Jorge Román
The materials used to make cencerros include copper, (the most commonly used), iron, or just tin. In the old times, clappers were always made from the bones of dead animals sent to be slaughtered. The shepherds used to shape them according to the size of the bell and used this or that bone to “customize” their own particular sound. Like creating a language among colleagues, with no words needed in case someone found a lost cow, goat or sheep.
A must in any shepherd’s world was the ability to “identify” the sound of their own animals from others in the distance, simply by listening. That way they could return the lost animal to the real owner. The bigger the animal, the bigger the “cencerro,” always keeping in mind that they must size the bone of the clapper to the size of the bell.
The size of the artisan’s bells certainly had a big influence in the price, especially when each cencerro came with a lifelong guarantee.
The biggest (and most expensive) cencerro I’ve ever seen
Image | Jorge Román
Nowadays, due to health reasons, it’s normal for clappers to be made of plastic or similar synthetic material. However, if some shepherd wants to maintain the tradition, they can still make it the classic way using bone, so long as they pass the relevant animal health controls within the local authorities.
It’s remarkable to me how much input the local traditions of the Basque country are imprinted in the genes of the Basque people and how hard they work to keep them going in these modern times.
It’s a language with no words, just sounds, nature, and is tradition…
My very own cencerro
Image | Jorge Román
