Brotherhood collections

Brotherhoods, or cofradías, were the first social organisations. Townspeople and villagers became associated, establishing social rules and providing aid for the needy, and this was usually connected to a hermitage. They are documented since the 16 th century.

In recent years, about 450 pieces of antique pottery from different Basque Country brotherhoods have been collected. They were used to contain the food with which the members celebrated their festivities. They are items of great beauty, more ornamental than usual because they were for what was considered to be a superior use