Gwersiou Breiz-Izel

Gwersiou Breiz-Izel is a collection of ballads from Lower Brittany, published in two volumes between 1868 and 1874 by François Luzel. This collection is a significant part of Breton literature and folklore.

The gwersiou are narrative ballads written in the Breton language. They typically describe local events, historical occurrences, legends, and folklore. These ballads were a major form of folk poetry in Brittany. Luzel's collection was one of the first authenticated compilations of these traditional songs, contributing to a revival of interest in Breton culture at a time when the French government was attempting to suppress regional languages. The publication of Gwersiou Breiz-Izel followed Luzel's work in authenticating folk songs, partly inspired by the earlier, though debated, collection Barzaz Breiz.123