hans faber

Walking on the Sea. Experience It! (With Care)

Mud flats are treacherous. Yes, the Wadden Sea stretching along the coasts of Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands is UNESCO protected. We support that. But when hiking the Frisia Coast Trail and you go walkabout on its flats at low tide, do so with the utmost care because UNESCO does not give you protection. “ItContinue reading “Walking on the Sea. Experience It! (With Care)”

How to Recognize the Frisians by Name?

This is one of the simplest things there is, once you’ve got the hang of it. ‘A child can do the laundry,’ they literally say in the Dutch language — which has nothing to do with current practices of child labour, by the way. Understanding the logic of Frisian personal names is essential if youContinue reading “How to Recognize the Frisians by Name?”

Notre Dame of Grou

The ‘First Lady’ of the village of Grou in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands, also named Grytsje of Grou. Archaeologists found her in January 2018, in the village of Grou at Halbertsmaplein Sq. Her grave is dated mid-eighth century. She received the title First Lady because until this find, it was not known peopleContinue reading “Notre Dame of Grou”

The True Pirates of the Caribbean

At the end of the seventeenth century, during the Nine Years’ War, the privateers commissioned by the Dutch Republic and operating from the Province of Zeeland captured booty that surpassed even that of the infamous corsairs of Dunkirk and St. Malo — amounting to some 24 million florins. These Zeeland privateers were known as theContinue reading “The True Pirates of the Caribbean”

Oldest Vessel of the World — The Pesse Canoe

The Pesse Canoe. The world’s oldest known water vessel was discovered near the village of Pesse in the Dutch province of Drenthe. Dated to between 8040 and 7510 BC, it predates even the great cradles of civilization such as Egypt and Mesopotamia. Yes, you read that correctly — feel free to go back and checkContinue reading “Oldest Vessel of the World — The Pesse Canoe”

Legend of Esonstad: One of the Many Sunken Towns

When, on a moonlit night, you stand atop the dyke at Lake Lauwersmeer and gaze out over the water, you might just catch a glimpse of the spire of the lost city of Esonstad shimmering in the distance. A drowned city — also written as Ezonstad, and known in the early seventeenth century as Esonstadium.Continue reading “Legend of Esonstad: One of the Many Sunken Towns”

How to Bury Your Mother-in-Law (Properly): Ancient Frisian Funeral Rites

Your mother-in-law lived to a respectable old age and has now, one hopes peacefully, departed this world. That, you might reasonably assume, is the end of your relationship. Old believes, however, leaves room for doubt. A late mother-in-law may still decide to linger, make her presence felt, or even haunt those she leaves behind. IfContinue reading “How to Bury Your Mother-in-Law (Properly): Ancient Frisian Funeral Rites”

The Women of Anjum, Who Make Hard Men Humble

Late in the afternoon of December 28, 2018, one of the Frisian bastards arrived in the village of Anjum after a 30-kilometre hike along the coast from the seaside town of Holwerd. It had been exactly twenty-one years since this otherwise quiet village had made national headlines: two men had been found buried in theContinue reading “The Women of Anjum, Who Make Hard Men Humble”