Carving runes into combs and stones is basically the same as spraying tags on subway cars and bicycle tunnels. Those who create runes or graffiti are called writers. More precisely, rune writers and graffiti writers. The word graffiti stems from the Italian word graffio, which means ‘scratch’ and invented in the context of the PompeiiContinue reading “Scratching Runes Was Not Much Different From Spraying Tags”
Category Archives: language
A Severe Case of Inattentional Blindness; the Frisian Tribe’s Name
The name Frisii for the people who lived along the southern coast of the North Sea is ancient — very ancient. It dates back to Late Antiquity. Today, we call them Frisians. Roman and Greek historians, as well as bureaucrats, recorded the tribe’s name nearly two millennia ago. Because of this, modern Frisians carry oneContinue reading “A Severe Case of Inattentional Blindness; the Frisian Tribe’s Name”
10 Words to Travel 1,500 Years and Miles Across the Frisian Shores
Are these white letters on the wall encrypted gibberish to you? By learning a handful of keywords, you’ll have deciphered them in no time. Even better, tens of thousands of town names will hold no secrets for you any longer. Each placename will reveal its unique story to you. You will make a great impressionContinue reading “10 Words to Travel 1,500 Years and Miles Across the Frisian Shores”
Our Civilization — It All Began With Piracy
The arrival of the Romans in north-western Europe at the beginning of the Common Era, with the River Rhine as their northern frontier, marked the starting point for five centuries of widespread piracy. These raids affected not only the coasts of Britannia and northern Gaul but rippled as far as the Mediterranean and the BlackContinue reading “Our Civilization — It All Began With Piracy”
The United Frisian Emirates and Black Peat. How Holland Became Dutch
In this blog post, we will argue that the Frisian lands might just as well be called the United Frisian Emirates. Granted, there are a few superficial differences with the modern United Arab Emirates. The Emiratis have camels and goats; the Frisians have cows and sheep. Their climate is hot and dry; the Frisians’ isContinue reading “The United Frisian Emirates and Black Peat. How Holland Became Dutch”
Have a Frisians’ Cocktail! A Rich Composition
With the upcoming seasonal festivities at the end of the year, it is appropriate to serve you a flavourful cocktail. It is a cocktail from the list ‘Myths of Nations’, namely the Frisians’ Cocktail. Its recipe is not as old as some people thought it was, or would like it to be, but it isContinue reading “Have a Frisians’ Cocktail! A Rich Composition”
Weladu the Flying Blacksmith. Tracing the Origin of Wayland
Master blacksmith Wayland is well known from Germanic mythology. According to legend, he was imprisoned on a small island at sea but escaped using wings of his own making. Saxons, Anglo-Saxons, Norwegians, Icelanders, Goths — in fact nearly all early Germanic peoples — preserved stories or artifacts relating to Wayland. Even the Franks did. AllContinue reading “Weladu the Flying Blacksmith. Tracing the Origin of Wayland”
Grassland Conversation. Where Less Is More
Being out on the grasslands may bring you face to face with farmers, fellow wanderers, or — of course — ‘birdwatchers’; see the note at the end of this blog post. Encounters with these countryside folk unfold in slow motion, and follow a sequence of clearly defined phases. Out here, less is more — justContinue reading “Grassland Conversation. Where Less Is More”
Burn Beacon Burn. A Coastal Inferno – Nordfriesland
Nordfriesland or North Frisia. The western coast and islands of the region of Schleswig. Stretching from the Danish town Tønder in the north to the River Eider in the south, it is a broad strip of land by the sea, together with fifteen islands and Hallig-islands in front of it. It is here where aContinue reading “Burn Beacon Burn. A Coastal Inferno – Nordfriesland”
Support for the Corsican Cause in Jeopardy — Hiking the GR20
September 2018, one of the bastards hiked the Grande Randonnée 20 in Corsica. Or, as the French say, la GR-vingt. The GR20 is considered Europe’s toughest long-distance trail. And one of the most dangerous, as it turned out. The bastard wanted to experience the similarities of hiking trails that cover territories of Europe’s autochthonous minorities.Continue reading “Support for the Corsican Cause in Jeopardy — Hiking the GR20”
Frisia Coast Trail 