There are theories suggesting that the tribal name ‘Frisians’ originates from the Old Frisian word frisle, meaning ‘lock of hair’ — a term that may itself derive from Latin (Van Renswoude 2012). Compare, for instance, the French verb friser, meaning ‘to curl’. While this etymology is incorrect — the true origin relates more to haulingContinue reading “Comb as You Are, as You Were”
Tag Archives: fashion & lifestyle
Odin’s Ravens Ruled the Southern Shores. Not the Hammer of Thor
When re-enactors bring early-medieval Frisia to life, they are often seen wearing a small iron hammer on a leather cord around their neck — symbolizing Mjölnir, the mighty weapon of the Norse god Thor. We regret to inform them that Mjölnir was not at all fashionable along the southern shores of the North Sea —Continue reading “Odin’s Ravens Ruled the Southern Shores. Not the Hammer of Thor”
A Collection of Frisian Forenames of the First Millennium
Despite the fact that some Frisian forenames still find their way into modern name-giving, like Bente, Dirk, Doutzen, Eske, Femke/Famke, Fenna, Finn, Froukje, Gemma, Hauk, Hiske, Jildou, Jitske, Sjoerd, Tammo, Treintje, Ubbo, etc., on the whole, authentic Frisian names are losing ground. It is a shame because the name-giving culture of Frisia is actually extremelyContinue reading “A Collection of Frisian Forenames of the First Millennium”
Ornament of the Gods Found in a Pile of Clay. The Brísingamen of Wijnaldum
In the year 516, King Hygelac of the Geats, a tribe in — probably — the southeast of Sweden, raided Frisia. Back then, this part of the Netherlands was an impenetrable land with big rivers, little streams, swamps, peat bogs, and damp forests covered with moss and mould. Hygelac’s expedition into Frisia was less fortunate,Continue reading “Ornament of the Gods Found in a Pile of Clay. The Brísingamen of Wijnaldum”
Haute Couture From the Salt Marshes
It was not the city of Parisius (‘Paris’). Nor that of Londinium (‘London’). Believe it or not, the early-medieval center for expensive cloth and chic clothing in the northwest of Europe was the muddy Wadden Sea coast. Here the highly sought-after pallia Fresonica (‘Frisian cloth’) was fabricated and distributed to the wider world. It possessedContinue reading “Haute Couture From the Salt Marshes”
Boots Made for Walkin’
Besides Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 recommendation in her song; what kind of boots would we recommend to hike the Frisia Coast Trail? The combination of a flat and often hard surface will take its toll when walking the trail. In this blog post, we discuss what kind of footwear is (not) suitable. It is important toContinue reading “Boots Made for Walkin’”
Terrorist Fighters from the Wadden Sea. The Era of the Crusades
When it comes to the deradicalization of foreign terrorist fighters in modern Western societies, the Frisians — meaning here the present-day regions of Ostfriesland and Land Wursten in Germany, and the provinces of Friesland and Groningen in the Netherlands — have neither a strong track record nor notable expertise to offer. Their only meaningful contributionContinue reading “Terrorist Fighters from the Wadden Sea. The Era of the Crusades”
Frisia Coast Trail 