In 2004, archaeologists made a remarkable discovery at the early medieval burial ground of Solleveld, just south of the city of The Hague: a boat grave. It lies almost exactly two hundred kilometres in a straight line due east across the North Sea from the legendary ship burial at Sutton Hoo. With this extraordinary find,Continue reading “Rowing Souls of the Dead to Britain — The Ferryman of Solleveld”
Tag Archives: history
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”
With the White Rabbit Down the Hole. The Spread and Legacy of a Coastal DNA
R1b/Hg1/Eu18; R-M213; R-M9; R1b-M45; R-M207; R-M173; R-M343; R-L278; R-L754; R-L389/R1b1a1; R-M415; R-P297/R1b1a1a; R-M269/R1b1a1a2; R-M520; R-L23; R-M412; R-L11; R-S21/U106/M405/R1b1a1a1a2a1a1… Knock Knock… Wake up Neo… Follow the White Rabbit… | These serial numbers, arranged in chronological order, represent groups and subgroups of people who genetically share a common ancestor. Pulling on these protein strands is like tumblingContinue reading “With the White Rabbit Down the Hole. The Spread and Legacy of a Coastal DNA”
The Batwing Doors of Dorestad. A Two-Way Gateway of Trade and Power
“Is the seaport Maasvlakte the gateway to north-western Europe? No? How about Europoort? Still no? What about the Botlek port area? Or the town of Vlaardingen? No again? Surely it must be the city of Rotterdam then! Wait — neither? Alright, last guess: since you guys only talk and brag about Frisia, could it beContinue reading “The Batwing Doors of Dorestad. A Two-Way Gateway of Trade and Power”
Merciless Medieval Merchants and Slavers
The earliest evidence of Frisian merchants — or kāpmon in the Old Frisian language — engaging in the slave trade dates back to the first half of the seventh century. No less an authority than the Venerable Bede, the Father of English history, recorded this criminal activity. He described a merchant operating in the marketsContinue reading “Merciless Medieval Merchants and Slavers”
Shipwrecked People of the Salt Marshes
Tidal marshlands and Frisians, a dual entity. The Chauci and the Frisians — referred to by the Romans as Frisii or Fresones — had learned to adapt to an unprotected yet strangely hospitable salty world: a vast, treeless expanse of tidal marshlands. No rocks, no forests, scarce fresh water, and regularly flooded by a cold,Continue reading “Shipwrecked People of the Salt Marshes”
Attingahem Bridge, NY
Brooklyn. Named after the charming village of Breukelen in the Netherlands. Its original Frisian name was Attingahem. With only a twist of history, the borough of Brooklyn would have been named Attingahem today, and the Brooklyn Bridge, therefore, Attingahem Bridge. The streets of Brooklyn, the set of movies like The Warriors (’79), The French ConnectionContinue reading “Attingahem Bridge, NY”
Magnus’ Choice. The Origins of the Frisian Freedom
According to medieval legend, around the year 800, Charlemagne and Pope Leo clashed with the citizens of Rome. The Pope was attacked and forced to flee the city. It was an army of ‘naked’ Frisians, led by Magnus, that stormed back in, retaking the citadel and the Urbs Aeterna — the Eternal City. In gratitude,Continue reading “Magnus’ Choice. The Origins of the Frisian Freedom”
The Abbey of Egmond and the Rise of the Gerulfing Dynasty
The monk Ecgberht of Ripon was the driving force behind the Christianization of the defiant heathens of Frisia. From the influential monastery of Rath Melsigi in Ireland, he launched wave after wave of monks, priests, and other clergy toward the Frisian coast. Among his spiritual soldiers were the monks Willibrord and Adalbert. After receiving theirContinue reading “The Abbey of Egmond and the Rise of the Gerulfing Dynasty”
We’ll Drive Our Ships to New Land
In the series Myths of Nations, we disclose to you this time that the Frisians, in fact, did not come from India, as the old legends tell us. A bummer, we know. And, what is proven yet again in this blog post, we should listen more often to Led Zeppelin. In particular, to their ImmigrantContinue reading “We’ll Drive Our Ships to New Land”
Frisia Coast Trail 