Alderga and Aldergamouth

Aldergamouth was a harbor, close to the Treasureburg. It is also close to a lake of the same name, from which a canal leads to Aldergamouth. When the Ionians returned, some of them reclaimed this as their homeland. It was from Alderga that strong warships of hard oak were built, some of which Friso gave to the Jutters. In the second flood, the canal from the lake was silted in.

Aldergamouth was a harbor:

• located three poles, or a half tide, south of Medeasblik (8a)
• where former sea king Sterik (uncle of sea warriors Tunis and Inka) had taken his retirement (8b)
• at the southern head of which stood the Treasureburg, a stone building where a variety of shells, horns, weapons, and clothes were kept, brought home from distant lands by the steersmen (13i)

Alderga was a lake:

• located a quarter of an hour from the Aldergamouth (13i);
• surrounded by richly ornamented barns, houses, and gardens (13i);
• in which an operational fleet was docked, with flags of many colors (13i);
• connected to a narrow mouth (ÉGA.MVDA) into the sea by a dug canal, which flowed past the burg Forana. This canal was the way out for the fleet, and the Flee was the way in (through the Aldergamouth). On both sides of the canal were beautiful houses, brightly colored, with gardens surrounded by evergreen hedges (13i). This canal was blocked by sand and lost due to the big flood of ca. 305 BCE (14a);
• where poor Saxmen came with their wives to search in the soil for golden and other jewelry after the big flood of ca. 305 BCE (14b);
• where some of the Ionians settled, as they believed themselves to have sprung from the folk of the Alderga (14c);
• where the best warships were built of hard oak which never rots (16b);
• which was the final destination of the journeys of both Apollania (13i/16d) and Adel and Ifkia (16d).
• on the shore of which sea king Jon was born (9b);

Fragments

8a. Magyars and Finns

[050/19] THIT STÉT INNA WÁRA.BURCH BY THÉRE ALDE.GÁ.MVDE [20] WRYT. (...) HJU IS THRI PÉLA THAT IS [25] EN HALF TY SÛDWARD FON MÉDÉA.S.BLIK LÉZEN.

The following is inscribed on the Treasureburg at the Aldergamouth: (...) It is located three poles, or a half tide, south of Medeasblik.

8b. Wodin and the Magus

[053/15] ANDA ALDER.GÁ.MVDE THÉR RESTE EN ALDE SÉ.KÀNING. STERIK WAS SIN NÔME AND THA HROP VR SINA DÉDA WAS GRÁT. (...) TÜNIS ÀND INKA WÉRON SÉKÀMPAR ÀND JUST NW BI HJARA FÀDERJA ANDA ALDER.GÁ.MVDE T.US.

At the Aldergamouth, a former sea king had taken his retirement. Sterik was his name, and the renown of his deeds was great. (...) Tunis and Inka were sea warriors and, at the time, they were staying in the home of their father’s brother at the Aldergamouth.

9b. Jon’s Revenge

[065/20] JON THÀT IS JÉVA. WAS SÉ.KÀNING. BERN TO.T.ALDER.GÁ. TO.T.FLÍ. MÁR UTFÁREN MITH 100 ÀND 27 SKÉPUM.

Jon — meaning: ‘given’ — was a sea king, born at the Alderga, who had sailed out of the Flee Lake with a hundred and twenty-seven ships

11c. Death of the Magus

[085/20] THA STJURAR FON STAVORA ÀND FON THÀT ALDERGA HÉDON HINI GÉRN TO JONIS TOGEN MEN THA GRÁTE FLÁTE WÉRE VPPEN FÉRE TOCHT ÛT.

The steersmen of Staveren and of the Alderga were eager to confront him, but the great fleet was out on a distant voyage.

13i. Apollania’s Journey

[110/15] TO THA LERSTA KÉMON WI TO.T.ALDERGA. BI.T.SUDER HÁVA.HÁVED STÉT THJU WÁRA.BURCH. EN STÉN.HUS. THÉRIN SEND ALLER [20] LÉJA SKULPA. HULKA. WÉPNE ÀND KLATHAR WARAD FON FÉRE LÁNDUM. THRVCH THA STJURAR MITH BROCHT. EN FJARDÉL DÁNA IS.T ALDERGA. EN GRÁTE FLÍT OMBORAD MITH LOTHUM. HUSA ÀND GÁRDUM. [25] ELLA RIKLIK SIARAD. INVPPER FLÍT LÉI.N GRÁTE FLÁTE RÉD. MITH FÔNON FON ALLERLÉJA FARWA. (...) ABEFTA THÉRE FLÍT WAS EN GRÀFT GRÀVEN. [111] TO HLÁPANDE DÁNA ALINGEN THÉRE BURCH FOR.ÁNA ÀND FORTH MITH EN ÉGA. MVDA IN SÉ. TO FÁRA THERE FLÁTE WÉRE THIT THA UTGVNG ÀND ET FLÍ THA IN’GVNG. A BÉDE SÍDA [5] THÉRE GRÀFT SEND SKÉNE HUSA MITH HEL BLIKANDA FARWA MÁLAD. THA GÁRDNE SEND MITH ALTID GRÉNE HÁGUM OMTUNAD.

Finally, we arrived at the Alderga[-mouth]. At the southern head of the harbor stands the Treasureburg, a stone building where a variety of shells, horns, weapons, and clothes are kept, brought home from distant lands by the steersmen. A quarter of an hour from there is the Alderga, a great lake surrounded by barns, houses, and gardens — all richly ornamented. In the lake, a great fleet lay ready, with flags of many colors. (...) Behind the lake, a canal had been dug, which flowed past the burg Forana, and further through a narrow mouth into the sea. This was the way out for the fleet, and the Flee was the way in. On both sides of the canal are beautiful houses, brightly colored, with gardens surrounded by evergreen hedges.

14a. Fryasland Swamped

[116/30] THI GRÀFT THÉR FON.T ALDERGÁ THWERES TO THET LAND THRVCH HLÁPEN HÉDE. WAS VRSÔNDATH ÀND [117] VRDÉN.

The canal that had run across the land from the Alderga had been blocked by sand and was lost.

14b. Gosa: Settlement of the Black Men

[118/20] THÁ VSA LÁNDA WITHER TO BIGANA WÉR KÉMON THÉR BANDA ERMA SAXMANNA ÀND [25] WIVA NÉI THA WRDUM FON STÁVERE ÀND THAT ALDERGA. VMBE GOLDEN ÀND ÔRA SIARHÉDA TO SÉKANE FONUT THA WASIGE BODEME.

When our lands were passable again, groups of poor Saxmen came with their wives to the regions of Staveren and the Alderga to search for golden and other jewelry in the sodden soil.

14c. A Fleet Arrives

[120/01] SVME THÉRA JOHNJAR THÉR MÉNDE THÀT HJA FONT ALDERGA [5] FOLK SPROTEN WÉRE GVNGON THÉR HINNE.

Some of the Ionians who believed themselves to have sprung from the folk of the Alderga went there.

16b. Friso: Alliances

[148/10] HWAND TO STÁVEREN ÀND ALLINGEN THÀT [15] ALDER.GÁ THÉR WRDON THA BESTA WÉR.SKÉPA MAKED. FON HERDE ÉKEN WOD THÉR NIMMERTHE NÉN ROT AN NE KVM.

because at Staveren and along the Alderga the best warships are built of hard oak which never rots.

16d. Adel and Ifkia

[157/20] ÉVIN AS A.POL.LÁNJA BISKOJADON HJA ÀFTERNÉI LYDA.S BURCH ÀND ET ALDER.GÁ.

Just like Apollania, they concluded their journey with a visit to Lydasburg and the Alderga.

Earlier interpretations

Interpretations of Ottema, Overwijn, Jensma (and others?).

Westfrisian '(Oude) Gouw(e)' toponyms

Soo en moet niemant ladiken (vuil baggeren) in enighe sloten .., uutghenomen die tocht, die oude gou ende andere ghemeene wateren, Wfri. Stadr. 2, 222, 158, Holland, 1520-1530

So moet daer niemant scuitwasen in halighen slooten twischen die (een woord uit?) ende die oude ghou op een pont, 262, 127.

(add sources)

Maps of the area

to be added

voor bronnenlijst: "Onstaan, Ontginning en bemaling van West-Friesland"