Alderga and Aldergamouth
Alderga is a harbour, 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.
Where were the Alderga and its mouth?
- Fragments Codex Oera Linda
- Earlier interpretations
- Known Westfrisian toponyms with "(Oude) Gouw(e)"
- Geological and other maps of the area
Fragments
[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.
[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.
[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
[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.
[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. 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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
[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.