Most commonly known as “Terp”, by origin a Frisian word, Terps are actually known in a few places. Hang on tight, this is a long one.
The water rich lands of Dutch provinces Zeeland/Frisia (Terp) and Groningen (Wierde) - German regions Nordfriesland and Ostfriesland (Warft) and southern Denmark (Wærft) were in need of such constructions for basic quality of life.
Because the tides could freely enter the lower lands beyond the shoreline, life was to be lived intermittently. When the land was dry, sheep could graze the salt marsh. When water rose, people would retreat to the Terp.
A Terp can be made up out of a single church or farm/house to an entire small village. Concentrations of small Terps making up a village also exist. They are often surrounded by a salt marsh rampart (Kwelderwal).
Terps were made by plaggen. The top of sandy soils was taken out in little cubes, including the vegetation. The plag was then dried and compacted and stacked on top of each other, which causes an artificial hill allowing to build on.
Terp is also the Old-Frisian word which originates the Dutch word for village. Frisian culture allowed to spread because of their specialization in sheep’s wool. With most agricultural crops not being suited for salt marshes, and with the land flooded half of the day, lots of time was spent in producing high quality and highly sought after wool. This made the Frisians and especially the Terp people very rich, as seen in treasures, burials and clerical art.
Lots of Terps have been destroyed for peat mining or lost after abandonment.
Image above: Hogebeintum (Hegebeintum (Frisian), formerly known as Westerbintheim).
The largest known Terp in the Netherlands and Germany with 8,80 m above sea level.
Central is the church, on the right the historic village, the sheep pastures during floods and the encircling salt march rampart. Everything outside the rampart used to flood.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Norse Mythology, there is a tree called Yggdrasil. Now I’m not super familiar with it but it’s generally known as the Tree of Life that houses all the nine realms and every living soul, and is incredibly closely associated with Odin. THIS. IS DRIVING ME CRAZY.
I’m not very knowledgeable on this topic so feel free to add or correct me lmao-
16 Ways to Connect with the Gods when you don't have an Altar
So I'm currently away from home for 10 days (pet/house sitting) and I don't have an altar space with me. I have my tarot deck and that's it. I decided to write this list incase it might help someone else who is away from home or is just in the pagan closet. Enjoy!
Read your Deity's myths or listen to people read myths on youtube
Sit outside and just think about them
Set your phone background to something that reminds you of them
Wear their colours or symbols
Make or listen to a playlist dedicated to your Deity/Deities
Do a digital offering on tumblr or another site
Just talk to them about your day
Write some poetry for them. Anything can be poetry, it doesn't have to be good
Scroll through their tags on social media
If you have coloured shoelaces wear their corresponding colours on your shoes!! (I can't believe i didn't think about this earlier)
Do your make up to honour them
Talk about them in a (dedicated witchy/pagan) discord server
Do something nice for someone. I know it's cheesy but it's cliche for a reason. For me it definitely makes me feel closer to my Gods
Draw/make art of them or one of their symbols
Youtube ambiance videos are great! If your Deity has an association with fire, water, birds, communal spaces or music there are heaps of videos on Youtube that you can play. Think coffee shop ambiance (communal space), waterfall/rain/water ambiance, nature/bird chirping ambiance, fire place ambiance, studying at the library ambiance, etc. endless possibilities
Draw their sigils/symbols on your face with skin care
I hope this helps!! Feel free to add any other tips. I tried to keep these relatively accessible for everyone.
Yes, I know we should all support local bookstores when we can, but I'd be remiss if I did not bring this near HALF OFF sale on the Eisner-winning COMPLETE AMERICAN GODS.
And NORSE MYTHOLOGY is also on pre-sale at nearly 25% off, for release in 3 weeks.