The Oera Linda Book, from a Manuscript of the Thirteenth Century

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

40986

Title

The Oera Linda Book, from a Manuscript of the Thirteenth Century

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This 1876 translation presents the Oera Linda Book, a controversial manuscript claiming to be a thirteenth-century record of ancient Frisian history. It details early maritime voyages, laws, and legends involving figures like Adela and King Askar, offering a unique perspective on pre-Roman European civilization.

Summary up to 500 words

The Oera Linda Book presents a disputed yet historically significant manuscript allegedly originating in the thirteenth century but containing traditions reaching back to 803 BCE. Written in an archaic Frisian dialect with a unique script resembling ancient Greek lapidary forms, the text challenges conventional timelines of European antiquity by asserting that Frisian civilization predates and rivals that of Greece and Israel. The narrative begins with Adela, wife of Apol, chief of the Linda country, who establishes foundational laws emphasizing martial training, civic duty, and maternal support for children during hardship. These statutes mandate that mothers sell their own wealth to feed starving offspring and protect exposed infants from winter's bite until they can survive independently. The story expands to describe Frisian geography, extensive trade with Phoenicians, and interactions with Greeks and Finns. A central figure, King Askar, rules from Stavere (Staveren) and engages in conflicts with neighboring powers like the Jutes and Saxons. The narrative recounts a disastrous voyage where Askar's fleet is destroyed by storms, leading to the enslavement of many followers and the rise of rival leaders. Subsequent sections detail the establishment of schools, the worship of deities like Frya (associated with writing), and the eventual decline of Askar's realm due to internal strife and external pressure. The book transitions through various authors over centuries, including Adelbrost, Apollonia, Frethorik, and Beeden, who record further histories of wars, migrations, and religious shifts. It describes the submersion of lands like Atland and the survival of Frisian culture through oral traditions and written records on walls and parchment. The text concludes with elegies for fallen maidens and counsel for future generations, preserving a rich tapestry of mythic history that suggests early Frisians were hardy marine adventurers who sailed to the Mediterranean long before such voyages were historically recorded in Western literature.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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