Reenactment
We are looking for a better picture, but this picture does show that Frisia was bigger then the current Fryslân.
On the 4th of october 2001, a group of friends with a shared passion founded the reenactment group Byfrost. We try to reenact life of the common people, of the northern region of the Netherlands, known as Frisia during the early mediaeval period (800-1000 AD).
The people of Frisia had contact through trade with people from the other Northsaecoastregions wich let to an exchange between different though related cultures, including the Vikings.
We do this by participating in shows such as the vikingshows in Archeon in Alphen aan de Rijn (NL) and H.O.M.E. (the Historical Open air Museum) in Eindhoven (NL) You can also find members of Byfrost at Landgoed de Schothorst in Amersfoort (NL)at some weekends.
One of the Byfrost tents next to a farmhouse at landgoed Schothorst.
Blue demonstrating sprang.
We set up camp, show the public what clothes they wore, what food they ate and what crafts they performed. This all by doing it for real. Thus we reenact the daily live of every day people and try to find answers for many questions people might have. Reenactment is a form of experimental archeology
Plus it is an interesting way of chilling out and relaxing with good friends. Especialy when the public has gone home, the campfires are roaring and the mead is flowing richly...
A Campfire...
Things can get rough sometimes.
We have some pictures that might give you an idea of what a show can be like. Just click on one of the pictures ;
This clip shows an inpression of the Vikingshow in Archeon in 2006.
H.O.M.E the Historical Openair Museum Eindhoven.
Smithing is not one of our crafts, but we think it's very cool.
As members of this group we have encounterd a many different craftsmen and their techniques. Some of these techniques we have mastered, others are just really cool.
Where?
If you want to know more about the of locations we have visited in the past, just click on the name of the location and you'll be taken to another page.:
Historical Openair Museum Eindhoven
Some of our vikingfriends took up the idea to go on a real mediaeval pelgrimage and we gladly joined them. This pelgrimage is taking place as we spreak! They started in Aduard in the North of the Netherlands and are walking to Acken in Germany. In Aduard was the biggest convent of Northern Europe in the 12th and 13th century and yes; the pelgrims are wearing mediaeval shoes and clothes in rooder to make this 12th century pelgrimage as authentic as possible.
If you want to know more, check out the palster en scerpe website but for those of you who don't speak Dutch, keep in mind that that's the language in which this site is written!
A report of our own can be found on the following page but this to has yet to be translated...
www.palster-scerpe.nl
These costumes where also made by Stichting Oud Oranje
You may have seen that we sometimes participate in historical fachionshows And there is a biggie coming up! on the 14th of juli 2008 in Baarn there will be the biggest statevisite ever. If you want to know more you can check out the site Stichting Vorstelijk Baarn or the site of Stichting Oud-Oranje who are resposible for the costumes that make up this historical costume bananza.
The next page gives a good idea what's in store...