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A ''terp'', also known as a ''wierde, woerd, warf, warft, werf, werve, wurt'' or ''værft'', is an artificial dwelling
mound A mound is a heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher el ...
found on the North European Plain that has been created to provide safe ground during
storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...
s, high tides and sea or river
flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
ing. The various terms used reflect the regional dialects of the North European region. In English sources, ''terp'' appears to be by far the most common term used. These mounds occur in the coastal parts of the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
(in the provinces of Zeeland,
Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...
and
Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...
), in southern parts of
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
and in the north-western parts of Germany where, before dykes were made, floodwater interfered with daily life. These can be found especially in the region
Ostfriesland East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...
and Kreis
Nordfriesland Nordfriesland (; da, Nordfrisland; frr, Nordfraschlönj ), also known as North Frisia, is the northernmost district of Germany, part of the state of Schleswig-Holstein. It includes almost all of traditional North Frisia (with the exception o ...
in Germany. In Kreis Nordfriesland on the Halligen, people still live on terps unprotected by dykes. Terps also occur in the Rhine and
Meuse river The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
plains in the central part of the Netherlands. Furthermore, terps can be found more to the south in the province
North Holland North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...
, like Avendorp near the town of Schagen, and in the towns of Bredene en Leffinge near Oostende in Belgium. Other terps can be found at the mouth of the river IJssel like the one at the hamlet Kampereiland, the province
Overijssel Overijssel (, ; nds, Oaveriessel ; german: Oberyssel) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the eastern part of the country. The province's name translates to "across the IJssel", from the perspective of the ...
and on the former Island of Schokland in the former Zuiderzee, today the reclaimed land
Noordoostpolder Noordoostpolder (; en, "North-East Polder") is a polder and municipality in the Flevoland province in the central Netherlands. Formerly, it was also called '' Urker Land''. Emmeloord is the administrative center, located in the heart of the Noord ...
. Even underneath the town of Den Helder in the north of the province North Holland lies an old terp, named Het Torp.


''Terpen'' in the province of Friesland

In the Dutch province of Friesland, an artificial dwelling hill is called ''terp'' (plural ''terpen''). ''Terp'' means "village" in Old Frisian and is
cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...
with English thorp,
Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
''torp'',
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
''Dorf'', modern West Frisian ''doarp'' and Dutch ''dorp''. Historical Frisian settlements were built on artificial ''terpen'' up to high to be safe from the floods in periods of
rising sea levels Rising may refer to: * Rising, a stage in baking - see Proofing (baking technique) *Elevation * Short for Uprising, a rebellion Film and TV * "Rising" (''Stargate Atlantis''), the series premiere of the science fiction television program ''Starga ...
. The first ''terp''-building period dates to 500 BC, the second from 200 BC to 50 BC. In the mid-3rd century, the rise of sea level was so dramatic that the
clay district Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...
was deserted, and settlers returned only around AD 400. A third ''terp''-building period dates from AD 700 ( Old Frisian times). This ended with the coming of the
dike Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to: General uses * Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian" * Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment * Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice * Dikes, ...
somewhere around 1200. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many ''terps'' were destroyed to use the fertile soil they contained to fertilize farm fields. ''Terpen'' were usually well fertilized by the decay of the rubbish and personal waste deposited by their inhabitants over centuries.


''Wierden'' in the province of Groningen

In the Dutch province of Groningen an artificial dwelling mound is called a ''wierde'' (plural ''wierden''). As in Friesland, the first ''wierde'' was built around 500 BC or maybe earlier.


List of artificial dwelling mounds

Place names in the Frisian coastal region ending in ''-werd'', ''-ward'', ''-uert'' etc. refer to the fact that the village was built on an artificial dwelling mound (''wierde''). The greater part of the ''terp'' villages, though, have names ending in ''-um'', from ''-heem'' or ''-hiem'', meaning (farm)yard, grounds. There are a few village names in Friesland ending with ''-terp'' (e.g.
Ureterp Ureterp ( fry, Oerterp) is a village in the municipality of Opsterland in the east of Friesland, the Netherlands. After Gorredijk it is the second largest village of the municipality with a population of around 4,785 in January 2017. History Th ...
), referring not to a dwelling mound but merely to the Old Frisian word for village. The first element of the
toponyms Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...
is quite often a person's name or is simply describing the environmental features of the settlement (e.g. Rasquert (prov. Groningen) Riazuurđ: ''wierde'' with reed, where reed grows). Some 1,200 ''terpen'' are recorded in Groningen and Friesland alone. They range from abandoned settlements to mounds with only one or a few farmhouses, to larger villages and old towns. A few of them are listed below.


Friesland

* Aalsum () * Bolsward (''Boalsert'') * Britsum *
Cornwerd Cornwerd ( fry, Koarnwert) is a small village in Súdwest-Fryslân municipality in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 85 in January 2017. Cornwerd is home to the De Cornwerdermolen. History The village was ...
(''Koarnwert'') * Dokkum * Ee *
Ferwert Ferwert ( nl, Ferwerd) is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 1787 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the Ferwerderadiel municipality. History The villag ...
* Ginnum *
Hegebeintum Hegebeintum ( nl, Hogebeintum) is a small village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 90 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the Ferwerderadiel municipality. Hegebei ...
*
Hitzum Hitzum ( fry, Hitsum) is a village in Waadhoeke municipality in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 225 in January 2014. Before 2018, the village was part of the Franekeradeel municipality. The village was fir ...
*
Jannum Jannum ( nl, Janum) is a small village in Noardeast-Fryslân municipality in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 63 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the Ferwerderadiel Ferwerderadiel () is ...
* Jouswier * Leeuwarden (''Ljouwert'') *
Metslawier Metslawier ( fry, Mitselwier) is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 908 in January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the Dongeradeel municipality. The De Ropta win ...
*
Wijnaldum Wijnaldum (; fry, Winaam) is a village in northwest Friesland, the Netherlands. The village lies within the municipality of Harlingen, however, prior to 1984, it was a part of the municipality of Barradeel. The village center has approximately 1 ...


Groningen

* Adorp *
Bedum Bedum (; gos, Beem) is a former municipality and a town in the northeastern Netherlands. Populated by inhabitants in , Bedum is one of the larger of Groningen's several satellite towns. On 1 January 2019 it merged with the municipalities of De Ma ...
* Bierum *
Ezinge Ezinge (Gronings: ''Aisen'' or ''Aizing'') is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Westerkwartier, about 15 km northwest of the city of Groningen. Ezinge is the oldest, constantly inhabited villag ...
* Feerwerd *
Garnwerd Garnwerd is a wierde village next to the Reitdiep in the municipality of Westerkwartier in the Dutch province of Groningen. History The village was first mentioned in the 10th or 11th century as "ad Granauurð". The etymology is unclear. Garnw ...
*
Godlinze Godlinze (; Gronings: ''Glìns'') is a village in the Netherlands, Dutch province of Groningen (province), Groningen. It is a part of the municipality of Eemsdelta, and is located about 24 km northeast of Groningen (city), Groningen. Histor ...
*
Holwierde Holwierde (; Gronings: ''Holwier'') is a village in the municipality of Eemsdelta in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. It lies about 26 km northeast of the city of Groningen. History The village was first mentioned in 1247 as "in ...
*
Leens Leens is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Het Hogeland. Leens was a separate municipality until 1990, when it was merged with Ulrum, Eenrum and Kloosterburen. Brief history Leens is located on ol ...
*
Middelstum Middelstum () is a village with a population of 2,419 in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Eemsdelta. Middelstum was a separate municipality until 1990, when it was merged with Loppersum. History ...
* Niehove * Rottum * Saaksum * Spijk *
Stitswerd Stitswerd is a village in the municipality of Het Hogeland, Groningen, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 45 in January 2017. Stitswerd is located on a ''wierde'' near the estuary of the former river Fivel. Stitswerd has the highest ...
* Ulrum * Usquert * Wirdum


Northern Germany

* Loquard (
East Frisia East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...
) *
Rysum Rysum is a village located 15 kilometers west of Emden in the region of East Frisia, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe a ...
(East Frisia) *Eckwarden (
Butjadingen Butjadingen is a peninsula and municipality in the Wesermarsch district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Geography Butjadingen is situated on the German North Sea coast. It is bordered on the west and southwest by the Jade River and the east by the We ...
) *Itzwärden (
Land Wursten Land Wursten is a former ''Samtgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was situated approximately southwest of Cuxhaven, and north of Bremerhaven. Its seat was in the village Dorum. It wa ...
)


See also

* Platform mound * Tell (archaeology) * Crannog


Literature

* *
Moritz Heyne Moritz Heyne (June 8, 1837 in Weißenfels – March 1, 1906 in Göttingen) was a German Germanic peoples, Germanic linguistics, linguist (''Germanist''). He taught as a professor at the University of Halle (1869-1870), University of Basel (1870-), ...
(1899): ''Das deutsche Wohnungswesen. Von den ältesten geschichtlichen Zeiten bis zum 16. Jahrhundert'', Bremen 2012.


External links

{{Wiktionary
Warften/Wurten
(page of the Society for Schleswig-Holstein History)

(private site)
Historical site of Wüppel in the Wangerland


(private site)
Manual making a Terp in 12 Steps (post of the Frisia Coast Trail)Vereniging voor terpenonderzoek
(Foundation for terp research, the Netherlands) * Indigenous architecture Coastal construction Artificial hills + Hills