KERRY OGDEN

The Book of Names

 

I came across the ancient Frisian manuscript known as the Oera Linda Book while I was researching my ancestors online. My maiden name is Helenbolt, a Frisian name similar to the people in the book known as the Hellenes. Although the book had been deemed a fraud over a hundred years ago, I found it hard to accept it, especially since many of the given names in the book were the same as many given names in the Helenbolt family. Growing up, people often commented on my surname. I was often asked where the name came from, after it was noted how strange it was. Linguistically, the name is strange because it seems to be two words put together instead of one word, making it awkward to pronounce. Language is generally considerate and vowels are used in-between consonants to make names and words flow as we speak. The name Helenbolt breaks that rule. After many years studying and researching the Oera Linda Book, I realized why as well as the name’s origin. I also realized how the name Helenbolt provides significant evidence to disprove the theory the Oera Linda Book is a fraud.

 

The Oera Linda Book

 

The Oera Linda Book surfaced in 1871 when a man named Cornelius Over de Linden (Oera Linda) took some manuscripts belonging to his family to a local librarian for translation. When the librarian refused to publish the manuscript, it was turned over to Dr. Ottema who translated and published the text. What is now called the Oera Linda Book had been in the possession of the Oera Linda family from, “time immemorial without anyone knowing whence it came or what it contained”. It was first compiled of ancient writings found on the walls of burghs or Frisian citadels. Family members through the centuries added on and recopied the book to safeguard the writings. The most ancient of the texts is “Frya’s Tex” dating from before 2193 B.C.E.  The Oera Linda Book describes the transformation of the Frisian people from a free matriarchal society into a period after floods and other disasters when a new militaristic power assumed control.

 

The matriarchal societies which covered a vast area including all of Europe were ruled by Frisian folk-mothers. The folk-mothers ruled by succession and presided over an order of maidens. These societies promoting freedom and equality were founded by Frya, the mother of the Frisian people. This book claims Frya’s authority came from Wralda. In the Old Frisian language, Wralda means ‘world’. In the Oera Linda, Wralda is also recorded as Wr.alda meaning ‘the elder’ and ‘the oldest one’ and as Wral.da meaning ‘present everywhere’. In the later writings of the book, Wralda is referred to as God. Moreover, the authors of the Oera Linda Book claim a conspiracy between church and state has left people ignorant about Wralda and under the rule of a false god. The book also describes how after Wralda came the Earth or Irtha. Irtha had three daughters, Lyda, Finda, and Frya who each had twelve sons and daughters who became the parents of mankind. Although they were sisters, eventually, “hatred came between them”.

 

In addition to Frisian history, the Oera Linda describes the histories of other peoples such as the Finns, Phoenicians, Gauls, Celts, Britons, Greeks, Franks, and Scots. This book also challenges the institutions of church and state by revealing the original source for both the system of government and moral codes in Europe. Along with identifying Wralda as the creator, the Oera Linda Book identifies a man named Jessos Krishna as a possible predecessor to Jesus Christ. Although the folk-mothers and their followers were eventually conquered, demonized, and destroyed, the folk-mothers predicted a time in the future when they will be remembered, and the light of Krishna and Frya will return. Moreover, the light of Krishna and Frya has strong parallels to Jesus and Sophia in the Gnostic traditions.

 

The Legend of Atlantis

 

The Oera Linda Book challenges many current interpretations including the legend of Atlantis or Atland. Throughout most of the book, time is measured by the number of years since the sinking of Atland in 2193 B.C.E.  The Oera Linda does not disclose any details about the conflicts leading up to the sinking of Atland and simply states hatred came between Frya, Finda, and Lyda. The book identifies Atland as the heart of Finda’s land, most likely located in Mesopotamia. There are strong parallels between the Legend of Atlantis and the actual development of civilizations in Mesopotamia, also known as the Fertile Crescent, as well.

 

Plato’s description of the Seakings of Atlantis is very similar to the historical figures of King Sargon the Great and his dynasty. Furthermore, King Sargon’s dynasty can be compared to the birth of the gods known as the Aesir in Norse mythology and Finda’s people in the Oera Linda Book. Sargon was the King of Akkad who conquered the people of Sumer. The people of Sumer can be equated with the Vanir in Norse myths and Lyda in the Oera Linda. King Sargon’s dynasty fell in 2193 B.C.E., the exact year as the sinking of Atland and possibly Ragnarok, the Norse apocalypse and doom of the gods.

 

The physical description of Atlantis provided by Plato can be equated to Mesopotamia as well when the history of words and their meanings are taken into consideration. In addition, the inconsistency in the time difference between the sinking of Atlantis and the sinking of Atland can be explained by the meaning of the word ‘year’, which originally could be used to represent a season. The creation story in Norse mythology also parallels the scientific creation of the Fertile Crescent after the last ice age. Furthermore, the nine worlds or levels of the Norse parallel the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian regions when elevation is considered.

 

Our Daily Bread

 

Civilization, as it is currently defined, began in the Middle East largely because of agriculture. The Oera Linda Book claims agriculture came about because of the jealousy of the kings and priests who wanted to become the “feeders of the folk” instead of the earth (Irtha) and Wralda. Early texts and manuscripts from various traditions indicate agriculture came about because of the production of mead, a mixture of beer and honey. Moreover, many of the ancient texts claim the gods became gods because of alcohol.

 

Civilization also gave birth to rules and laws replacing earlier customs and traditions. Many of these early laws were concerned with alcohol production and distribution. Laws were also a means of social control. They came from the divine and disobeying God had serious consequences. The Oera Linda Book claims laws came from the Frisian people based on Frya’s advice and there are many parallels between their rules and regulations and Moses and his Ten Commandments.

 

The Symbols of the Alphabet

 

The Oera Linda Book maintains Frya designed the symbols for the alphabet based on a six-spoke wheel, the original symbol of Wralda, as a way to preserve their formation. The alphabet in the illustration of Frya’s letters contains 32 symbols, and the alphabet used throughout the Oera Linda Book has 34 symbols, still highly recognizable because of their resemblance to the letters in the modern day alphabet.

 

Frya’s illustrations include the invisible symbol of the wheel around each letter making it possible to create a system of identifying the formation of the symbols according to point and manner of articulation as the sounds of the letters are being made. Furthermore, the symbols correspond to the zodiac, moon phases, and the sun, all serving as a way to measure time. Not only is it possible to identify what the symbols of the alphabet were based on, many ancient texts exist validating the theory including Odin’s descriptions of eighteen of the runes recorded in the Poetic Edda.

 

There is also strong evidence to suggest the ancients’ knowledge of the cosmos and its formation was far more advanced than modern day scholars give them credit for. The symbol of the wheel used to create the alphabet provides evidence suggesting Wralda is the super massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the origins of monotheism as well. In addition, evidence exists suggesting the creation story found in the Hebrew Bible is actually the story of the creation of the alphabet and measuring time.

 

While the Oera Linda claims Frya developed the alphabet, the name Frya is a title meaning ‘lady’. There is also significant evidence Frya’s name was Hel, her descendants were surnamed Hellenia, and her followers were called the Hellenes. Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting Hel was a direct descendant of Bergelmir, the Norse equivalent to Noah. Since the name Bergelmir is possibly cognate with Herebeald, the earlier version of the returning Norse messiah known as Balder, it is also possible this name represents the bloodline of Christ before it was split into good (Balder) and evil (Hel) by the patriarchal societies who assumed control after the matriarchal societies fell. Moreover, ancient texts and the Oera Linda Book imply the man identified as Jesus Christ was Christ because he recognized his name and knew who his ancestors were.

 

The Story of Hel

 

In the Sumerian and Norse traditions, knowledge and wisdom comes from knowing what came before the flood. When comparing worldwide myths, histories, the Oera Linda Book, and various religious texts, a possible story unfolds going back seven generations before the disaster sinking Atland.

 

By closely examining Norse literature, evidence can be found suggesting Njord, the father of Freya and one of the hostages during the exchange with the Aesir, was named Heimdell, and Freya’s name was Hel. Consequently, Hel’s father, Loki the trickster, is actually Heimdell, the creator of the world classes under the name of Rig meaning king. Evidence also suggests Gullveig is Irtha or Nerthus, the mother of Freya and consort to Njord, before she became one of Odin’s consorts. There is additional evidence to suggest Freya was Frey’s consort before becoming a hostage and wife to Odin as well. Retellings of the Odin, Freya, and Frey triangle along with variations of the name Hel are evident in many of the Lays found in the Poetic Edda and the final story told in the Prose Edda.

 

The name Hel is also prominent in Beowulf, an early Norse text crucial to understanding the historical connections to various myths. There is also evidence to support the theory Hel, Freya, Inanna from Sumerian texts, and Hathor and Isis in Egyptian texts are all based on the same historical person. Furthermore, parallels to Odin, Heimdell, and Irtha are also evident in Egyptian and Sumerian texts. It is even possible Freya’s influence and teachings spread as far as North America.

 

Gnosticism

 

The traditions and beliefs of the Frisians’ have many parallels to Gnosticism, a pre-Christian and early Christian religious and philosophical movement. At the heart of Gnosticism is a feminine being named Sophia meaning ‘wisdom of God’. The story of Sophia includes the theme of an exile and return, and it parallels Norse traditions as well as the Oera Linda Book.

 

Similar to the folk-mothers, Gnosticism maintains evil comes from humanities ignorance about where they came from, and who they are. Moreover, both agree the Demiurge or the Magy are ruling by enslaving humanity through the development of social classes. Instead of salvation through religion and churches, the Gnostic beliefs include salvation coming from self-knowledge which leads to understanding ultimate, divine realities. Self-knowledge comes from a divine spark inside everyone waiting to be discovered.

After the death of the traditional Christ, there were alternative versions of who Jesus was and what his message was all about. There were different versions of who God was as well. In some Gnostic traditions, God is known as Monad meaning ‘the one’ and ‘the absolute’. God is also portrayed as a dyad of masculine and feminine elements. The Gnostics believed Jesus came to rectify the division between the Divine Mother and the Divine Father.

 

The Oera Linda also challenges beliefs about Jesus Christ and when he lived. The book dates a man named Jessos Krishna from around 2193 B.C.E. who taught and promoted the Frisian laws, ethics, and moral codes. After his death, the priests told lies about Jessos including miracles he did not perform. Other ancient texts and mythologies include a Jesus Christ proto-type dating much earlier than the Christian Jesus Christ as well. Moreover, the Oera Linda asserts descendants of Frya would rise up against the Magy, false priests, and princes in the current accepted time of Christ but would be murdered.

 

Proto-Indo-European (PIE)

 

Dr. Ottema and other past and modern day language experts are in conflict over their conclusions regarding the language used in the Oera Linda Book. Upon examination, it is evident the alphabet used in the oldest sections of the Oera Linda is almost identical to the language currently believed to be the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language. When comparing the sounds of both the consonants and the vowels, PIE and Frya’s alphabet are nearly indistinguishable. Phonologically and morphologically, PIE and the oldest writings in the Oera Linda Book are similar as well. Furthermore, there are some possible word cognates between the Sumerian language and the language found in the Oera Linda, as would be expected if Mesopotamia is Finda’s land, and PIE is the language of Frya’s people. One of the most interesting parallels between the two cultures is the Sumerian word for freedom, possibly meaning ‘the return of a bright mother’.

 

The Apocalypse

 

The Oera Linda Book describes the leadership of the ancient Frisian folk-mothers whose influence at one time covered all of Europe before a war and an apocalyptic disaster began their demise. Although their leadership was eventually conquered and lost, the mothers predicted a time of enlightenment when their teachings will be remembered, and humanity will move into a new age. In the new era, parts of the past will merge with the present creating a new understanding of reality. The mothers also predicted this time would be one of freedom when mankind would be released from the slavery of a false god created by a conspiracy between the institutions of church and state. Instead, the people would remember the elder or oldest one who wants nothing more from humanity than to share and be wise.

 

If the Oera Linda Book is indeed an ancient Frisian manuscript recording actual history, it is likely this culture and language was the mother culture known as Proto-Indo-European (PIE). The Oera Linda Book claims the original meaning of hell was ‘bright’ and ‘above others’. This would also mean the original word for a lightning bolt would have been helenbolt, a word cognate to the name Herebeald, the returning Norse messiah. This would imply the ancients believed the flash of radiation which began the big bang and creation of the universe was a lightning bolt. The name Helenbolt also rectifies the division between the Divine Mother and the Divine Father.