The soil preserved signs
of thousands of years
of life at this site -
later, in the year 1000, a marshy
area with a terp on the Ame
Stream, the Aemestelle
as elsewhere in Europe
raised from an abbey
to reclaim the land
Houses were built
on huijes, a forest
of thin piles
as anchors in the peat, and
as an anchor of hope
and authority of the church:
the legend of the cog ship
carrying the bishop, his rescuer
and his dog
Jan 24
Jan 24, 2026 at 3:20 AM UTC
The soil preserved signs
of thousands of years
of life at this site -
later, in the year 1000, a marshy
area with a terp on the Ame
Stream, the Aemestelle
as elsewhere in Europe
raised from an abbey
to reclaim the land
Houses were built
on huijes, a forest
of thin piles
as anchors in the peat, and
as an anchor of hope
and authority of the church:
the legend of the cog ship
carrying the bishop, his rescuer
and his dog
Ame water, Stelle raised area (terp/village)
Amestelle Amstel(land)
Dam in the Amstel River Amsteldam Amsterdam
Abbey: of Werden, in present-day Essen near the Ruhr River
The former Seal of Amsterdam is based on the legend of an episcopal blessing of the area
Collection "Greeting from before"
