face to face with beitske
the lady from the mound
The mounds are the treasure rooms of ancient Friesland. One of the most remarkable finds from the mounds is the tomb of a woman who lived in the 7th century. The Fries Museum has given this lady a face: the very first Frisian face! From 6 June 2015, you can come face to face with the lady from the mound.
She was buried in the trunk of a hollow oak tree in the tallest mound in Friesland in Hogebeintum. Because trees were scarce in the mound area at that time, which means the tree trunk used for her coffin probably came from elsewhere, and she was buried with a necklace of beads, shells and amber, it is likely that she was a woman of some importance.
Maja d'Hollosy of Skullpting has created an accurate replica of the tree trunk lady’s skull by reconstructing it layer-by-layer using forensic techniques.
The facial reconstruction of this lady, who lived during the period when the gold was buried in the mounds, is a special side project of the exhibition Gold, medieval treasures from the soil. The result is presented together with the original tomb of the tree trunk lady.
Now that she has a face she deserves a name, of course, so after her unveiling the Fries Museum will hold a competition to give her a name as well.
The facial reconstruction is made possible with financial support from the Friends of the Fries Museum.
