Gutland / Gotland, OUR ANCESTORS, Uncategorized

GORM THE OLD – CLAN CARRUTHERS CCIS

April 30, 2023April 30, 2023 ClanCarruthers

GORM THE OLD – DENMARKS FIRST KING

CARRUTHERS ANCESTOR

In ancient times Denmark was not a kingdom, but a multitude of small provinces ruled over by warlike chiefs who called themselves kings. It was not until the ninth century that these little king-ships were combined into one kingdom, this being done by a famous chieftain, known by the Danes as Gorm den Gamle, or Gorm the Old. A great warrior he was, a viking of the vikings, and southern Europe felt his heavy hand. A famous story of barbarian life is that of Gorm, which well deserves to be told.

He was the son of a fierce pagan of Norway, Hardegon, who was of royal blood, being a grandson of the half-fabulous Ragnar Lodbrok. A prince with only his sword for kingdom, Hardegon looked around for a piece of land to be won by fighting, and fixed upon Lejre, in the fruitful Danish island of Sjölland, which was just then in a very inviting state for the soldier of fortune. Some time before it had fallen into the hands of a Swedish fortune-seeker named Olaf, who left it to his two sons. These in turn had just been driven out by Siegric, the rightful king, when Hardegon descended upon it and seized it for himself. Dying, he left it to his son Gorm.

It was a small kingdom that Gorm had fallen heir to. A lord’s estate we would call it to-day. But while small in size, it stood high in rank, for it was here that the great sacrifices to Odin, the chief Scandinavian deity, were held, and it was looked upon as one of the most sacred of spots. Hither at Yuletide came the devotees of Odin from all quarters to worship at his shrine, and offer gifts of gold and silver, precious stones and costly robes, to the twelve high priests of whom the king of Lejre was the chief. And every worshipper, whether rich or poor, was expected to bring a horse, a dog, or a cock, these animals being sacred to Odin and sacrificed in large numbers annually at his shrine. In the special nine-year services, people came in great numbers, and it is probable that on these occasions human sacrifices were made, captives taken in war or piratical excursions being saved for this purpose.

As one may see, the king of Lejre had excellent opportunity to acquire wealth, and young Gorm, being brave, clever, and ambitious, used his riches to increase his landed possessions. At least, the Danish historians tell us that he began by buying one bit of land, getting another by barter, seizing on one district, having another given him, and so on. But all this is guess-work, and all we actually know is that Gorm, the son of a poor though nobly-born sea-rover, before his death gained control of all Denmark, then much larger than the Denmark of to-day, and changed the small state with which he began into a powerful kingdom, bringing all the small kings under his sway.

The ambitious chief did not content himself with this. Long before his kingdom was rounded and complete he had become known as one of the most daring and successful of the viking adventurers who in those days made all Europe their prey.

Early in his reign he made a plundering cruise along the shores of the Baltic and joined in a piratical invasion of Russia, penetrating far inward and pillaging as he went. We hear of him again in 882 as one of the chiefs of a daring band which made a conquering raid into Germany, intrenched itself on the river Maas, sallied forth on plundering excursions whose track was marked by ruined fields and burnt homesteads, villages and towns, and even assailed and took Aix-la-Chapelle, one of the chief cities of the empire of Charlemagne and the seat of his tomb. The reckless freebooters stalled their horses in the beautiful chapel in which the great emperor lay buried and stripped from his tomb its gilded and silvered railings and everything of value which the monks had not hidden.

The whole surrounding country was similarly ravaged and desolated by the ruthless heathens, monasteries were burned, monks were killed or captured, and the emperor, Charles the Fat, was boldly defied. When Charles brought against the plunderers an army large enough to devour them, he was afraid to strike a blow against them, and preferred to buy them off with a ransom of two thousand pounds of gold and silver, all he got in return being their promise to be baptized.

Finding that they had a timid foe to deal with, the rapacious Norsemen asked for more, and when they finally took to their ships two hundred transports were needed to carry away their plunder. The cowardly Charles, indeed, was so wrought upon by fear of the pagan Danes that he even passed the incredible law that any one who killed a Norseman should have his eyes put out and in some cases should lose his life.

All this was sure to invite new invasions. A wave of joy passed through the north when the news spread of the poltroonery of the emperor and the vast spoil awaiting the daring hand. Back they came, demanding and receiving new ransom, and in 885 there began a great siege of Paris by forty thousand Danes.

King Gorm was one of the chiefs who took part in this, and when Henry of Neustria, whom the emperor had sent with an army against them, was routed and driven back, it was Gorm who pursued the fugitives into the town of Soissons, where many captives and a great booty were taken.

The dastard emperor again bought them off with money and freedom to ravage Burgundy, Paris being finally rescued by Count Eudes. In 891 they were so thoroughly beaten by King Arnulf, of Germany, that their great leaders fell on the field and only a remnant of the Norsemen escaped alive, the waters of the river Dyle running red with the blood of slain thousands.

Gorm was one of the chiefs who took part in this disastrous battle of Louvaine and was one of the fortunate few who lived to return to their native land. Apparently it was not the last of his expeditions, his wife, Queen Thyra, taking care of the kingdom in his many long absences.

Thyra needed ability and resolution to fitly perform this duty, for those were restless and turbulent times, and the Germans made many incursions into Sleswick and Jutland and turned the borderlands on the Eyder into a desert. This grew so hard to bear that the wise queen devised a plan to prevent it. Gathering a great body of workmen from all parts of Denmark, she set them to building a wall of defense from forty-five to seventy-five feet high and eight miles long, crossing from water to water on the east and west. This great wall, since known as the Dannevirke, took three years to build. There were strong watch-towers at intervals and only one gate, and this was well protected by a wide and deep ditch, crossed by a bridge that could readily be removed.

For ages afterwards the Danes were grateful to Queen Thyra for this splendid wall of defense and sang her praises in their national hymns, while they told wonderful tales of her cleverness in ruling the land while her husband was far away. Fragments of Thyra’s rampart still remain and its remains formed the groundwork of all the later border bulwarks of Denmark.

Queen Thyra, while a worshipper of the northern gods, showed much favor to the Christians and caused some of her children to be signed with the cross. But King Gorm was a fierce pagan and treated his Christian subjects so cruelly that he gained the name of the “Church’s worm,” being regarded as one who was constantly gnawing at the supports of the Church. Henry I. the Fowler, the great German emperor of that age, angry at this treatment of the Christians, sent word to Gorm that it must cease, and when he found that no heed was paid to his words he marched a large army to the Eyder, giving Gorm to understand that he must mend his ways or his kingdom would be overrun.

Gorm evidently feared the loss of his dominion, for from that time on he allowed the Archbishop of Bremen to preach in his dominions and to rebuild the churches which had been destroyed, while he permitted his son Harald, who favored the Christians, to be signed with the cross. But he kept to the faith of his forefathers, as did his son Knud, known as “Dan-Ast,” or the “Danes’-joy.”

The ancient sagas tell us that there was little love between Knud and Harald; and that Gorm, fearing ill results from this, swore an oath that he would put to death any one who attempted to kill his first-born son, or who should even tell him that Knud had died.

While Harald remained at home and aided his mother, Knud was of his father’s fierce spirit and for years attended him on his viking expeditions. On one of these he was drowned, or rather was killed while bathing, by an arrow shot from one of his own ships. Gorm was absent at the time, and Thyra scarcely knew how the news could be told him without incurring the sworn penalty of death.

Finally she put herself and her attendants into deep mourning and hung the chief hall of the palace with the ashy-grey hangings used at the grave-feasts of Northmen of noble birth. Then, seating herself, she awaited Gorm’s return. On entering the hall he was struck by these signs of mourning and by the silence and dejection of the queen, and broke out in an exclamation of dismay:

“My son, Knud, is dead!”

“Thou hast said it, and not I, King Gorm,” was the queen’s reply. The news of the death had thus been conveyed to him without any one incurring the sworn penalty. Soon after that—in 936—King Gorm died, and the throne of Denmark was left to his son Harald, a cruel and crafty man whom many of the people believed to have caused the murder of his brother.

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Gutland / Gotland, The History of Gutland

CLAN CARRUTHERS – GOTLAND – LANDSCAPE GENEALOGY

March 27, 2021 ClanCarruthers

THE LANDSCAPE GENEALOGY OF GOTLAND

Landscape Genealogy is the study of what was happening on various pieces of land. One can study the landscape genealogy of the house and land ones owns. Here we study, through the ages, the place where the Carruthers Ancestors lived. From about 3500 BC to 1000 AD you can see the different era the ancestors lived and survived.

The Indo-Germanic immigration

There have been a few waves of immigration to Gotland which can be seen in the archaeological material. One wave arrived about 3500 BCE. It was a civilization that corresponded to the megalitic culture, but designed under different conditions and

with other practices. It was probably conict and upheaval, and finally a cultural fusion. One partic-

ular tribe, who were skilled astronomers, came evidently to Gotland. The Pitted Ware culture, which

flourished on Gotland from about 3500 to 2800 BCE had begun

Astronomical calendars

Already with Astronomical calendars 5000 years ago the Gotlanders showed that they were special. We can follow how they absorbed developments from all over the world.

Bronze Age about 1800 – 500 BCE

The extensive trade relations convey inuences from outside. From southern cultural centers – Egypt,Crete, Mycenae – spiritual impulses stretched their effects also to the Baltic Sea region and Gotland. Both the external design of the graves and the lavish burial gifts bear witness to a rich and self conscious upper class.

The large, higharched cairns from the Bronze Age group up with predilection along Gotland’s shores.Close to them lie stone ships rom the Late Bronze Ageand the oldest Iron Age. It is the most magniﬁcenttomb orm rom prehistoric time that Gotland has tooﬀer. Te map prepared on the basis o the NationalHeritage Board antiquarian stocktaking on Gotland1938-40Source: Det forntida Gotland 2nd PicturePart of the depository ﬁnd from Eskelhem’s rec-tory. top bit to bridle with cheek bars. In the middle pierced disc with rattle sheets, bottom right round reinornation. Photo Ivar Andersson

Late Bronze Age, 1000-500 BCE

Late Bronze Age culture occurs suddenly and is very similar to Phoenician culture as well as Mycenaean. During the Late Bronze Age, which occurred around 1000-500 BCE, the Gotlandic trade was intensified. Many of those of Gotlandic design inherent objects are reminiscent of a large number of foreign products imported in the Early Bronze Age.

This provides a perspective of far greater scope. Trade had become what we in modern

guage would call international. Not that the Gotlandic merchants always personally visited the areas where these objects have been produced. By their own and others activities and initiatives they had been members of the mercantile community, in a business eager with merchant wagon loads and crafts, that were busy to crisscross Europe. It was not only with its neighbors to the west, south and east and the nearest outside those located business circles the Gotlanders were connected. We also have in the Volga region from the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age the old Achmulova grave field,

Capuan bronze bowl from Sojvide, Sjonhem

The coming of the Iron Age

There is a new culture that emerges with modest Iron Age graves. It had its roots in the south, but especially in the southwest, in northern Germany , where the iron at that time came into general use in the manufacture of small tools and jewelry. This culture was based heavily on influences from the Hallstatt culture in the heart of the continent, but was strongly locally colored. It is from this north German circuit the Gotlanders become familiar with the most important of all metal techniques, namely the way to process iron.

Probably they imported the metal first as pig iron.

Gotland’s oldest Iron Age culture should be considered to have been simultaneous with Bronze Age period VI.

Snakehead armring of gold, type B from a treasure nd at Burs in Källunge.

Gotlands Museum

Gotlandic trade expansion

As a monument from this Gotlandic trade expansion can be found in Estonia and Latvia as well asin the Västervik area in Sweden stone ships of Gotlandic type. The Gotlanders were, from what we can read from the archaeological material, present with their Merchant Emporiums there and further down towards the Vistula area when the Gothic federation was formed. Probably the Gotlanders played a signicant role in this formation, hence we have the

same name for Gotlanders and Goths, Gutar andGutans, Guthiuda.

Celtic Iron Age 300 BCE to zero

During the Celtic Iron Age 300 BCE to zero there seams to be close Gotlandic commercial relations with the Celtic empire. The equipment that the Gotlandic warrior wore was, however, virtually the same as the East Germanic tribes on the continent in the Vistula area had. It had little in common with Celtic weapons.

Drinking Horn Fittings of bronze. These seizures

sat on the horn end of the clip. The use of horns as drinkingvessels were a Germanic custom. In the Roman workshopsthey made even drinking horns of glass for sale to the Ger-

manics. The Roman prole rings on the rod ends alter the

course of the Roman Iron Age, and one can therefore use these

in chronological typology. Many of these seizures are in the

ground from the Roman Empire, but some may also have

been made on Gotland, where seizures are widely distributed

Celtic La Tène artefacts

The Gotlandic artefact population is at this time Celtic La Tène characterized and exhibit almost excessively rich ornamentation, especially characterized by hemispherical rivet heads differently grooved and cross ornated with pearl lines and grooved surfaces of plates and other items. Everything is made with superior technology, both in bronze as in iron. It is particularly the belt garniture ( group C about 50 BCE – zero), which changed design.

It may be due to late inuence from Schleswig-Holstein in parallel with the previous group B (

c. 100-50 BCE), where ring types dominate. Now are the artificial combinations of iron cast in bronze gone, and in many cases the rough technical procedure. It should be recognized, however, that there are good works also from time Group B, but these can not be matched with subsequent group.

Roman contacts, First century

The Gotlanders seem to have controlled the amber trade with trading Emporiums in the Vistula area. Roman contacts with the Gotlanders during the first century is also evident in the picture stones.

Roots of the oldest picture stones are dated by archaeologists to this particular time.

Provincial Roman wine ladle with strainer, pottery

and bronze ttings for two drinking horns from woman’s grave

from the early Roman Iron Age at Skällhorns, Källunge parish.

The Stavgard area

with its old harbour at Bandelunda in Burs was for a long time the center for this part of Gotland and with continuity can be dated back to the Stone AGe. The Stavgard district includes the largest known building foundations from the Roman Iron Age ‘Stavar’s house’ (

67×11 metres), an ancient harbour which at least goes back to the beginning of our era and the in 1984 excavated burial mound ‘Gods-backen’ ( see ‘Cairns’ above ), which from the Neolithic period has functioned as a grave mausoleum.

The Baltic Sea Region

In the history of Gotland are some of the key threads in the development of the entire Baltic Sea region gathered. This is a meeting place for Gotlanders, Curonians, Kievan Rus’, Danes, Slavs, Svear and later Germans. Gotland has through its position as a continental outpost in the north or Nordic outpost to the south, on the border between Eastand West, a cultural key position. Gotland plays a similar role for the Baltic Sea region as Cyprus and Sicily have played as intersections for the Mediterranean countries’ trade relations and cultures.

Markomannic influence

During the first two centuries CE the Marcomannis

developed into a leading Germanic cultural area in Central Europe, who in good agreement with the Romans maintained vibrant mercantile relations with the Roman provinces in the south and became cultural mediators between the Roman Empire and the rest of the Germanic world including Gotland.

There was an important trade route along the Elbe which brought lots of Roman industrial products, especially precious vessels of silver and bronze, up to the North.

Gotlandic Early picture stones

The earlier Gotlandic picture stones are mostly connected with the Iberian peninsula and southern France. The Ibero-Celts are the most likely bearers of the pictorial agenda that is introduced on Got-land for the earlier picture stones. In the Iberian peninsula, the Vadenienses, an old Ibero-Celtic people have left very special grave-stones, decorated with blades of ivy, corn ears and specially designed horses. It was a people of fighters and horsemen, who to every horse had two warriors, one to ride and the other to fight on foot to help protect the horse and knight. Their most common form of grave decoration during the pre-Christian Roman period is exactly of the same character as the early stones on Gotland. They contain a lot of signs that could be understood as sun and moon.

The moon is often made as bulls horns. This whole style is unique for the Iberian peninsula

and depends probably on Celtic inuence among the Romans.

Picture stones showing travel

During the 700s and 800s the picture stone art had its heyday. The mighty monuments, some over three metres high, now depict in horizontal sequences an epic content. It might be an episode from the deceased’s life or a passage from a Nordic hero poem, Helge Hundings banes saga or Brage the Olds Ragnars drapa or something else. There are many suggested interpretations. The pictures appear in very poor relief, which was initially enhanced by painting in vivid colors. The style is rigorously ornamental-ly decorative but lives together with a fascinating expressionism. For the Gotlandic art history these picture stones have an outstanding importanceas fragments from the ancient art we have had in wood and fabric, but that time has claimed.

Macedonian Renaissance

The most authoritative source on the first ofcial Christianization of the Rhos is an encyclical letter from the Patriarch Photius, datable to early 867.Refering to the Rhos-Byzantine War of 860-861Photius informs the Oriental patriarchs and bishops that, after the Bulgars turned to Christ in 864,the Rhos followed suit so zealously that he found it prudent to send to their land a bishop. Photius remembers the invasion upon the Empire by the race which in cruelty and blood thirstiness left all other peoples far behind, the so-called Rhos, and adds that now indeed, even they have changed their Hellenic and godless religion for the pure and unadultered faith of the Christians, and have placed themselves under the protection of the Empire, becoming good friends instead of continuing their recent robbery and daring adventures.

Photius’ letter allows us to fix more exactly the time of the appeal by the Rhos to Byzantium. He mentions Rhos’ affairs just after stating that the Bulgarians adopted Christianity. The baptism of the Bulgarian King Boris took place in 864, but his envoys had already been baptized in Constantinople at the end of the year 863.

It is interesting to note that at that time the Gotlandic Varangian Ingr’s daughter Indrina becomes the mistress of Emperor Michael III and married to future Emperor Basil I. On 19 September 866 Michael and Indrina had ason Leo, the later Leo VI.

According to Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, grandson to Indrina, (905-959), who wrote a

biography of his grandfather, Basil I the Macedonian(867-886), it was his ancestor who persuaded the Rhos to abandon their pagan ways. He narrates how the Byzantines galvanized the Rhos into conversion by their persuasive words and rich presents, including gold, silver, and precious tissues. He also repeats a traditional story that the pagans were particularly impressed by a miracle. A gospel book was thrown by the archbishop into an oven and was not damaged. The Gotlanders are accordingly present in Miklagarðr from the beginning of the Macedonian Renaissance, that resulted in the Macedonian art, a period in Byzantine developement of art which began following the death of Emperor Theophilus in 842 and the lifting of the ban on icons, iconoclasm.

The Gotlanders are the first to make crucixes in wood from crucifixes made in ivory in Miklagar∂r (Constantinople). And the first Baptismal fonts in stone are also made in Gotland. The Gotlandic Merchant Republic was an independant republic ruled by Gutna althingi, and not part of Scandinavia.

To sum up the Byzantine influence

In the sense of its cultural development Gotland is in the 800s-1100s very closely linked to the Byzan-tine Macedonian Renaissance art ( 867- 1056 ).

The Gotlandic merchants in Miklagar∂r have in 866 so eagerly conversed to Christianity that the patriarch Photios found it necessary to send a bishop to Gotland. In 911 the Gotlandic Varangians obtained a very favourable document that confirmed their living quarters in Miklagar∂r. This was confirmation of an earlier trade agreement from the 860s. It was signed by Emperor Leo VI, who was the grandson to the Gotlandic Varangian Ingr, and 15 named

Gotlandic merchants. In 912 the Arabic author al-Marwazi writes that now had the Gotlandic merchants fully embraced the Christian faith and abandoned their wild pagan ways and raids.

The Gotlander’s stay in Miklagar∂r coincides with the Macedonian Renaissance. It sets its mark on the early Gotlandic churches in the 900s and 1000s. We know from the Patriarch Photios, in his cir-cular letter in 867 to the eastern bishops, that the Gotlanders had, after the Bulgarians, accepted the Christian faith.

Jordanes writes

:“The same mighty sea has also in its arctic region, that is in the north, a great island named Scandza, from which my tale ( by God’s grace ) shall take its beginning. For the race whose origin you ask to know burst forth like a swarm of bees from the midst of this island and came into the land of Europe. But how or in what wise we shall explain hereafter, if it be the Lord’s will.“ “And at the farthest bound of its western expanseit has another island named THULE, of which the Mantuan bard makes mention: And Farthest THULE shall serve thee.” It was not just in the sense of national pride that he could say “Scandza insula quasi ofcina gentium aut certe velut vagina nationum” (

Scandza, as from a hive of races or a womb of nations ).It is as much a telling characteristic of a world history that says that the Goths came from the island Gothi scandza or just Scandza which is straight ou tof the Vistula mouth and looks like a lemon leave. In addition, he says that ‘Gothiscandza’ was located at the side of THULE.

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CLAN CARRUTHERS INT SOCIETY CCIS HISTORIAN AND GENEALOGIST

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Gutland / Gotland, Uncategorized

CLAN CARRUTHERS – THE GOTHS

March 1, 2019March 15, 2021 ClanCarruthers

THE GOTHS

The Goths were a number of Germanic tribes in the Migration Period, which appeared in written history in the third century in the areas north of the Black Sea between the rivers Danube and Don. Except for frequent raids, they invaded the Roman Empire first time in 268 AD, and later in 376 AD. The Western Goths settled a few years in the Garonne valley in France until they conquered a kingdom, which included Spain and the South of France. In France, they were displaced by the Franks after a few years, and Spain was in 711 AD conquered by Muslim invaders – but the Goths descendants took the country back in the Middle Ages. The Eastern Goths established a thriving kingdom in Italy, but after only 67 years, they were defeated by armies sent by the emperor in Constantinople.

A map of Europe showing the Germanic kingdoms that were established after the downfall of the Western Roman Empire. After numerous battles and long migrations, the Western Goths managed to settle in Spain and the Eastern Goths to take possession of Italy. However, it did not last forever. From ancientweb.org.

An artistic reconstruction of the Western Goths in battle with Attila’s Huns at Chalons. From ancientweb.org.

When the first Goths arrived at the northern coast of the Black Sea about 170 AD, the climate was still influenced by the Roman Warm Period, which, however, ended about 400 AD. The Vandals crossed the frozen Rhine new year’s eve 406 AD, thus commencing the Migration time and heralding the downfall of the Western Roman Empire. The fact that the Rhine was frozen, testifies to a rather cold climate. I do not recall the Rhine has been frozen in modern times. From then on, until the disaster at Guadalete in Spain in 711 AD, when the Western Goths were defeated by invading Muslims, the climate was cold with snowy winters in northern and central Europe.

GOTHS ARE FROM GOTLAND

JUTLAND WAS GOTLAND

Goths can be traced further back in history to today’s northern Poland, and even in the distant past to their origins in Scandinavia and the Baltic area.

Thus Jutland through thousand years was called Gotland.

Paul the Deacon tells about how the Langobards migrated from their original island in the ocean: “Now when the people living there had multiplied to such a number that they could no longer live together, they divided, it is told, their whole people into three parts and decided by casting lots, which of those, who were to leave the homeland and seek new places of residence.” Dudo confirmed many years later that it was a traditional way of solving problems of overpopulation in Scandinavia.

Also, the Gotland Gute Saga says that some of the people were taken for emigration by casting lot: “After a long time, the people have so increased that the country was not able to feed them all. So the land was distributed, on which every third tilled, each of these was allowed to keep and bring and take away everything, which he in his life had acquired.”

Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) wrote: “Pytheas says that the Gutones, ( plural for Goths ) a people of Germania, inhabits the shores of an estuary of the Ocean called Mentonomon, their territory extending a distance of six thousand stadia; that, at one day’s sail from this territory, is the Isle of Abalus, upon the shores of which, amber is thrown up by the waves in spring, it being an excretion of the sea in a concrete form; as, also, that the inhabitants use this amber by way of fuel, and sell it to their neighbours, the Teutones.”

*** THROUGH ALL THE DNA AND GENEALOGY WE DO NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE GOTHS WERE GERMANIC. THE LIGHTER GREEN COLOR IS GOTLAND NO EARLIER THAN 200 AD. YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WAS JUST A SMALL TRIBUTARY THAT THEY NAVIGATED THROUGH. THE RED LINE WITH ARROW SHOWS THE NORTHERN BORDER OF GOTLAND. ***

Plinius wrote: “Pytheas says that the Gutones, a people of Germany, inhabit the shores of an estuary of the Ocean called Mentonomon, their territory extending a distance of six thousand stadia.” Other ancient writers also believed that the Baltic Sea and inner Danish waters was a major estuary.
Procopius wrote about the returning Heruls: “After these, they passed by the nations of the Dani, without suffering violence at the hands of the barbarians there. Coming thence to the ocean, they took to the sea, and putting in at Thule, remained there on the island.” – “And one of their most numerous nations is the Gauti, and it was opposite (next to?) them that the incoming Eruli settled at the time in question.” We must believe that Procopius shared the ancient authors believe that the Danish waters and the Baltic Sea was a large estuary, in which case it “opposite the Goths” can be understood: on the opposite side of the estuary. Alternatively, it should be translated “next to the Goths.” However, in both cases, suggesting that the Heruls were not Goths.

WE KNOW THAT THE HERULS WERE RELATED TO THE GOTHS, THEY WERE THE ANCIENT PREDESSESORS TO THE GOTHS. WE DO HAVE THE CARRUTHERS GENEALOGY TRACED BACK TO THE HERULS THROUGH BOTH DNA AND GENEALOGY.

There is some uncertainty about how long a stadium was, the proposals vary between 160 and 192 m. That means that the coastline, which was inhabited by Gutones, was between 960 and 1.152 km. long. That gives a range from Skagen to the Vistula estuary at Gdansk.

It suits very well with that the Jutland peninsula before the Viking Age was called Gotland, as it is the case in Ottar’s travelogue, added in Alfred the Great’s translation of Orosius’ Roman history from about 850 AC: “When he sailed there from Skíringssal (at Oslo), Denmark was on the port side and to starboard for three days was the open sea. And then, two days before he came to Hedeby, Gotland was to starboard (him wæs on þæt steorbord Gotland), and Sillende and many islands. The Angles dwelt in that area before they came here to this land.”

Since the area was inhabited by Gutones in time before Christ – according to Pytheas – and as part of it still was called Gotland 800-900 AD, it is reasonable to assume that at least the coast along Kattegat and the Baltic Sea were the Goth’s original homeland.

* DNA SHOWS THAT THERE WERE TWO LARGE ARRIVALS TO SCOTLANDS SOIL IN APPROXIMATELY 400 AD AND 850 AD. NOW THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT JUTLAND WAS GOTLAND, YOU CAN SEE HOW EASY IT WAS FOR THEM TO GO TO SCOTLAND. THEY PROBABLY WENT MANY MORE TIMES THAT JUST THE TWO. *

Ottar’s and Wulfstan’s travels according to additions in Alfred the Great’s translation of Orosius’ Roman history. Both Jutland and the island in the Baltic Sea are called Gotland. (The island of Gotland is not shown on this map).

That will indicate that Cimbri, Teutons, Angles and all other tribes, who lived along this coastline, and whose names we are not sure about, all originally have thought of themselves as kinds of Goths speaking the same language, namely Gothic.

Some believe that the Gutones on the densely populated Jutland east coast very early crossed the Kattegat and gradually populated West and East Gøta Land – and from there the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, which is what we see today.

In Alfred the Great’s translation of Orosius’ Roman history is also added Wulfstan’s travel report from a voyage from Hedeby to Truso in Vistula’s delta from about 850 AC, which reads: “Wulfstan said that he traveled from Hedeby, and that he was in Truso in seven days and nights, and that the ship all the way went under sail. Wendland was on his starboard side and to port, he had Langeland, Lolland, Falster and Scania. These countries all belong to Denmark. So we had Bornholm to port, and they have their own king. So after Bornholm we had the countries named first Blekinge, More, Oland and Gotland to port (and Gotland on bæcbord), and these countries belong to the Swedes. And we had Wendland to starboard all the way to the Vistula river mouth.” By Gotland is here obviously meant the island of Gotland or maybe the coast of Eastern Gøtaland.

Gothic cross found in Spain perhaps from 700’s.

Ptolemy placed the people Goutai on the island of Skandia and the Gudones by the Vistula river.

The Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus described the location of the Gotones as: “Beyond the Lugii is the monarchy of the Gotones: The hand upon the reins closes somewhat tighter here than among the other tribes of Germans, but not so tight yet as to destroy freedom. Then immediately following them and on the ocean are the Rugii and Lemovii. The distinguishing features of all these tribes are round shields, short swords, and a submissive bearing before their kings.” This means that Gotones, who was ruled by powerful kings, lived north or northeast of the Lugii and further inland than the Rugii and Lemovii, which he explicitly stated as residing at the sea. Perhaps Gotones lived at the Vistula river.

Jordanes located the peoples Ostro-Goths, Ewa-Greutingis and Gaiti-Goths on the island of Scandia. Gauti-Goths were “a race of men bold and quick to fight”, he wrote, and further, “But still another race dwells there, the Sweans, who like the Thuringos, having splendid horses.” With the term “another race” he must have meant that they were not Goths. “All these nation surpassed the Germans in size and spirit, and fought with the cruelty of wild beasts”, he concluded the description of the peoples on the Scandinavian peninsula.

Right and left side of a lance head with runic inscription found near Kovel in the Northwest corner of Ukraine. The runic inscription to be read from right to left “Tilarids”. It has been identified as likely East Germanic, most likely Gothic because of the nominative s-suffix. It is from the beginning of the third century. From Wikipedia.

He mentions different tribes of Goths, who lived on the island of Skandia, including Greutingis and Ostro-Goths, which names we later recognize for Gothic peoples on the Danube and in Italy. This makes it likely that it is true that the Goths, who attacked the Roman Empire, originally came from Scandinavia and the coasts of the Baltic Sea. Furthermore, there are several areas of southern Scandinavia, which have been called, or still are named as Gotland with different spellings, which also support the theory that this region was the original homeland of the Goths. In his report on the Gothic war in Italy, Procopius mentions the Rugi, as part of the Goths in Italy; they are also referred to by Jordanes as one of Skandia’s indigenous tribes. They are also mentioned in other ancient sources.

Pollen analysis from Abkjær Mose at Vojens. It appears that forest, especially beech and ash, increases sharply and herbs typical of open land, grass and heather decrease immediately after the migration time around 500 AD indicating that the forest returned to areas that previously were pastures for cattle. Similar studies in other parts of the country show the same pattern. It is reasonable to interpret that this could be due to emigration.
Also, Procopius reports on the returning Heruls suggests that Scandinavia was quite thinly populated. For how could they just “settle down”, as if they came to an untouched prairie? If not the country had been relatively sparsely populated.
However, when large parts of the original population had turned their back to good pastures, it may not only have been hunger and misery that drove them to emigrate.
It is known that for several hundred years of the late Imperial time the Roman legions were mostly populated with various Germanic soldiers since the Roman Empire’s own citizens did not seem to have been suitable. You could say that every Roman legion was a sort of Foreign Legion, in which also many young men from the South Scandinavian region must have served. Therefore the tribes around the Baltic Sea may have concluded that they were the best and the bravest – and therefore deserved to rule. Such attitudes among the Germanic tribes were most likely critical to the doom of the Western Roman Empire.

All these ancient authors wrote before official correct spelling was invented; they wrote in different languages with different alphabets and over a period of several hundred years. They reproduced words for Goths that often for them were in an unfamiliar language, besides most likely Gothic by this time had already developed in several dialects. It is quite understandable that they spelled it in so many different ways, and we do not have to connect any deeper meaning in the different spellings.

Like other Germanic peoples the Goths lived spread out over farmland in small villages with each may be about 8-10 houses and farms.

In Book III of Justinian’s wars, Procopius wrote about the Goths’ early history: “Now while Honorius was holding the imperial power in the West, barbarians took possession of his land; and I shall tell, who they were and in what manner, they did so. There were many Gothic nations in earlier times, just as also at the present, but the greatest and most important of all are the Goths, Vandals, Visigoths, and Gepaedes. In ancient times, however, they were named Sauromatae and Melanchlaeni; and there were some too, who called these nations Getic. All these, while they are distinguished from one another by their names, as has been said, do not differ in anything else at all. For they all have white bodies and fair hair and are tall and handsome to look upon, and they use the same laws and practice a common religion. For they are all of the Arian faith (Christians ) , and have one language called Gothic; and, as it seems to me, they all came originally from one tribe, and were distinguished later by the names of those who led each group.”

Procopius is undoubtedly correct that most Germanic migrations peoples were a kind of Goths; they resembled each other and spoke largely the same language. But then they must originally have come from the same tribe, as he wrote. That is, we must believe that they all came more or less directly from the original Gothic area along the Baltic Sea, the Danish waters and from the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Procopius believed that also the Vandals and Gepids were kinds of Goths, although they were not generally named as such.

Moreover, in Denmark are clear indications of a big drop in population density in Germanic Iron Age relative to the Roman Iron Age, which indicates a considerable migration.

* TORE GANNAHORN HAS DONE SOME EXTENSIVE RESEARCH INTO GOTLAND. ONE BASIC ITEM HE FOUND OUT FOR US WAS THE GOTHS THAT TRAVELED TO THE EAST OF GOTLAND, TRAVELED DOWN THE RIVERS TO WHAT IS TODAY UKRAINE, THROUGH ROMANIA AND SUCH. MANY ARE FINDING A DNA LINK TO ROMANIA, AND THIS IS WHY. THE GOTHS THAT TRAVELED WEST, WERE THE ONES WHO WENT TO IRELAND , SCOTLAND, WALES AND BRITTAN. *

Preserving the Past, Recording the Present, Informing the Future

Ancient and Honorable Carruthers Clan Int Society

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Dr Patricia Carrothers

Reviewed by Tammy Wise CHS

CLAN SEANACHAIDHI

CLAN CARRUTHERS INT SOCIETY CCIS HISTORIAN AND GENEALOGIST

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THE LANDSCAPE GENEALOGY OF GOTLAND

The Indo-Germanic immigration

Astronomical calendars

Bronze Age about 1800 – 500 BCE

Late Bronze Age, 1000-500 BCE

The coming of the Iron Age

Gotlandic trade expansion

Celtic Iron Age 300 BCE to zero

Celtic La Tène artefacts

Roman contacts, First century

The Stavgard area

The Baltic Sea Region

Markomannic influence

Gotlandic Early picture stones

Picture stones showing travel

Macedonian Renaissance

To sum up the Byzantine influence

Jordanes writes

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THE GOTHS

GOTHS ARE FROM GOTLAND

JUTLAND WAS GOTLAND

Goths can be traced further back in history to today’s northern Poland, and even in the distant past to their origins in Scandinavia and the Baltic area.

Thus Jutland through thousand years was called Gotland.

** WE KNOW THAT THE HERULS WERE RELATED TO THE GOTHS, THEY WERE THE ANCIENT PREDESSESORS TO THE GOTHS. WE DO HAVE THE CARRUTHERS GENEALOGY TRACED BACK TO THE HERULS THROUGH BOTH DNA AND GENEALOGY. **

There is some uncertainty about how long a stadium was, the proposals vary between 160 and 192 m. That means that the coastline, which was inhabited by Gutones, was between 960 and 1.152 km. long. That gives a range from Skagen to the Vistula estuary at Gdansk.

Since the area was inhabited by Gutones in time before Christ – according to Pytheas – and as part of it still was called Gotland 800-900 AD, it is reasonable to assume that at least the coast along Kattegat and the Baltic Sea were the Goth’s original homeland.

*** DNA SHOWS THAT THERE WERE TWO LARGE ARRIVALS TO SCOTLANDS SOIL IN APPROXIMATELY 400 AD AND 850 AD. NOW THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT JUTLAND WAS GOTLAND, YOU CAN SEE HOW EASY IT WAS FOR THEM TO GO TO SCOTLAND. THEY PROBABLY WENT MANY MORE TIMES THAT JUST THE TWO. ***

Ottar’s and Wulfstan’s travels according to additions in Alfred the Great’s translation of Orosius’ Roman history. Both Jutland and the island in the Baltic Sea are called Gotland. (The island of Gotland is not shown on this map).

That will indicate that Cimbri, Teutons, Angles and all other tribes, who lived along this coastline, and whose names we are not sure about, all originally have thought of themselves as kinds of Goths speaking the same language, namely Gothic.

Some believe that the Gutones on the densely populated Jutland east coast very early crossed the Kattegat and gradually populated West and East Gøta Land – and from there the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, which is what we see today.

Gothic cross found in Spain perhaps from 700’s.

Ptolemy placed the people Goutai on the island of Skandia and the Gudones by the Vistula river.

Like other Germanic peoples the Goths lived spread out over farmland in small villages with each may be about 8-10 houses and farms.

Moreover, in Denmark are clear indications of a big drop in population density in Germanic Iron Age relative to the Roman Iron Age, which indicates a considerable migration.

Preserving the Past, Recording the Present, Informing the Future

Ancient and Honorable Carruthers Clan Int Society

carruthersclan1@gmail.com carrothersclan@gmail.com

You can find us on facebook at :

WE KNOW THAT THE HERULS WERE RELATED TO THE GOTHS, THEY WERE THE ANCIENT PREDESSESORS TO THE GOTHS. WE DO HAVE THE CARRUTHERS GENEALOGY TRACED BACK TO THE HERULS THROUGH BOTH DNA AND GENEALOGY.

* DNA SHOWS THAT THERE WERE TWO LARGE ARRIVALS TO SCOTLANDS SOIL IN APPROXIMATELY 400 AD AND 850 AD. NOW THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT JUTLAND WAS GOTLAND, YOU CAN SEE HOW EASY IT WAS FOR THEM TO GO TO SCOTLAND. THEY PROBABLY WENT MANY MORE TIMES THAT JUST THE TWO. *