[gothic-l] Re: Sacrifice cycles

[Troels Brandt]

Hi Ingemar

>Ingemar wrote:
> 
> Examinations of a.e. Swedish and Danish grave monuments from stone- 
and
> bronze-age indicate a dependence either of the moon from full moon 
to
> full moon starting and ending in meton-cycles - that is 19 year
> periods.It goes for megalithic time also elsewhere. About 475 AD 
the law
> of Aun in Uppsala tells that sacrifice shall be every ninth year 
meaning
> a sacrifice-cycle is  eight years. Göran Henriksson assumes Roman
> influens in time measuring and before him Sune Lindqvist also 
attested
> Roman influence when digging the Uppsala howes. 
> I conclude this is well fitted in time to the estimated arrival of 
the
> continental cult of Óðinn to the Mälar valley area.

476AD was the astronomical beginning of the 304 years cycle. We do 
not know when the law of Aun/Audun?/Odin? was established, and it was 
first attested centuries later. I accept that it has something to do 
with the mounds in Uppsala, but the two mounds are from the period 
525-600AD, and the last is not dated.  

> 
> Accordingly the old Svía-cult (Suiþioþ) had a meton cycle and with 
Óðinn
> as the latest it becomes 8-year cycles. 

I agree.

> I presume Gaut was emerging from
> the 19-year cycle and that is also suggested in Skírnismál where 
Skírnir
> brings 11 apples and  Draupnir drops  eight days- or eight years in 
a
> sacrifice cycle of the new type. That makes a total sum of 19 for 
his
> gifts to Gerðr/Freja pointing backvards to a former Meton cycle.

This is only a suggestion, and Gerd/Freja are connected to the Vanes 
and later Odin, but to my knowledge not to Gaut - but I could be 
wrong. 

> The Suevi I have not examined in the same way.

OK, but how about the cult of Wodan in Germany, which you have not 
mentioned? Wodan was supposed to exist before 476.

Kindly
Troels


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