[gothic-l] Re: Goths, Eruli in the East

[einarbirg]

Hæ. I would like to quote what Sigurður Nordal  which was one of the 
most respected scholars in Iceland in the 20th century has to say 
about Barði Guðmundsson theories. 

I know this is considered off-topic. So I will have this my last 
letter and thank the List owner for his patience.                     
But all this is to establish links between the Heruli chieftainly 
families that might have emigrated to Scandinavia and the East 
Scandinavian chieftainly families that later emigrated to Iceland.    

Sigurður Nordal is obviously considered one of the most respected 
Icelandic scholars in the 20th century.                               

Quote; By the 1930´s Nordal´s international reputation was such that 
he was called to Harvard University to assume the Charles Eliot 
Norton professorship for the academic year 1931-32.......

The book Icelandic Culture(in Icelandic) was published in 1942 just a 
few years after Barði first did present his theories.
It was published in English version by Cornell University Library in 
1990.

So lets see what he has to say;....But NB not mentioning the Heruli..

In the chapter; Origin of the settlers.
Quote,page 27 and 28. Out of context.                                
"In recent years an Icelandic scholar, Barði Guðmundsson, has 
suggested a new explanation of the cause of the settlement of Iceland 
which has attracted considerable attention and therefore should be 
mentioned here. Its main points, in brief outline, are as follows;    

..............In support of Barði Guðmundsson theory may be adduced 
various arguments drawn from Icelandic archaeological remains and 
cultural conditions, from the contemporary foreign sources mentioning 
Danish domination over Norway, and even from various remnants of 
ancient traditions,preserved in Icelandic sources, which trace the 
ancestries of settlers beyond the boundaries of Norway in spite of 
the fact that the notion of their Norwegian origin prevailed among 
the saga writers of the twelfth and especially in the thirteenth 
century...............................................................
Still, it may be mentioned that both Old Icelandic sagas and modern 
investigations have yielded points which support the theory and which 
have not recieved sufficient attention..........................
It is certain too, that Icelandic antiquities from the earliest 
period in some respects differ from comparable Norwegian objects, 
whereas they show distinct connection with East Scandinavian, that is 
Swedish and Danish culture. The Norwegian archaeologist Haakon 
Shetelig, in particular, noted this and was a loss to find a 
satisfactory explanation"............................................

Einar; These are the words of Sigurður Nordal. He does not mention 
bizarre writings here. His approach is neutral and balanced. He says; 
Lets look into this matter. His successors have not been so 
openminded and therefore Barði´s reaserch have not had; sufficient 
attention. Same goes for Barði´s Heruli theories and his reaserch 
into skaldship. Of course even his reaserch into skaldship is taboo. 
Because skaldship,East Scandinavian chieftainly families and the  
descendants of the Heruli are all connected in Barði´s writings.

In this book (Icelandic Culture) there is a chapter called; The 
origin of Skaldic Poetry.
It is obvious the author does not belief the accepted theories about 
the origin of skaldship. He connects the origin to Sweden,Danmark and 
mentions the Swedish island Oland. (Where Heruli are supposed to have 
migrated to by some).

Quote page 186; .......Although it will not be discussed further 
here, it is well to mention in passing that in Skáldatal all the 
earliest skalds, who flourished before the days of King Harald 
Fairhair,(Einar.That is before 900 A.D.) are shown to have composed 
poems about Danish and Swedish kings. 
It is also notable that there exists a quarter of a stanza in 
dróttkvæð in a Swedish runic inscription as well as an entire stanza 
on a runic stone from Oland erected in a memory of a Danish 
chieftain, whereas there are no traces known to this meter in verse 
fragments preserved on Old Norwegian rune stones. This could of 
course be a coincidence; nevertheless it is strangely incongruous 
with the generally accepted view that the dróttkvætt meter was 
practiced only in Norway and in those countries which were settled 
from Norway. No vestiges of poetry in this meter have been found 
outside of Scandinavia.                                               

>From Barði Guðmundsson,quote; The blossoming of the skaldic art in 
ancient Iceland contrasts markedly with the near total disappearance 
of it in Norway after the settlement of Iceland.

Gísli Sigurðsson in his book; Gaelic influence in Iceland has similar 
views.                                                                


Thanks for your patience and for reading my letters. I wanted to make 
it clear once and for all that Barði Guðmundssons writing are not 
considered outdated,bizarre or weird in any way. Actually because of 
genetic reaserch his ideas are more important as ever.I hope my 
letters today have shown that.                              

Otherwise some of Barði´s ideas can be seen in my letter 4038 on Germ-
L.

Thanks and bless. Einar Birgisson.







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