construction of gothic scandinavian urheimat

[Michael Erwin]

On May 2, 2008, at 5:51 AM, Michal Cigan wrote:
> Hi,
> some times (maybe year/s) ago i saw a piece on this board
> treating of (or better linking to) the theory, that Goths
> did not came from Scandinavia, but rather they - or their
> group identity - were established only later and on another place;  
> from germanic tribes living beside roman limes (if I remember  
> correct the topic of the piece). Could someone remind me the source  
> of this theory; book, or maybe make correct this my opinion, if my  
> flashback is more or less wrong...
>
> Michal
>

Well, there are several different theories involved.

Identity isn't something fixed, it is continually renewed and  
redefined, and Gothic identity may have been sharply redefined in the  
mid third and late fourth centuries, and more slowly redefined at  
other times.

The most skeptical interpretation treats the Scandinavian origin- 
legend as a sixth-century myth, doing for the Goths what the Trojan  
origin-legend did for the Romans.

Another interpretation starts Gothic identity with the Weilbark  
culture, or later with the Chernyakhovo culture, and traces various  
influences from older groups and contacts with neighboring groups.  
Weilbark certainly had ties to other cultures on the Baltic.

Does it help to consider the Scandinavian ties the single origin of  
the early Goths and all the other ties as mere influences on the early  
Goths? It depends what you're doing.

Does it help to consider the Weilbark culture the single origin of the  
middle Goths and the other contributors to the Chernyakhov culture as  
mere influences on the middle Goths? If you are studying the Gothic  
language, sure, it has definite affinities with other Germanic  
languages (which points towards Weilbark) and more affinities with  
North Germanic ones (especially Gutnish) than West Germanic ones. If  
you are studying Gothic pottery, no.
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