[gothic-l] Re: Heruls and Archaeology-Etymologi-Connection:Heruli-Skaldship

[einarbirg]

--- In gothic-l at y..., "Bertil Haggman" <mvk575b at t...> wrote:
> Troels,
> 
> Thank you for your valuable contributions to a discussion
> that is full of irrelevancy in some cases. An important factor 
> to be considered when discussing the relation between the 
> Eruli and Scandinavia is no doubt the relation of Procppius 
> of a characteristic custom of the Eruli (Bell. Goth. II, 14). When 
> aged people became decripit, they themselves claimed the right to
> be killed. Relatives placed the victim on a high pile of
> firewood, and he was executed by dagger. Later the
> pile was set on fire.
> 
> Such a custom existed in Smaaland Province (Vaerend district).
> There it was the local custom to kill aged people by means
> of a club. The killing of the aged is also known from many other
> parts of Gautland. One custom was to throw oneself down from
> a high rock (aetternistapi), 'the family rock' (see Gautrek's Saga).
> This custom also existed in South Jutland (a steep cliff, the so-
called
> Endrupskov Aftaegt). I think this type of custom is one of the most 
clear
> ways of connecting the Eruli with Scandinavia.
 
    Einar, Hæ Bertil.

 Thanks for a very interesting information.                           

You mention here the word; aetternisstapi. That word is the same in 
modern Icelandic; ætternisstapi. And is very easily understandable.   

>From the Icelandic Etymological Wordbook(I.E.W)
Actually ´ætt´ does not mean ´family´. It means; 
´kyn,frændlið,ættbálkur´. Kyn means; kin,kindred,extraction.          
Frændlið means; your relatives in general. Ættbálkur means; 
clan,tribe.                                                           
In gothic; ´aihts´ means something you own(that is your property) and 
in Old Irish; ´icht´ meaning; tribe,clan.

This ´erni´ has no meaning. It is a suffix. Very commonly used in 
Icelandic. Like; bróðerni,faðerni etc.

´stapi´ means many things. Like; cliff,rock(usually flat on the 
top),small mountain(flat on the top). Very much used in place names 
in Iceland.                                                           
In Old High German; ´stuof(f)a´.

They say here in one book that ´ætternisstapi´ was a rock,cliff 
situated on the border of a lake or sea! and there people commited 
suicide.
In Gautrek´s Saga they say; ´ganga fyrir ætternisstapa´ which means 
to die or commit suicide. The same phrase,saying, is used today in 
modern Icelandic. This ´ganga fyrir´ indicates that people were 
committing suicide. They were not killed but committed suicide by 
throwing themselves down a cliff.

So we,modern Icelanders seem to be still using the same phrase,saying 
as the Heruli might have.

> 
> There has also been a few articles on the Eruli language being
> reflected in the Blekinge dialect (see bibliographic note under-
> neath). 
  
           Einar; Very interesting. I have to take a look.
> 
> A few additional words on the Erulic names:
> 
> Alvith = 'All-wood', 'sanctuary-wood' (?)

     Einar, Why not ´alvitur´?? It means; the wise man,the 
knowledgeable person,the person who knows everything. Well, it means 
the same in modern Icelandic. 
I think it was one of the names used for Óðinn.That is one of his 
names.

> Fara = the element -far is Burgundian, Lombard, or Anglian, but 
> above all East Danish.
> 
> Fulkaris = Old High German Folch-heri (?). Note the Danish 
> geographical name Fulcarslef on the island of Falster.
> 
> Hariso = occurs on a clasp found at Himlingøje on the 
> Danish island of Zealand. Note Old Norse hersir = 'sheriff'.

 Einar; I think that ´hersir´ means; ´höfðingji´(not sheriff). That 
is; chief,headman  of a tribe,clan etc,chieftain.           
Same as; *harisja-; that is the Herulic name ´Hariso´. A woman´s name 
in Old Norse is; ´Hariso´ 

A related word is; ´hersing´ meaning, ´group,many people´ Somekind of 
a army, seems to me. Not used today but I understand it.

´herjan´ is a wolfsname. (according to E.A.Kock 1933). Likely from 
´herja´ and ´her´. ´her´ means; army,group of figthers.
´Herjan´ is one of the names used for Óðinn. Comes from 
´her´,<*harjanar, that is ´þjóðann,þjóð´ and is a word used for 
descriping the person ruling a army,group of figthers.

I have this from the Icelandic Etymological Wordbook.

 
> 
> (H)aruth = compare Jutlandic people name Harudes and 
> Norwegian Hordhar. The original Erulic form seems to be 
> 
> (H)aordos (see Procopius, who uses the version Aordos three times). 

  Einar; The name ´(H)aordos´ is the Icelandic name ´Hörður´ that is 
very commonly used today. A man´s name.
>From I.E.W.; Could be from Gotish ´hardus´ but is more likely 
connected to ´Hörðar´ . As an example they take here a Old Swedish 
rune inscription ´Haruþs´(man´s name).

And ´Hörðar´ are the people of ´Hörðaland,Hordaland´ in Norway. The 
origin of the word is not known. Could be, like in Old English 
´harað,hared´ which means ´forest´ . Could be from Old Irish; 
´caur,cur´ meaning ´hero´. The origin is debated.

> 
> (H)rodvulf = 'honour-wolf' (similar names exist in Denmark and 
Norway). 

  Einar: Lot´s of names in Iceland have this ´hróður´ in a name. 
Like; Hróðmar,Hrólfur,Hróðmundur and Hrólfdís(woman´s name).
The word ´Rudolf´ is two words; ´hróður´and ´wulf´ .                  
In Old High German; ´Hrodulf,Hruodolf´. Of course put together from 
the words; ´Hroth´ and ´wolf´.(from Old High German).That is put 
together from; ´hróður´and ´úlfur´(Icelandic).                 
The Icelandic name ´Hrólfur´ is the same word as ´Hruodwulf,Hrodulf´
(from Old High German) from ´hróður´ and ´úlfur´. The name 
´Hrólfur´means; ´famous wolf´

I do not agree that ´hróður´ means ´honor´. And that is not the 
meaning in modern Icelandic. 
According to I.E.W then ´hróður´ means; 
´frægð,orðstír,kveðskapur,kvæði´. Frægð is; fame,glory. Orðstír 
means; fame,reputation,celebrity and more.  Kveðskapur means; 
Skaldship,poetry. Kvæði means;poem,verse,song.                       
 
In gothic ´hroþeigs´. Meaning ´sigursæll,frægur´. Sigursæll means 
that he wins many battles. Frægur means; famous.
In Old Sax.´hroð´ meaning ´fame,glory´. 

So here you have evidence that some Herulic names were connected to 
poetry and Skaldship. Is that not very good! I find it good at least.

And the Icelandic word ´hróðugur´ is connected to the Gotish word 
´hroþeigs´ which means ´sigursæll´ (see above)


  Bless,bless. Einar.

> The popularity of the name Rudolph in Germany might go back to the 
> high status of this Erulic personal name. The element 'hrodh' of 
early 
> kings and priests in Norway, Denmark, and in East Anglian and 
Jutish 
> dynasties.
> 
> The Eruli probably settled in the province of Blekinge, mainly on 
the Lister 
> Peninsula. Basis for that assumption has been several runestones 
found 
> in the area: Stentoften, Gummarp, Istaby, and Sölvesborg. 
Especially 
> the Stentoften stone contains an inscription that has been 
interpreted 
> as relating to immigrants:
> 
> "The settlers,
> the newcomers
> gave Hathuwolf gifts,
> poured riches over Hariwolf."
> 
> On the Gummarp stone Hathuvolf is also mentioned 
> and the Istaby stone contains in addition to Hathuwolf 
> and Hariwolf also Haeruvolf. So in fact we are probably 
> dealing with names of three Erulic kings on the Lister 
> Peninsula.
> 
> Naturally there is speculation of a connection between Hathuvolf, 
> Harivolf and the well-known name of the Erulian King Hrodvulf 
> (Rodolfus or Rodulfus), the rex Herulorum mentioned by both 
> Procopius in History of the Wars, Chapter 14:11-21 and Paulus 
> Diaconus in Historia Langobardorum, Chapter 20. According 
> to Procopius Hrodvulf was killed 505 A.D.
> 
> The Lister Peninsula on the border between Blekinge and 
> Scania is regarded as a natural choice for immigrants to 
> settle. It is strategically situated for trading and sailing and 
> its hinterland Värend was suitable for agriculture. The 
> peninsula is close both to the rich Scania, to Blekinge and 
> the island of Bornholm.
> 
> Bibliographic notes
> 
> Jareborg, Nils, "Det heruliska arvet: Till frågan om Blekingemålens 
> hemlighet." (35 års utredande: en vänbok till Erland Aspelin. 1996
> DUS 1996:1, s. 167-183.)
> 
> Jareborg, Nils, "Gamla och nya heruler." (Blekingska Nationen 
> 1697-1997. Utg. av Johan Svensson, 1997, s. 83-89.)
> 
> Nils Jareborg, born 1938, is Professor of Criminal Law
> at Uppsala University and since 2001 Corresponding
> Fellow of the British Academy.
> 
> Erulically
> 
> Bertil
> 
> 



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