[gothic-l] Odin's Travel to the West and the Goths

[Bertil Häggman]

Keth,

Just talked to an American news magazine
on Dr. Heyerdahl's present research with
connection to the Caspian Sea, Azerbaidjan
and the "Aesir".

It is important that he brings up this old question
of Odin of the Aeisir clan, the Emperor Tyrkjakonungr
(=Asa-Odin). Odin's journey deserves
attention from Gardariki to the west and to
the north.

This clearly has a connection also with the
Goths. Note for instance Jordanes in _Getica_
41: "Now Mars (=Gaut, Odin) has always been
worshipped by the Goths with cruel rites, and
captives were slain as his victims. They thought
that he who is the lord of war ought to be
appeased by the shedding of human blood. To him
they devoted the first share of spoil, and in his
honour arms stripped from the foe were suspended
from trees."

What do you think of the Vandals as a Gothic people?
In my view the only gothic peoples were the Goths
and the Gepids.

Gothically

Bertil

> I've heard some radio programs with Heyerdahl, and some only
> referring to his theories.
>
> It is however more general than just Odin.
> He thinks the name "Aserbadjan" has something to do with
> "Aesir". (I know, there should be an "n" there)
>
> So he thinks a group of people came from those regions to Scandinavia
> a long time ago. There are also many rockcarvings there, btw.
> I think also there was the ship "Skidbladner" wasn't that the ship
> that could be folded up ? Well, he thinks they had ships of hides
> that also could be folded up for transport over land between waterways.
> Don't remember all details, but it is a beautiful and interesting
> region.
>
> Also, a Norwegian traditional musician visited Aserbadjan "to compare
> notes" as it were. And to his amazement, he found that the traditional
> music there was exactly the kind found in Norway.
> This kind of very old extatic music can have existed in larger areas
> of Europe before - but it was displaced by the Gregorian type of music
> in continental Europe. Only in isolated valleys in Norway, places that
> were without roads until barely a 100 years ago, did this music survive,
> in so-called cultural "pockets". He also said, in a radio interview,
> this kind of music is also described in the Bosa saga (saga of Bose and
> Herraud), where it has the same name as it still has in Norway.
> The context of the Bosa saga, is however in Russia with som Finnish
> peoples who worshipped a God called Jomali, who is also mentioned
> in the Saga. And there was indeed such a God in Russia or in Karelen
> or in the Perm area, because the name has been confirmed in other sources.
>
> So there probably was "an eastern connection". At least I do not find it
> unlikely. Heyerdahl has  however been heavily criticized. But he is
> already so fammous and well liked that it cannot hurt him. At least
> he opens up peoples minds towards considering the idea in some more
> detail.



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