[gothic-l] The Goths, Crimean Goths, Guths, and Gutland

[Bertil Häggman]

Esteemed listmembers,

Here is the mythical first lines in the Guta Saga:

"Gutland first found a man called Tjelvar. At that time
Gutland was so enchanted that it during day sank,
and in the night was up. This man first carried fire to
this land, and after that it never sank again."

The saga was written sometime during  the 13th or 14th centuries.

Bronze Age

A typical graveform under this period in Gotland is the
ship tumulus, stones raised in the form of a ship. A new
religion - the suncult, and a new burialform - the cremation
started. Another burialform was the large stoneheaps,
which are called royr in Gutnish. They are to be seen all
over Gotland. There are a few stoneheaps that are as large
as 50 metres across. A few examples of the biggest ones are
Bro Stainkalm, Uggarde royr in Rone and Angantyrs royr in
Groetlingbo. These graves show that the person must have
been important, probably a chief of some sort. The grave
consists of a center, a room of wood or flagstones where the
body is. This room was covered with stones to form a pile, but
after some time this room fell in and a crater was formed in the
middle.

On Gotland there are about 500 bronze findings, which means
that Gutland must have had an important role in bronzetrade in
northern Europe. Gutlands central position in the Baltic sea
was perfect for trading. The findings are both single items like
needles, razorknifes and tweezers which have been laid in
graves, and larger items which have been placed in the earth
for other reasons. Gutnish ship tumulus in places like Smaaland
in Sweden and in the Baltic regions shows that the Guths had
firm contacts both to the west and the east.

The Guths imported all bronze but soon learnt how to cast and
decorated their own products, and soon developed an own
individual form in creating.

Preroman Iron Age

The years before the birth of Christ normally indicates a cultural
downperiod in Scandinavia, though this does not seem to include
Gotland. The Celtic conquest of Middle Europe cut off the Scandinavian
peoples contacts with the Mediteranean countries, but Gotland
managed to keep its position, and shows rich gravefinds and
burialsites from this era.

Roman Iron Age

The first years of the Iron Age, after the Birth of Christ represents a rich
period in Gutnish history. The graves from this period are full of roman
products, bronzekettles, winescoopes and glass, and the Gutnish
pottery recieves wellturned, classical forms. The imperial silvercoin-
findings from this period are overwelming.

The Great Migration Age

The 5th century B.C. was a troubled time in Europe. The Gothic tribes
challenged the Roman empire. Gutland may have been an island
from where the Goths migrated in 300 BC as from Goetaland
on the Scandinavian peninsula (the Scandza of Jordanes). The Great
Migration Age period became tough for the Guths too. Their wealth
tempted many people to plunder the island. A great amount of treasures
and abandoned houses from the period shows this. About 1500 foundations
for houses that we know of are from this period, so called "kempgravar" in
Gutnish.

Something unique for Gotland under this period is the "bildstain",
or picturestone. These are large raised stones that were carved
and painted on, and told of stories or events. Sometimes showing
mythological creatures and tales, for example paintings of Odin
on his eightfooted horse. A common motive are ships full with
men often dressed in armour.

Viking Age

As almost all the Gutnish history show of a rich and prosperous society,
the Viking Age is no exception. With a long tradition of international
contacts and trade that continued through the Viking Age and into the
Middle Ages, the Guths traveled down the Russian rivers to the Black Sea
in an old Gutnish tradition, maybe keeping the contacts with Gutnish
and Gothnic settlemens on Krym in Ukraine.

A veritable flood of Arabian coins spread over Gutland, and rich
findings of Arabian, English and other foreign coins show of an intense
trading during this era. But the many treasures from this time also
indicates that this was a troublesome period in Gutnish history, probably
because of plundering and invasion from other people. At the end of the
Viking Age Gotland officially converted to Christianity. The Norwegian king
Olav Haraldsson is said to have played a vital part in its christening. It is
said that he visited northern Gotland. Today there is a chapel on S.t Olofsholm
called S.t Olofs Chapel. S:t Olof also became Gotlands most important saint.

The first runestones on Gotland are from this era, and they are all written
in the Gutnish language.

The Middle Ages

Until 1361 Gutland was a well organised autonomous republic. Gotland had
at this time many different trading stations around its coast, and was very
active in trade both with Russia, the Baltic states, Germany, England and
Flanders. The Guths made favourable deals with emperor Lothar, Henry
the Lion in Sachsen and the Grand Duke in Novgorod, where they had a
trading settlement called Guta gard or Gotenhof in Low German.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, trading took a turn when the trade was
concentrated to Visby with its different trading settlements and their churches.
Gutland was still prosperous though tension grew between land and city, and
in 1288 a civilwar struck Gotland and Visby became in reality an independent
republic. Around this period the inhabitants of Visby build a great wall around
the city and the separation is a fact.

Thanks to Propago for much of the info.

Gothically

Bertil



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