[gothic-l] Re: Heyerdahl searching for Odin

[dirk at SMRA.CO.UK]

--- In gothic-l at y..., Nikolai <gothologist at y...> wrote:
> >    Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 06:44:27 -0000
> >    From: dirk at s...
> >   Subject: Heyerdahl searching for Odin
> >
> > The following URL of the BBC reports that the famous Norwegian
> > archaeologist and explorer Thor Heyerdahl is now searching for
> > traces of Odin in South Russia. I know this is slighly
> off-topic, but it is
> > funny nonetheless. Heyerdahl apparently believes that the
> Norse god
> > Odin was a real South Russian king, who lived in the first
> century BC.
> > The text doesn't say it, but I guess Heyerdahl believes that
> the Goths
> > brought the Odin believe to Europe.
>
> Uh, ...no, Dirk.
> Prof. Heyerdahl is 'not' saying that 'Goths' brought the
> Odin/Odinn/Odhinn belief to Europe. What he is saying (Which may
> better to help prove those of you who feel Goths did Not
> originate from Scandza) is that instead of Vikings making their
> way into the Russian interior between 8th century CE and 11th
> century CE and possibly helping to further establish what is the
> modern Russian/Muscovite state ...that perhaps it was the other
> way around ...originally. Perhaps the Varangian Rus' (not
> necessarily in name) came from southern Russian/Ukraine and
> migrated north and northwest, eventually coming to the
> Scandinavian peninsula, hell and gone from that pesky Roman
> Empire who felt it necessary to continually invade into
> established territories not belonging to the Roman Empire.



Hi Nikolai,

I actually indicated that Thor Heyerdahl did not say that the Goths
brought the Odin belief to Europe, but rather that this was my own
speculation. The whole BBC report did not take this venture entirely
seriously as far as I could gather. However, my understanding is that
Heyerdahl believes that this Odin was a real king in the first century
BC, meaning that if the Scandinavians originated from South Russia
they would have migrated northwards at around this time. Interesting,
but is that really a viable theory???



Cheers
Dirk




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