[gothic-l] Re: Eruli

[Troels Brandt <trbrandt@post9.tele.dk>]

--- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, george knysh <gknysh at y...> wrote:
> In a chapter entitled "The ethnic structure of the
> Chernyakhiv culture", Mahomedov devotes a few
> paragraphs to the Eastern Eruli (cf. p. 119). He
> identifies them with the following archaeological
> items: "long houses" (esp. "3-naved" ones),
> "monster"-fibulae, runic inscriptions, iron combs, and
> amphorae of the Olbian type. From c. 250 through 400,
> he thinks that the Eruli lived in scattered
> communities across Ukraine and Moldavia, but
> principally between the rivers Boh(g) and Seret, where
> 15 of the 20 known "long house" settlements have been
> excavated. M. believes that most Eruli were relocated
> to the mouth of the Don by the Huns. The archaeology
> of late Tanais (ca. 400-450) has a distinctly Erulian
> appearance. This is where, opines M., the E. acquired
> some of those steppe characteristics ("swiftness") for
> which they were later known in the West. Tanais was
> abandoned in the mid-5th c., which may be correlated
> with the Erulian participation in Attila's war with Aetius.


Thanks George - This is interesting.

The positions make sense regarding your earlier explanation of the
Greek name, but the dating does not correspond with the history
unless this was a small group going to Tanais. It is not likely that
they should be able to get a strong kingdom in Moravia in at least
the last quarter of the 5th century if they did not join the Gepidian
uprise against the Huns. It would make more sense if they moved to
Tanais 350-400 AD after they were defeated by Ermaneric - and then
followed the Huns and Alans.

How certain is his dating?
Is the dating based on the assumption, that the Alans had left?
How is "distinctly Erulian appearence" defined in Ukraine?
Has he compared with Moravia 450-500?
Could this be remains from another Gothic tribe as some runes were
found in Rumania too?
Has this any connection with the Crimean Goths?
Where were these runes placed? (I am of course also interested in a
copy like Jeff if it is convenient)

Troels



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