[gothic-l] Re: Eruli

[Dr. Dirk Faltin <dirk@smra.co.uk>]

> Of course we will be patient. You have already been to a great
help.
> Regarding the Hari-connection it is interesting that a fibula with
> the inscription "Hariso" was found in Himlingoeje at Sealand - by
> some archaeologists regarded as one of the first chieftain seats
and
> tradingplaces of the Dani. This society existed 160-365 AD when the
> Vistula-traderute was one of the important trade routes between the
> Roman Empire and the Baltic Sea. The name "Hariso" is also found at
a
> Herulian tombstone in Concordia. Much earlier we had the "Harigast"-
> inscription at the Negauer-helmet in Slovenia (Dirk found an
article
> combining this with the first runes) - and in the 6/7th century we
> had a runic "Hariwulf"-inscription at the coast of Blekinge in the
> territory of the Dani. Maybe just coincidenses, but combining my
> initial "Erilar"-question to the linguists with your information,
it
> is interesting. Around half of the "Erilar"-inscriptions are in or
> close to the old area of the Dani.



Hi Troels,

I think the component 'Hari-' and similar might be too common as a
pointer for any ethnic attributions etc. As examples, we have Hariulf
(a Burgundian in Trier, 4th cent.); Ulfhari a Saxon, runic 3rd cent.;
Inghari a Saxon, runic 3rd cent.; Harietto a Frank 4th cent. (?) also
Haribert as Frankish royal name and equivalently Aripert as
Langobardic royal name. Overall, I think the component 'Hari' etc
(i.e. Army, germ. Heer) is common Germanic and not specific to Heruli
or any other group.

Cheers,
Dirk

PS With regards to the overall discussion, I find the attribution of
certain house types (3-naved long houses) to the Heruli highly
questionable. Three-naved long houses, were common in many Germanic
areas. Similarly, iron combs are found in the Wielbark culture and
among other groups. If anything they likely had a geographical
distribution not an ethnic distribution. The same is true for
the 'grosse monstroese' Fibula-type. This fibula has a fairly wide
distribution and cannot be linked to one specific tribe the the
Heruli. Finally, the attempts to link runic objects to Heruli is in
my view a very old and misguided approach based on this assumption
that the Heruls/Erilar are the 'original runic masters'. Finally, as
you correctly pointed out the reference that the Dani expelled the
Heruli does not refer to the 3rd century; again this is an mis-
interpretation of earlier scholarship.












>
>
> > ****GK: I think it is based on the assumption that
> > since there are no "datable" Erulian/East Germanic
> > objects around the Don delta after ca. 450 AD then the
> > Eruli et al. had left. I think many Alans stayed
> > behind however. (The later "Yassi"=As).*****
>
>
> It will make sense that they here learned to be horsemen as the
> people from the plains - and that they in this way got the Iranian
> influence in some of their names - earlier discussed at this list.
> The "As"-name inspired Heyerdahl, but the Scandinavian scholars
> killed that idea by referring to "Ansu".
>
> Troels


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