[gothic-l] Re: Digest Number 538

[Tore Gannholm]

>
>
>Tore,
>
>I think that this is a very weak argument. Any scholar dealing with
>this subject will have to make sure that he can access all the
>relevant literature, be it in German, Polish or Swedish. If you want
>to attack the findings of these scholars on the basis that their
>language skills are insufficient to access all sources you will have
>to provide clear examples where this is the case. Also, as the
>article by Blischke shows, Gotland was the first target of interest
>when scholars tried to find the origin of the Goths. So that material
>will have been well studied.
>
>The other thing to consider is that migrations 'usually' are
>detectable in the archaeological records. Hence, archaeology can
>easily demonstrate the gradual shift of the Wielbark culture from the
>Vistula to the Ukraine and even the migration of Goths to Pannonia,
>Italy and Spain can be traced in the material culture. Why then, we
>should ask, is the supposed migration from Scandinavia or Gotland so
>illusive.
>
>You might say, because it was a gradual migration of small groups
>over a longer period of time, it did not leave any significant
>traces. Yet, that is also true for the shift from northern Poland to
>the Ukraine. This process lasted at least 100 years and is better
>described as gradual shift of small communities rather than a mass-
>migration.
>
>Also, you might say that the supposed migration from Scandinavia took
>place much earlier and traces may have been lost over time. However,
>the movements of the Przeworsk culture into the Wetterau some 300 to
>200BC is well documented, so is the migration of the Poienesti-
>Lukashevka people (Bastarni) from Jastrof areas into modern Romania.
>
>Finally, you could say it was a migration over the sea, which for
>some reason dispersed the traces. Yet, the Angles and Saxons who
>migrated to Britain also crossed the sea and left strong evidence for
>their arrival.
>
>Overall, I think you would always be able to find evidence for
>contact and a certain cultural exchange between areas that are
>geographically linked, but that is not the same as proving or even
>detecting a migration.
>
>Dirk
>

Dirk,
I am sorry but you seem to be locked in a certain way of thinking.
What you say is that you completely refute Anders Kaliffs "Gothic
connections" where he points out that there is a common culture in
southern Baltic including Gotland and some coastal Swedish areas.
The emigration from Gotland about 300 or somewhat earlier is
documented by various Swedish archaeologists.

I can't get hold of these books in Sweden. They are not available at
Vitterhetsakademins bibliotek.
What is interesting is their "Quellenhinweise".

Tore
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