Category Archives: Slovenes

Ibn Hawqal’s Description of Palermo & Why You Should Not Eat Raw Onions

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Although we showcased the more famous Suavic passage by Arab writers, there are other works that mention Suavs that are less known. Thus, while we have previously discussed Ibn Hawqal (see here), a lesser known passage from this same writer also mentions Suavs on Sicily. The following translation comes from the William Granara translation (from 1983). The underlying edition is that of Michele Amari (Lipsia: F.A. Brockhaus, 1857). For the rest of Ibn Hawqal, Granara directs his readers to M.J. deGoeje’s edition in Bibliotheca Geographorum Arabicorum (Leiden: Brill, 1973).

Note that some of these passages by Ibn Hawqal are repeated in the 13th century by Yāqūt in his “Dictionary of Countries”.

For other evidence of Suavs in Sicily see also Michele Amari’s Storia di musulmani di Sicilia, volume 2 (of the 1935 edition) which mentions a Suav military unit (or slave?) created by the Arabs which was successfully employed in the Arab-Byzantine conflicts as well as, in the year 939, a village of apparently Suavic origin (“Sclafani”). Note that there are other place names in Sicily that indicate Suavic origin.

Incidentally, Amari, hypothesizes that the origin of the Suav district in Palermo dates back to a raid in 928/929 by Suavic pirates from the Adriatic coast who were led by Sârib as-Saqlabi – presumably a Serb – and who, in league with Arabs, raided Calabria, Sardinia and Corsica. Amari’s source for this idea, however, is the later 14th century writer, Abulfeda (Abū al-Fidāʾ).

Be that as it may, it is clear that Suavic settlement on Sicily predated that incident. For earlier evidence of Suavs in Sicily in the 8th or maybe even 7th century see here (discussing Suavs in “The Life of Saint Pancratius of Taormina”).

On Suavs on the relatively nearby Malta in the 11th century see here (referencing claims made by the later chronicle al-Himyari).

The Suavic Quarter/District name later disappears and, according to Lewicki, is replaced by the name Seralcadi or Seralcadio (from the Arabic – sari-al-qadì – for the Street of the Judge). Today the area is referred to as Mount of Piety (Monte di Pietà).

The area in question

Note Sicily had been taken by the Muslims in 902 who would hold the island until the Norman conquest of the 11th century.


“Sicily is an island seven days long (walking distance) by four days. Much off it is mountainous and full of castles and fortresses. Most of the land is inhabited and cultivated. It has no city as popular nor as famous as that known as Palermo (Balarm), the capital of the island. Palermo is a seaport city in the North.

Palermo consists of five quarters, each one close to the others, but situated in such a way that the borders of each are clearly defined. The largest quarter is itself called Palermo. It is enclosed by a high defensive stone wall and inhabited by merchants. It houses the Friday mosque which was, at one time, a Christian church. The mosque has a huge sanctuary. I heard certain logicians say that  the Greek philosopher Aristotle is buried in a wooden box suspended in the sanctuary. The Christians used to venerate him and pray to him for rain. They preserved the traditions of Classical Greece which he ahd handed down to them from his forefathers. It was said that the reason for suspending the body mid-air was so that the people could go and see it there in order to pray for rain or seek cures for all sorts of calamities that befell them, be they natural disasters, death or civil strife. I myself saw a great big box which suggests that the tomb may actually be there.

The quarter of the city known as al-Khalisa* has a wooden wall which is not like the stone wall that surrounds the Old City (Palermo). The sultan and his entourage inhabit this quarter. It has neither markets nor inns. It does have public baths as well as a small but frequently attended Friday mosque. The quarter also houses the sultan’s prison, the naval arsenal and the administration offices. It has four gates facing south and west. On these sides, south and west, is the ocean. Also, there is a wall there that has no gate.

[*note: compare with Calisia :-)]

The Slav Quarter (Harat al-Saqaliba) is more populous and grander than the two mentioned above. It contains the port as well. It also has springs that run through it as well as through the Old City. These springs serve as the only border between the two quarters.

The so-called Quarter of the Mosque, also referred to as Ibn Saqlab, is also large, but does not have running water. Its residents get their drinking water from wells.

Outside of the city to the south is a great big valley, known as Wadi cAbbas, full of mills, but unsuitable for orchards and gardens.

The New Quarter (al-Hara al-Jadida) is a large section of the city, located close to the Quarter of the Mosque. There is no border nor divided between the two. Nor does it have a wall adjacent to the Slav Quarter.

The vast majority of the markets are situated between Ibn Saqlab Mosque and the New Quarter. There are, for example, markets for the oil merchants, money changers and pharmacists, all of which are located outside the city wall There are also cobblers armourers and coppersmiths. Finally, there are grain markets and markets for other types of crafts as well.

Inside the (Old) city, however, are over one hundred and fifty butcher shops. The other quarters, on the other hand, have only a few of these. Such a quantity is indicative of their value. The mosque there is so large that when I counted the people when it was completely full, I found over seven thousand. There were more than thirty-six rows at prayer time, each row counting almost two hundred people. The mosques of the Old City, of al-Khalisa and of the other quarters surrounding the city from beyond the wall, number more than three hundred, most of them built with roofs, walls and gates. Those on the island most knowledgeable and best informed agree on this number.

Outside the city, in areas that border it directly as well as those that are adjacent to its gardens and towers, are the closely connected inns (mahall). The one closest to Wadi cAbbas is near a place called The Barracks (al-Mucaskar), which actually extends from the countryside to Wadi-cAbbas. Some of these inns stand one after the other until they reach an area known as al-Bayda. This is a village which overlooks the city at a distance of about six kilometers. It had been destroyed and its inhabitants perished in a series of civil wars which plagued the country.

No one would deny the importance of these small towns since there are over two hundred mosques there alone. Personally, I have never seen such a number in any one of the major cities, even those twice as large as Palermo. In fact, I have not heard anything like it except what they say about Cordova. I have not been able to verify that. I am inclined to doubt it. I am quite sure about Sicily, however, since I have seen most of them with my own eyes.

One day I was standing beside the house of Abu Muhammad al-Qafsi, the lawyer, a specialist in contracts. Looking out from his mosque at a distance of a shot of an arrow, I noticed about ten mosques, some of them facing each other, often separated by a road, Inquiring as to the excessive number of them, I was told that the people are extremely proud, each wanting his own private mosque to share with only his family and his small inner circle.  Among them were two brothers who lived next door to each other, and whose walls were adjacent. Each one built his own mosque so that he could pray there in private.

Among these ten mosques which I mentioned is a mosque there Abu Muhammad al-Qafsi prays. Next to it at about twenty paces is a mosque which he built for his son so that he could study law in it. Each one wants it to be said that this is so-and-so’s mosque and no one else’s. This son of his thought himself something special. He admired himself and was so arrogant that he acted like the father instead of the son.

There are quite a few ribat on the coastline, full of freeloaders, scoundrels and renegades, both old and young, poor and ignorant. These people would pretend to perform their prostrations, standing in order to teal money given to charity, or to defame honorable women. Most of them were pimpts and perverts. They sought refuge there because they were incapable of doing anything else, and because they had no place to go. They were low-life and rabble…

The city is oblong shaped and has a market which cuts across it from east to west. This market is called al-Samat and is paved with stone. It houses all sorts of merchants, from one side to the other.

Palermo sits on many springs, from east to west, each one able to power two mills. From their sources to their mouths these waters fertilize much land. There one finds Persian sugar cane and succulent vegetable gardens. Throughout the land one also finds lots on which papyrus is grown, This is used for making paper. I do not know if Egyptian papyrus has an equivalent on the face of the earth with the exception of that in Sicily. Much of it is twisted into rope which is then used for ships. Some of it is used, as stated, for paper for the use of the sultan, depending upon the amount available…

Most of the water of the city quarters and the towns comes from wells. It is rather thick and unhealthy. They drink it for lack of fresh water. The crudeness of their manners and the dullness of their senses come from their excess in eating raw onions. There is no one among them, rich nor poor, who does not eat them day in and day out. This is what has thwarted their imaginations, impaired their minds, numbed their senses, altered their thinking, clouded their understanding and even ruined their facial features. It has, in fact, changed their dispositions so much that they do not always see things as they actually are.

There are more than three hundred teachers who educate the young. They see themselves as the most honorable and noble of people, God’s chosen people, His loyal servants. This is contrary to what is known of teachers, that is, their inferior intellects and dim-wittedness. For they have come to their professions escaping the duty of jihad, shirking from battle.

I have written a book with a full account of them.”


Although names are frequently recycled, and a connection between the Shekelesh of the Sea Peoples fame and the Siculi of Sicily is possible, it is worth noting for the overly ambitious that it would take a lot more to establish a connection with the Sclavi. The existence of today’s Modica (earlier Μότουκα, Mótouka, Mutyca or Motyca) certainly won’t be sufficient. That “Trojans” and others migrated to Sicily is, of course, possible though here some Germanic researchers might also claim the heritage as with, for example, Segesta on the other side of the island.

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September 16, 2021

Spruner-Menke Atlas – Bavaria, Austria, Carinthia

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In the Alps we have the following names. Some of these are likely not Suavic and there may be others that are Suavic and which are which I do not show as such. As you can see, most of the indisputably Suavic names are concentrated in the East and, especially, in the Southeast. Nevertheless, curious names appear all over the map.  Here are some of them. Note that the orthography of the time made some Suavic -ic endings to be written as -itz but also as -iz. I’ve broken up the map to allow you to view it so the effect is that only the eastern portions are included (southern and northern). As a result some of these names may not be visible but you can find the whole map online.

  • Wizinburc?
  • Turtin
  • Wiltina
  • Pririna
  • Lusina
  • Luenzina/Luencina
  • Vellis
  • Bozsarinza
  • Trebina
  • Ribniza
  • Gurca
  • Gurca river
  • Curnoz
  • another Curnoz
  • Modrich
  • Selezna
  • Mochlich
  • Grivina
  • Ruissindorf
  • Zuric!?
  • Otmanica
  • Ostarviza
  • Kurciza river
  • Gravindorf?
  • Radentein (Radentin?)
  • Gradz
  • Pesniz
  • Iaering?
  • Zelnitz
  • Ruoste
  • Radewan
  • Razwai
  • Legindorf
  • Gamniz
  • Susil
  • Lipniza
  • Losnica river
  • Odelisniz
  • Otarniza
  • Gestnic
  • Lunkwiz
  • Grazlippa?
  • Strazinollum
  • Gestnic
  • Zlatina
  • Prucca
  • Chrawata
  • Lieznicha?
  • Woliza
  • Surowe
  • Chatsa, Chatissa
  • Liubina, Leubna
  • Muoriza
  • Chufarin?
  • Cremisa
  • Luipna
  • Sewarin?
  • Drousinindorf
  • Strithovin?
  • Medeliche?
  • Medilicha?
  • Nardina?
  • Turinbuoh
  • Weles
  • Wiwari
  • Wangin
  • Graban
  • Puoche
  • Nalubie
  • Bulka river

Of course, there are also the regional names:

  • Pustrisssa
  • Muoriza, Murztal
  • Liubenetal
  • Gurcatal
  • Crowati

I marked the Suavic sounding ones in red but also include some in blue that have -owa,-owo endings. Some of these may derive from “-oven” (compare with the Dutch Eindhoven and so forth). The suffix -awa is supposedly derived from the unattested Germanic name for “water”. As I wrote before, I don’t think that’s convincing and rather reflects an adjective ending reflecting the female “river” (that is “rzeka” or “reka” – compare with regatta). As to the -owa, -owo endings, it may be that they are derived from the word for “haven” meaning safe place (compare this with the Suavic chowac – that is to hide). However, what all these names seem to suggest is almost a population that uses Germanic vocabulary and Suavic grammar.

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July 6, 2020

The Suavic Names of the Gospel of Cividale

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Gospel of Cividale (Italian: Evangelario di Cividale, Slovene: čedadski evangelijčedajski evangelij or štivanski evangelij, Croatian: čedadski evanđelistar), at first named the Codex of Aquileia (Latin: codex aquileiensis, codex foroiulensis, Slovene: Oglejski kodeks), is a medieval Latin transcript of the Gospel of Mark, written on parchment. It is named after Cividale del Friuli, a town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Northern Italy) where it is kept. It contains about 1500 Suavic and German names of pilgrims to the monastery of San Giovanni di Duino (Štivan, today part of the Duino Aurisina municipality), written in the second half of the 9th and the first half of the 10th century. The monastery was a property of the Patriarchate of Aquileia. The Gospel contains the first known Croatian autographs in a Latin text. A part of the manuscript resides in Cividale de Friuli, and another in Prague. The particular evengeliary comes from the 6th century but the belief was that it was much older. As a result, it was a religious tourist attraction for the monastery where it had been kept. Thus, many of the visitors to the monastery “signed” (or, really, had signed for them) their names in the codex’ margins. This includes Suavs such as Trpimir of Croatia, the Pannonian duke Pribina, Kocel also of Pannonia, Rostislav and Svatopluk of Moravia, Braslav of Croatia and Boris-Michael of Bulgaria – as per Alexander Schenker’s The Dawn of Slavic – though you can confirm the same below.

The edition use is the Evangelienhandschift von Cividale by Conrad Ludwig Bethmann (part V of the 1877 Neues Archiv der Gesellschaft für Ältere Deutsche Geschichtskunde zur Beförderung einer Gesammtausgabe der Quellenschriften Deutscher Geschichten des Mittelalters, volume 2)

Folio 1

finan. cucpald. sunilda. uualto. utpald. garaca. itta. arno.
regelenda.
neofrit. malamila. iusinig gete.
domine miserere famulu tuo foskero diacono.
fesselo. ceseri. marcorus.
antelf.
hos richmond pbr. ernoste pbr. pabo. richeri. ingelscalh
. . titiel . . memorato sie quomodo dimis
odela bega livera puelle. cuno rislinda unegardis ….
et duxit

Folio  1′

iringer rachini ….
gaitepret gifardi flodeberte
habraham uxor eius uuil …. beda sclauo filius eorum
. . . thesia pbr.

Folio 2

cotafrit. erissuint. roteperte. felix diac. iustus pbr
amantinus et bona uxor eius.
felicitas pelerina
nepocor gresic ihon
de tei’ra brasclauo. zelesena. uxor eius hesla. stregemil
filius eorum
motico.
trebenec. dracig. craniohi. millena zelebor. andreas.
uualti hertri pina.
nos i mer gelanus luta . . isa audeberte petrus pbr
henglerioch odelrich arfret.
reginbert otihi . . . gauselinus andreas grimalde martinus
pbr theddad cleri
foscari subd gaugiosus.
engilinda pergildruda [8th or 9th century]
rotecause perterote perga [8th or 9th century]
witirich [9th century]
hadamar kero susanna hunulf cuncpric huduinus pbr
uiceriaut uuolslez grimpert uuolfker.
engelberte adolanna alpote enguelric
audebertus dia maseliosubd [8th century]
uuilliric uuilliric ingildruda.
elinhart rodpret geonilt
kermunt odilint item oclilint adalker palthilt odilint einhart [9th century]

Folio 2′

chotmer
huluolt
erpald [added in the 9th century]
carmanastrepald frederun alboin freuriz [added in the 9th century]
audebertus.
cozil. uuozet. margareta
zelislaua. sebetuh. humislan. d. trebebor. bribibor. trudopulc. amarih.
. . ricpult. teutkart. odlard.
hodelric. ildepret. hunilt. iltelint. richer. alprit. adelpret
artepret inselpret diepruc hicheu conterat.

Folio 3

gagtari
irmingart
teotpert
cotahardus pbr machelm
uuerinolfus ab ellanpertus.
teudericus. albisinda. garardus
adoarde. rodiberte.
uualtelm liutrat gauspert uuipert subdiac.
boselisa. sobemuscla sclauuenca.
ulfihir quoteld

Folio 3′

lodohicus imp: ingelberga regina.
uuardema . . .
hisinard. emeltruda.
hic sunt nomina de bolgaria. inprimis rex illorum Georg
et frater eius dox et alius frater eius gabriel | michahel
et uxor eius maria et filius eius rasäte. et alius gabriel.
et tercius filius simeon. et quartus filius iacob. et filia
eius dei ancella praxi. et alia filia eius anna.
[a hand from the 9th century wrote on the other side: De bolgaria etc]
zergobula f . . ias
odt . . . imus dei servus.
paulo
anastasius diac.

Folio 4

upolt. hoolt. irmisen. uualto filius upold.
frambertus. roco.
albini. mino atala
karsuint
ernust
egono elmeric
teuterihc starcolf atala etela emelrih uuicpald erideo
adaluualr stararahilt ingilart phisila piofa.
pritcot . . . a per e inpere [8th century]
candon . . kerolt folcer elene . . . merd . . . . .
uuilelm. strem.
De bolgaria qui primus venit in isto monasterio. nomen
eius sondoke et uxor eius anna. et pater eius iohannes.
et mater eius maria. et filius . . mihael. et alius filius
eius uuelecneo. et filia eius bogomilla. et alia kalia.
et tercia mar . . . . . elena et quinta maria. et alia
uxor eius sogesclaua. et alius homo bonus. petrus . .
. . . . et georius
[the same hand which wrote ‘hic sunt’ etc. on the prior side]
petrus et uxor eius sofia
iohamies Imperator et uxor eius . . . . da . . . . . . . .
[much has been cut off here]

Folio 4′

mota. eginulfus. ueti. ualto. ermigeri. madoloc. romalde.
adelprete. rodald regimprete adolo.

khaco . sebedrago centeska
porosit. alpiker rihilt
petrus diac. petrus laicus
gisleberte diac.
luiching pbr.

paldmunt. lontpert. lepuns . . ngilsuon . alpker . erchanhart.
lantsuind snelsuind. uualtrih. ruodpold. liuphilt.
sindman. lutheri.

szuentiepulc. szuentezizna predezlaus.

Folio 5

einard.
miramusele zitemer straneca maola u . .
lobonilaica miserere . . . .
cunipret. adelint iacob rumolt reginolt
fredebertus giselbertus.
forti et filio eius bertaldo
orso diac. et orso subd

ratepote rotepertus uarteman m . . . eimo rotecari ernoste
inehich . . angelarius. adelbertus. iohannes. eimo.

Folio 5′

eban . . . . . prebrassclava pressoboda mutacus
felice launia
agathe domnitia iorsia
sedemir
magnus ciprianus suberancius gaginart
perinsuin. isac. stamer. penebod. semidraga.
raginardo. adalrih p cristina zempho chuningund.

heimo pbr. eripert pbr.
iltint. rotlind. rosind.
rengheri preteld helias pretsunt gisuldruta ernosed
giselperte.

. . . . . . itesen . otila . . .
uuerno.

uualto pernger cutpert iltipert iacob engilram gisilbrit
perinart

richeri itiburga et richeri.
egilpert . . itonna . . molcicu
reginarde regichis
orsus pbr
angelgari perteri f [8th century]
ratuuic sebedra hostiarius
domno tripimiro
ulsychari cotild uolbolt

Item noticia commemoratio . . . . . . . . memoria dimisit
et ead  . . . . . . . . liberam . . . . suum non per . .
. . per manu stabili pbro in ecclesia . . . . sancti viti
in presentia trialdu . . . . . tus duciolo . . . . . in auro
de fabricato. donis . . . . . R petro pbr
[Langobard writing]

Memento domine famulorum famularum . . . . . . uuitgauo
cö adalpert reginuart austregaus immo. paltilh.
bribina terpimer. petrus. maria dragoiud sabes pizeden
. . . nisl. benedictus. straha. petro. bedoslau. mihahel.
siliz. coten. kanei. drisimer. engildeo. amulpirc. irnpurc.
kissilperga. ernipurc. sedobra . . . . . . . dragoroc.
moeta. couar . . . . arcumis . . . saba. cafrat. iob.
estimer. radasta. ado. eginolt. uuihheri. irminolh. ratpir
hantuni

heita. hunfr . . ella . . paldunc. heito aber . . . hitta
gerpurc de . . . uualtunc petrus . . . gerhart tenzil.
uualtram meginpert enginhart engin . . heripreht ermanhah
. . labrih.

motimira.
rodlorih
adaluni ezzol eliseus
hardradus.

Folio 6

bascilius luciana to . . .
ranpret. rotpric. otolft. [added in the 9th century]

leo diaconos miseriatur tibi deus et perducat te ad honorem
sacerdotalem amen.

serenus pbr
rengari. lub . . . stargai. gupa . . erhpold.
adelgiscls. relifredus diac.
huoto obiit
gotman. mlada. olamir. engisa. olamir. tnibesu . .

radozlau et ego indignus liuprih pbr. estemir. zizemir.
pensezi. moiselaica. ioliannes filius ip . . .

ato. ragenart cadrac.
cundpertus pbr
uincamera et filius eins lihamere.
liupricus p
brasclauo et uxor eius uuentescella

nepokor purcart. purchart heimpertus. nidhartus.
herchanhartus.

yrminsuind. helmker. anzo. heririb. salaho . . . . . .

Folio 6′

. . . . audeberte.
igo unaxegunt adelpret

adeluinus menedraga. trebelio. gomer. merisclafa. souuinnao.
rastisclao. pudaram. citamuscle gonimer. rasmene.
nitrabor. kasno. uuitamusclo. musclonna. negot. lala.
stranamer trebenna

petrus martinus audrisi.
gontrame mecneos emelda

kiummar. kepuni. folrat. sigimar. aato. deotrat. selpker.
imma. hiltigat. erchanhilt. faua. deotrat. zatto. benedicta. adalgilt. aefa

noe. rodi regnolf.
gitta
irminart
ercnil
stamer. audebertus. audalde.
ato adallinda lantbreht. deotere. irfinge

VIII. idus aprilis hoteihza hobiit. IIII. kal. iunias zidepor
hobiit netunsica hobiit. idus iun. histunsis hobiit.

domine miserere famulo tuo ratepoto et famule tue
emeldrut

crepuco uxor et trebe . . . . filius eius trebego . . . .
coseri. siguuich
tesina. slotiuenza
ratpirin.

doblisclaug godesclagua zelesclauua lich . . abraam teuderic
uualderaht. gonteraht soguigai ermescuent semia
presclauonte presclauonte ezamus qulo dabramusclo
romald gon . . .

tonasclauua
uuarimfred. altichari pbr
ludino soguasclaua
hodelart crimilt uuitgou
nesden. antonius. uuitmar. lutomer.
uitalis presb. pantaleo leolina dominicia margarita leo
kerpurc uualtrat.
srlben. sebeteh. primusl
ratari. adelarde. guiso. enderath.

felix pbr. billo. bernardus. sonderade. anna. ratperga.
sinderade

anto. rotcausus.
colotec . . . dego dehi . . . . bla camere oge capontemere [from the 8th century?]

Folio 7
[Here begins Matthew]

tuto. elismot.
zillizio . . enstabeda. nazamyr. brazena

capra. timocenda. ratpot. engelberte orsus. ag . . no.
cunigunda cop . . musclus. tordasclaue

Folio 7′

petrus clericus.
sicmar pbr. iltiricus pbr
sazona diac. casir pbr.

egilpert maco uualto keroch luza isinard cristina eilenrat
gauspert geroch teuterihc teutekher pepo teutoc isinardus
teutekher erhenrart

burhard spita eltifred balduin cristian

altuad. adual celernolt ot adlololt cosuolt odililt adolot.
te . . . gard. uuililm elepurga. dulun. megenelm. uuilipurg
regipurg. marto. olfrit. petro cartolf tetocin.
teutcarda.

Folio 8

heroc estolf rifont uualtrat ingloan gero frater esfilo elisuuint.
martinus pbr.

iohannes diac. donperte. tasa. dommelperte. deusdedi.
foscari sub. petro. guiselperto. rateperte. pergolfe.
liuperte.

gundalbreht . . . . ruodilt hincfrid pato kergoh hernuin erambalde toto
illtri. illtifrit

Folio 8′

peringer. amalbertus. not. uodelbertus. lantpertus. hildirat

iusirhc cofes. stioa. ilteric. siherad. zisola. engelbert, rotepert. trusing. keila.

sinteperto laiquo. frodeberga.
cultruda. liuttefredus. keroc. ingildeo. amelperga. popila. efrunus. kenet ellibertus. aaron. ricpolt. etisa. adelardus. machelt. rotecheri.

Folio 9

helidnui perehfraht. adalbreht. uodelbreht. lantpert. gapert.
anselmus. teudebal . . .

lantperga. digna.

irmiburg loutecard nortprect teutprect ermeng rambolf trosar uuitigau umfrede lantald

gausperte mumald grosman ualtrade pertine fritila lantald. sigini cosprect eginard rigilend egito pbr sigifrede gospret suanelda ricprict

ingeldeo stradosclauua habraham ingeldeo. engelscalquo filio eius ingeldeo engelperen dobrablaste. riheri. trudumund ingledeo. ilpegunt stradasclau.

iohanni aderouinus.

Folio 9′

cherad. orsus pbr. engelporg. recnard. elmegari.

lantaldt abraham. gauspertus et pater eins oberini et mater eius latu.

sigiurid p
engilsuuint gausperte

Folio 10

ricsuent. reginperte. rotfrit. ratichis. rafolt. erquomot. riccard. [9th or 10th century]

petrus pbr.
panco
domine miserere famulo tuo ingulani.

alnolfo. ota. teiiderico. albescenda. girarde. teuderic filiiis eius. erdielde uxor eius. ota. eluualde. sicpalde et filia eius et mater eius engelsenda . . . . oluualde. elengere. regeno. spen . . . lesclaua.

Folio 10′

regneri pbr. alprect. ilpung frater eius. ammo. uualilm. malelm. ernost. ingelsind. teutterih.

Folio 11

domenico. epo. audeberto. andrea. [9th century] gontperto pbr.

luitfrede. tamacano. kotedruc. erconfret. ita. anna uxor erconfret.

Folio 11′

madolind

aspertus. purgman. engilpero. gundbreht. cistei pbr. gotehilt. engilger

salamunt. isanhilt.

Folio 12

munialde. prectini. richald. rotheri

domno karolo imperatore. domno liuttuardo epo

rantecheri. et uxor eius gaiperga et rantheceri filius eius et paco filius eius. ildeberte.

salomon diac.

Folio 12′

domine miserere famulo tuo secundo diac.

Folio 13

cano. dragamer. genenta. nazisir. cano. ponete. seuemuscle. semina hobiit. nedauid. ceco cete.

Folio 13′

uuaniguo clo. rodone. ingelgarde adelberte cotaperte egildrude liutiscenda.

Folio 14

ioliannes pbr. benedictus clericus. reinarte pbr. ato. teupolt. adelperga. antric. reginolt. albini. soniilt. oluult cerult sounabrut.

arigait. siderda. felix.

oimuscle dabraua. dequodesca. misticlau. gohifred. cerna. quocili. priuuinna. gostidrago. semmemuscle. paridra. zidana. pilende. seuella seuella. millas. soidrago. randeco ceresulla sinata. soltin. premil. luban.

Folio 15

albericus. rihpald.

Folio 18

reginprete. quunigunda. odelardus pbr. teu …. tach.

Folio 20′

romult. frederich. heriprat. kadoloc. ce . . . .

Folio 21

olfrant …

Folio 21′

arabriccho

Folio 22′

euco. teuteric. sicharde. messorgo. lobane uxore eius.

engisuind. ualhardus. adalrih. contelmus. gondulft. kepardus. hermenerus. ualdman . . . cundffo persinnt.

iohannes uxor eins bedoslauua.

rotepert sygifrede igilpurge.

Folio 23

num … cozpertus diaconus ildigarius. cralo. ualo. uulcote. milo. uuitego. sighebult. eghelman. isinnere. iltimot. fredebod. adebrat.

presila. petrus filius domno tripemero.

otuuin suitschir.

Folio 26

uitalis clericus. leo clericus

Folio 29′

lubaset.

domine miserere famulo tuo olperto pbo

Folio 30

domine miserere famulo tuo orso diacono: domine miserere servo tuo iohanni clerico

leo.

Folio 32

ianelperga

ianelperga aledruda roteperga todelperga

Folio 38′

semna. uisegneo diac. cruben. uuilan. sedobra.

umberte ricpolte.

Folio 39

. . . uuilkari . zal . . . tridenna . . .

Folio 42

liutpaldus. quunigund

santpulc. isaac. uuiperte. fastpurch. astrapald bulicm . . . bochmir. conder alberihc uolfoch regensuuint.

Folio 42′

domine miserere servo tuo gaudioso diacono domine miserere servo tuo martino pbro

Folio 47

gostichai. sebusca.

Folio 49

presela. uuisseoi pbr.

Folio 51′

. . . . ran . . . ro

Folio 55

clomenicus petirus . iolianne . denna . romana . lannase . maria . marino . iohanne . etmanno et iohanne.

Folio 65

dannamir

Folio 71

erniprete elmite ellena . erceneta . ioltella . teuperte margate prunuare . gisinperga . odolperte asperte

Folio 79

stenedrago.

Folio 79′

* cheroc pero et alio pero pychil ratipir hirlumul ingelpir pirigint uertila urto leo pbr.

Folio 80′

. . . . . castemyr gherolt . iustin . teurat . teutpult.

Folio 94′

quonimant . teutperga . filii eorum fredebert kerat engelmot.

Folio 95

prisnata.

Folio 98′

 olodrag olomer pigimer cotes sitigoi mirogoi

vuerinolfus . sigifrid . diotpald . sigihart . adam . kerurid . arurid . zeizmunt . ionpert . engilrih . uuolfhart . ellinpert . ellinpert . kotapert . riginpata . engildrud . reginlind . liutuna . vualtpert . zeizmunt . adalrih . zeizpold . vuanpert . perahkart . liuphilt . kotapurc . adalruod . ratolt . keruualah . hiltimeri . pirihtilo . adalurid . vuillipurc . iohannes . perahkoz . hero . anthelm.

emeld . fredruna . adilinda . piligid . adelsinda . perold . soanegilda . teuderada.

teuto . euerarde . gonterammus . teuderic . teuderic . emild . agatha . toda . ualtechari .

[hereafter the entire Gospelof Mark is cut out; after folio 99 there follows the Gospel of Lucas]

Folio 99

stagai . ebo.

Folio 102′

zidizlau pbr . rihpert pbr . altrib pbr . paldmunt pbr . rodun pbr . zabau . liutisti . munemer . ratolf . altfrid . liutolt . sepino . sirnamus . mirona . dobrodei . priuuigor . zla . nazzeg.

brannimero comiti . mariosa cometissa.

elymburt . frederut . cherni.

Folio 106′

emmina . enchelsint . uuinburga . suaue . arbona . katila . leuderade . ualtila . ualtila . engelmot . arpana.

Folio 107

elymburga . alia elymburga . hequo . erchengeri . ricpret . odelbert . suapric . frouult . otepret . holtepret . rampret . ermouuit . karnenad . liutecheri . hengilburga . uualtila . emmina.

Folio 118′

domine miserere famulo tuogiselperto sub [ilu]* in bonum amen GVISELPERTO SUB ROTecauso gonteperga.

[*very unclear; maybe only an abbreviation for ‘deacon’]

[All written by one hand in the 9th century. On the next page the writing by the same hand and with same ink continues]

Folio 119

domine miserere famulo tuo guiselperto sub rotecauso gonteperga bertalde

domine miserere famulo tuo giselperto sub . domine miserere famulo tuo guiselperto sub. GISELPERTO SUB.

Folios 129′ & 130

deuto . guiselarde . ghero . ledi . xpiano . predeclao . adelric . liupari . altepret . tunisclaua . miltrut . ubisclaua . ermizenda . guernunt . ramilt . uilet . adelfret . ratolfe.

Folio 136

uuilermus . liccause ergefrede.

Folio 145

sedesclao . preuui . . . . . merulla . elemperte . elengeri . pertilt . ederam . liupilt.

Folio 151

isaac diac.

casinus teuderada . innila . suuy . iacob . berengarius.

Folios 162′ & 163

petri pbri . luponi . dominici . felicis . petri . uitaliani pbri . teudmari pontificis uenantii adoni pauli liuperti felicis audberti

[all written by one hand continuously 9th century with one ink on the upper and lower edge of Folios 162′ and 163]

Folio 167

ulfecheri . godesclaua . ratulfe . oltecheri. onnia . sclauica. encheldeo . et alius encheldeo . albegunda . stradesclaua . percot . riccoth . adelpret . liutichis pbr . teutilt . subimer.

Folios 178′ & 179

otelm iltrut extilis tetmot   artuin epis

[9th century, or perhaps 10th]

Folio 181′

stano pbr.

audalde diacones misereatur ei omnipotens deus amen deo gratias semper amen.

Folio 187

deusdedit

Folio 196

miserere domine deus omnipotens famulo tuo martino diacono et conserva cum semper in tua mia amen deo gratias amen; giselpert; gisabertalde teutepalde lobo adelperga liuperga arigaite aurosarateperga sonteperga audredaratecause gisa sinteperte adelberga beralde

[written by one hand continuously without separating words, 9th century]

Folio 196′

rambertus . hecquo . ata . rumolt pbr . gheresit . elimbur . alia elimbur . hesotf.

Folio 203

domine miserere famulo tuo olperto pbro. domine miserere famulo tuo iohanne diacono . ambo fratres. domine miserere famulo tuo audolfo clerico.

Folio 213′

prenenon . milei . pomego . dobrosisne . isaika . trehenta . deoste . sesite . trebenna . stram . semigir musclasete . sal . luca.

Folio 214

turdamere . zababerado neme ral . domamir . ciagrota . exumila . p mer . draineste sidesci nesir.

[8th or 9th century]

Folio 215

. . . . . . . . adoloc . rimfrit . erminad . adoloc . iste adoloc . ista nomina scribere rogavit.

[added in the 9th century]

Folio 219

irminrat.

Folio 221′

domine miserere famulo tuo iohanni clerico . domine miserere famulo tuo feli clerico.

Folio 236′ & 237

ratgoi et uxor eins reginsunda . patricus . bribislau . martinus . todoro kameraz . georgius . pacemira.

Folio 238

sebedrac

Folio 245

domine miserere famulo tuo baldoni subdiacono.

Folio 250′

irmilihit.

Folio 268′

degodelka . dallimere . bellica . fllius eius . minidrago . iohannes . cerelulla . filia eius . thesconna.

Folio 270′

nenadei . glauoz.

[The following folios are lost]

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February 26, 2020

O’Dan & Diva, Adam & Eva

Published Post author

One of the interesting aspects of the Suavic language are its numbers.  I wrote about some of these quirks here but there are others. How about this:

  • “one” – Polish jeden, Russian один or odin
  • “two” – Polish dwa, Russian два or dva

That the word for the number one should refer to a God or, in the alternative, that a God should have been named using the word for “one” is interesting in and of itself. However, is this interpretation persuasive or is the above odin just coincidence?

Interestingly, the female may come to help (though, perhaps to the chagrin of feminists, literally in second place). How is that?

This, comes from Brueckner’s “The Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language” regarding the Polish dwa (“two”):

dwa: … Ancient word; ind. duwau, grec. dyō, łac. duō, ang. two, niem. zwei, lit. dudwi, prus. dwai.

And what do we know of the word “two” in English? This comes from the “Online Etymology Dictionary”:

“Old English twa “two,” fem. and neuter form of twegen “two” (see twain), from Proto-Germanic *twa (source also of Old Saxon and Old Frisian twenetwa, Old Norse tveirtvau, Dutch twee, Old High German zwenezwo, German zwei, Gothic twai), from PIE *duwo, variant of root *dwo- “two.”

Ok, so what?

Here is a hint:

dziewa, dziewicadziewkadziewczynadziewczę

All these mean a (young) woman, a girl or virgin.

Thus, we have one and two, jeden and dwa, the male and the female and the male Deity and the female Deity. This hearkens back to Iasion and Demeter.

The Polish dziewa is of the same root as the word diva which the same etymological dictionary derives as follows:

diva (n.) “distinguished woman singer, prima donna,” 1864, from Italian diva “goddess, fine lady,” from Latin diva”goddess,” fem. of divus “a god, divine (one),” related to deus “god, deity” (from PIE root *dyeu- “to shine,” in derivatives “sky, heaven, god”).

Note too the Suavic words for “day”:

  • dzień (Pol)
  • den/день (Rus)
  • den (Czech)
  • dan (Slovenian)
  • dan/дaн (Serbo-Croatian)
  • deň (Slovak)

What is interesting is that the Danube (and other river names) are derived from PIE *danu- “river.” The worship of rivers may have eventually led to the adoption of the word Don or Dan to mean as much as “Lord” such as Adonis (derived from the Canaanite ʼadōn which is probably the source, so to speak, too of, or at least related to, the Hebrew Adonai).

Interestingly, the River Don also appears in Aberdeenshire where its name is derived from the Celtic Devona “goddess.” Needless, to say that Devona sounds very much like the Polish Dziewanna.

Incidentally, the autocorrect feature changes, were you to attempt to type it, dva into eva. Take that for what you will.

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September 23, 2019

Ūsiņš, Usenj, Usen, Jeuseņš, Jasień, Jasio, Jasinek, Iasion, Jason?

Published Post author

The Latvian “light” God is Ūsiņš (see here and here) but Ūsiņš appears in Latvian role in other forms – specifically as Jeuseņš (excuse the mangling of the Latvian alphabet – will try to clean it up later):

For example (all from Haralds Biezais’ Lichtgott der alten Letten):

Tecit skrinit iz piguli!
Jau Jeuseņš joj pigula:
Jau Jeuseņš pigula.
Pices üles ozüte.
Buteleite kuldena,
Treis glazeites reikleite,
Pa licena kabata,
Pa licena kabata.

Or:

Eita broli, paleidit
Jeuseņam padzidit:
Vista ula nudejuse,
Visu dinu kacenoj.
Zirgs nudersa lila gubu
J vardena nasceja.

Or:

Jeuseņ, Jeuseņ, a beus lobs jüstena(s)!
Saimeniks bogotais, lobu zirgu globötojs,
Lobu zirgu globötojs, globöj zirgu globotoj(e)s
Dzersim olu, ulavusim!
Visu zirgu globösim!
Pigulä jösim, pigulä jösim!

Now compare this with the Polish Jasień:

Jedzie, jedzie, mój Jasień kochany ku zielony dąbrowie,
Rozpuścił sobie te złote piórecka kónikowi po głowie.
A nie tak ci mi zal tych złotych piórecek, com sobie je rozpuścił,
A najbardziej żal moja Marysiu, com ciebie opuscil.
A jedzie, jedzie mój Jasień kochany, ku tej Bozej męce,
Co na mnie spojrzy, co się obejrzy, załamuje ręce.

There are literally of dozens of other examples like this from all over Poland and, as noted above in the links, similar, occurrences take place in northern Russia . Other Polish forms are Jas(io) or Jasinek/Jasienek (diminutive) (“A Jasienek za jabłuszka dziękuje, a Kasinka małe dziecię A Jasinek na koniku wywija, a Kasinka małe dziecie powija.”). All of which, for the Latvians and the Poles brings us back to Iasion. And, if you want to see the Greek interpretation (which in the Greek form made its way back again to the Slovenes), see here.

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August 6, 2019

Bertha the Soon-To-Be Queen of the Franks and Her Muslim Diplomacy with Suavic Presents

Published Post author

Bertha (circa 863 – 868 – March 925) was the (second) illegitimate daughter of Lothair II, King of Lotharingia by his concubine Waldrada. Though born in suspect circumstances she landed on her feet and became countess of Arles by marriage to Theobald of Arles (who died in 895). After that she became margravine of the mark of Tuscany by marriage (sometime between 895 and 898) to Adalbert II (the Rich!) of Tuscany. After Adalbert’s death in the year 915, she then served as regent of Lucca and Tuscany until 916 (during the minority of her son Guy of Tuscany).

In 906 she appears to have written a letter (claiming to be the Queen of the Franks!), via a captured eunuch from the realm of the Aghlabids of Ifriqiyah, to Caliph al-Muktafi (the same whose army sacked Thessalonica in 904) while showering him with presents and, it seems though this is uncertain, asking to set her up (when Adalbert was still alive!?) with the Aghlabid Emir of Sicily. She was apparently convinced that al-Muktafi could make that happen notwithstanding the fact that the Abbasid Caliphate, though nominally in control, did not have much sway with the Aghlabids of Ifriqiyah (Tunisia) and who controlled Sicily at the time (they fell to the Fatimids soon after). In any event, the embassy reached the Caliph where the letter, after some heavy lifting, was translated by the Caliph’s folks (first from Latin into Greek with which the Moors were familiar and, it seems, only then, into Arabic).

We apparently had no knowledge of Bertha’s activities until the letter’s discovery in 1951 (in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey) and publication in 1953 by Muhammad Hamidullah (“An Embassy of Queen Bertha to the Caliph al-Muktafi billah”). The letter was part of a larger work Kitab al-dhakha’ir wa’l-tuhaf, written by Qadi al-Rashid ibn al-Zubayr (Zubayri) which was published by Hamidullah in 1959. That work, dealing mostly with treasures obtained in various ways by Muslim rulers also contains several interesting examples of Western-Eastern correspondence. Not much is known about Zubayr though he was not an eyewitness to these embassies as he was likely an official in Cairo much later the 1060s/1070s (as per the French Ukrainian historian/archeologist Oleg Grabar). (Though mention of Bertha’s correspondence is also made by ibn al-Nadim in the 10th century).

So what does this have to do with Suavs? Well, the letter itemizes Bertha’s presents for the Caliph in detail and among those we find both Suavic eunuchs and Suavic slave girls.

A bit of uncertainty prevails, however, regarding whether the gifts were ever actually sent for there is another version of the below letter from which we learn that the gifts may have stayed home since the eunuch feared being intercepted by the Ifriqiyahs, his former masters. This other version is found in “The Life of al-Muktafi” which also contains the Caliph’s response to Bertha (along the lines of “with all due respect, I know you are not any Queen of the Franks”) as well as information about the return of the eunuch’s embassy to Bertha – it seems that the eunuch did not survive the return journey. The Caliph al-Muktafi also did not live much longer. Bertha, apparently, outlasted them all. What happened to the Suavs and which Suavic tribe they belonged to we will likely never know.

Note that the letter somehow seems to have escaped Lewicki’s team’s notice and is not found in his compendium of Arab and Muslim sources on the Suavs.

Here is the letter:


“In the name of God the merciful and gracious. May God protect you from all your enemies, o’ king excellent in authority and powerful in lordship, secure your kingdom and you healthy in body and soul.

I Bertha, daughter of Lothar, queen of all the Franks (!), I salute you my lord king. There was friendship between me and the king of Ifriqiyah for until now I did not suspect that there was a greater king than him on Earth. My ships having gone out took the ships of the king of Ifriqiyah whose commander was a eunuch named Ali: I took him prisoner together with one hundred and fifty men who were with him on three ships and they remained held by me for seven years. I found him to be intelligent and a quick study and he informs me that you are king over all [Muslim] kings; and though many people had visited my kingdom, no one had told me the truth of you except this eunuch that [now] brings my letter to you. I have sent with him gifts of various things that are found my country to honor you and obtain your friendship; they consist of the following:

  •  fifty swords
  • fifty shields
  • fifty spears (of the type used by the Franks)
  • twenty gold-woven robes
  • twenty Suavic eunuchs
  • twenty beautiful and graceful Suavic slave girls– ten great dogs against which no other beasts can stand
  • seven hawks
  • seven sparrow hawks
  • a silk pavilion with the associated apparatus
  • twenty woolen garments produced from a shell extracted from the seabed in these parts, with iridescent colors like those of the rainbow, changing colors throughout the day
  • three birds (from the land of the Franks) who, if they see poisoned food and drink, throw a horrible scream and flap their wings, so that that circumstance becomes known
  • glass beads that painlessly draw arrows and spearheads, even if the flesh has grown around it.

He [the eunuch Ali] informed me that there is friendship between you and the king of the Byzantines who resides in Constantinople. But my rule is greater and my armies more numerous, for my lordship comprises twenty-four kingdoms, each of which has a different language from that of the kingdom that is near it, and in my kingdom is the city of Rome the Great. God be praised.

He told me about you and that your matters are proceeding well, filling my heart with satisfaction as I ask God to help me obtain your friendship and an agreement between us for however many years I remain alive: whether that happens depends on you. This agreement is a thing that no one in my family, in my clan or in my lineage has ever sought; no one had ever informed me about your armies and the splendor in which you find yourself until this eunuch that I sent to you so informed me.

Now then, oh Lord, by the grace of God, may great well-being be upon you. 

Write to me about your well-being and all that you need most from my kingdom and from my country through this eunuch All. Do not keep him by your side, so that he can [return and] bring me your answer. I await his arrival. I also entrusted him with a secret he will tell you when he sees your face and hears your words, so that this secret may remain between us, since I do not want anyone to know of it except for you, me and this here eunuch.

May God’s most great health be upon you and yours and may God humble your enemies and make your feet trample upon them.

Salutations!”

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May 3, 2019

Strela

Published Post author

Ok to oblige some of our readers. Here is Mount Strela just south of Lake Veneticus (i.e., the Bodensee).

The word strzała present in Polish is described by Brueckner as an Ur-word and present among all Slavs – but not Balts. According to the definition currently plastered in Wiktionary, the Slavic word comes from the  Proto-Slavic *strěla, from Proto-Indo-European *strel-*strēl-, from *ster- (line, streak, stripe; jet, spurt; beam).

A variant also exists in a German version as in strahlen meaning “radiate” with Strahl meaning a “ray.” The Wiktionary would view it as coming from Middle High German strāle, from Old High German strāla, from Proto-Germanic *strēlaz, *strēlō (arrow, ray, beam), from Proto-Indo-European *strēl-, *strēlā- (arrow, beam). Compare Dutch straal, English streak. But… this word does not appear to frequent the Scandinavian languages nor did it exist in Gothic and, eventually, seems to have been supplanted by the word “arrow.” As to “arrow” the Online Etymological Dictionary has this to say:

arrow (n.) – early 14c., from Old English arwan, earlier earh “arrow,” possibly borrowed from Old Norse ör(genitive örvar), from Proto-Germanic *arkhwo (source also of Gothic arhwanza), from PIE root *arku-, source of Latin arcus (see arc (n.)). The ground sense would be “the thing belonging to the bow.” Meaning “a mark like an arrow” in cartography, etc. is from 1834. A rare word in Old English. More common words for “arrow” were stræl (which is cognate with the word still common in Slavic and once prevalent in Germanic, related to words meaning “flash, streak”) and flaflan (the -n perhaps mistaken for a plural inflection), from Old Norse, a North Germanic word, perhaps originally with the sense of “splinter.” Stræl disappeared by 1200; fla became flo in early Middle English and lingered in Scottish until after 1500. To add to that the German language word for an arrow today is Pheil.” 

It is curious that in Slovene strela refers to the lightning flash. It seems that this definition is closest to what one might imagine is happening on top of a mountain. That is to say, lightning strikes mountains rather than arrows. Of course, one can keep both meanings if one proposes that the arrows are those of a Lightning God such as Yassa. (Note that Piorun aka Perun was not strictly speaking a God of Lightning but of Thunder – but Piorun or Perun can be brought into this as well – note that piron in Venetian and πιρούνι (piroúni) in Greek each refers to a “fork” which is exactly what lightning looks like – see here).

Finally, note that in Portuguese and Galician you have estrela meaning “star”. In Spanish you have estrella although the double l is pronounced differently (like a “y”).  The “star” explanation (which is likely cognate too with the stary meaning “old” and with ostry meaning “sharp” (think how you squint your eyes)  in Slavic).

For completeness, note that the official explanation of the name is from the Latin striga or Romansh stria – both meaning a “witch.” It is interesting to think of witches streaking (!) on lightning (in lieu of broomsticks – seems faster and, well, flashier) but stryga is also present in Slavic languages also meaning “witch”.

I personally, like the arrow of lightning explanation better than a star explanation as it seems more believable in the context of a mountain. A Slavic etymology seems more than probable given the proximity to the Slovenes and the presence of a number curiously Slavic looking place names nearby.

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October 26, 2018

Thomas Tuscus’ Gesta imperatorum et pontificum

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An allusion to Slavic religious practices is made in the 13th century Franciscan’s Thomas Tuscus‘ Gesta imperatorum et pontificum. The description is probably based on general assumptions about paganism held by the then Christian priests but, given the paucity of Slavic religious material, we’ll take it. The book was modeled on Martin of Opava’s chronicle of the same type (which, itself, is interesting for the antiquity it gives the Slavs) but this reference is seemingly original to Tuscus.


“The Lombards by then had become Christian,  yet they still worshipped idols and ancient and great trees and honored pictures of snakes; and to this day, the Slavs, who were a type of a Lombard, as seen with my own eyes, revere ancient trees and when they behold them, worship solitary baby goats.”

Longobardi vero licet facti essent iam christiani, tamen ydola adorabant et arbores antiquas et magnas atque simulacrum vipere excolebant, unde usque hodie Sclavi, qui fuerunt genere Longobardi, sicut ipse oculis meis vidi, antiquas arbores reverentur et cum eas vident, detractis capellis adorant.


Thomas (aka Thomas of Pavia) claims to have travelled throughout Europe, though what he “saw with his own eyes” and where he saw it (Slovenia because Pavia would be closest?) is, of course, debatable. Certainly the pagan goat imagery would have been stereotypical for a Christian viewer. On the other hand, a lone, baby goat seems a bit specific as a cult animal to be entirely made up – and not exactly threatening but rather, perhaps, cutely pathetic.

Slavs’ moment of truth

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September 11, 2018

Tassilo’s Grant to Innichen Abbey

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The last (since he crossed the Franks) Bavarian ruler of the Agilolfing dynasty was Tassilo III (circa 741 – circa 796).  He is also important for the history of the Slavs as he established a number of monasteries that mention the Slavs and that were set up for their instruction in the Christian faith and to spread Bavarian influence, of course.  One of these documents appears in the Monumenta Boica, specifically, the Monumenta Schledorfensia, although really comes from the Cozroh-Codex (BayHStA HL Freising 3a).  It is a document issued by Tassilo in Bolzano (Bauzanum or Bauzana) which, at the time was part of Bavaria (now main city in South Tyrol) and establishes a monastery at Innichen in South Tyrol.  Note that during the gradual decline of the Romans’ influence in the 7th century, Bavarian immigration took place into northern Italy and the first mention of a Bavarian ruler in Bolzano dates from 679. The document discussed here comes from about a century later, from the year 769.

There are several interesting things here:

  • Innichen’s name was India – does it have to do with the Wends? Windische?  Most likely
  • the abbot Atto comes from Scharnitz which is itself clearly a Slavic name
  • Kislot, one of the signatories, reminds me of Niklot

In Bolzano
A.D. 769
(MB 9, page 9, number 2)

“In the name of God.  I Tassilo Duke of the Bavarians asks for divine mercy and eternal happiness, a steady hand, with the consent of the noblemen of the Bavarians, I bestow and establish the place known as India [Innchin[g]/Innichen], that the commoners call the Gelau field [ice field – compare gelato], to the abbot Atto of [Scharnitz] the church of Saint Peter, the prince of the Apostles, or other saints and martyrs for the benefit of my soul and those of my ancestors, for the establishment of the monastery and its servants, from the river called Tesido to the ends of [the habitations of] the Slavs, that is to the brook of Mount Anarasium, whole and entire, the flatlands, and the mountains, pastures, hunting grounds, swamps, all the shrubs, pertaining to the same place; and no one should in the future bother the natives nor any of those places or lodge complaints about the East [?]. neither during the time of the aforesaid Abbot Atto nor during the time of his successors, for with my own hand and ability, I lay down the letters of [this] document before my judges and nobles, for these places that have been, as we know, empty and uninhabitable since ancient times.  But now, I hear [your] asking and humbly beseeching, and [therefore] bestow for the education of the unbelieving Slavs in order to lead them onto the path of truth and with a happy countenance to deliver this advice; and I order that no one from my heirs or coheirs or any other people should oppose or go against this deed of grant or infringe this will of mine and anyone who would so will incur the wrath of God and of all the Saints. I sign with my proper hand, donating and confirming.”

“Done at Bauzano, in the 22nd year of his reign. Alizzeo.  Reginwolf.  Signed by the hands of Gunther. Drudmunt.  Pillunc.  Oatochar.  Hliodro.  Crimperht.  Papo.  Hariperaht.  Kislot.  Iubeano.  With all the bishops as witnesses. I wrote and signed.”

“In Dei nomine. Ego Tassilo Dux Baiovarorum vir iniuster conpunctus de divina misericordia atque de eterna beatitudine, manu valente, cum consensu optimatum Baiovarorum dono atque transfundo locum nuncupantem India, quod vulgus campo Gelau vocantur, Attoni Abbati ad Ecclesiam sancti Petri Apostolorum Principis, seu certorum sanctorum Apostolorum atque Martyrum, pro remedium anime mee, seu & antecessorum meorum, in edificatione monasterii atque ipsius servitio, a rivo, que vocatur tesidousque ad terminos Sclavorum, id est ad rivolum montis Anarasi, totum atque integrum, campestria, seu & montana, pascuas, venationes, umecta, seu & frutecta omnia ad eadem pertinentia locum, ut nullus deinceps genitorum hominum queat, nec usurpando presumat quis quolibet ingenio aut querimonia oriente, ullo modo inquietare locum, atque inhabitantes in eo, in exordio rationis predicto Abbati Attoni nec posteros eius, quia manu propria, ut potui, caracteres Cyrografu inchoando depinxi eoram iudicibus atque optimatibus meis, quia et ipsa loca ab antiquo tempore inanem atque inhabitabilem esse cognovimus.  Nunc vero postulantem atque humiliter supplicantem audivi et propter incredulam generationem Sclavorum,ad tramitem veritatis deducendam concessi, et hilari vultu tradedi per presentes apices, ut nullus, quod fieri minime arbitror, ex heredibus aut coheredibus meis, sive quolibet opposita persona, qui contra hanc epistolam donationis ire aut infrangere vult, iram Dei incurrat & omnium sanctorum. Signum manus mee propria Tassilonis donante atque confirmante.”  

“Actum in Bauzano, rediente de Italia, anno ducatui eius XXII.  Alizzeo.  Reginwolf.  Signum manus Gundheri.  Drudmunt.  Pillunc.  Oatochar.  Hliodro.  Crimperht.  Papo.  Hariperaht.  Kislot.  Iubeano.  Alim Episcopus testis.  Ego anno indignus iussus scripsi & subscripsi.”

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September 28, 2017