Eurasian Israelism in Gesta Danorum Part II:

On the very first page of Gesta Danorum, a link between the Danes and the English is established;

“Old reports maintain that the English race arose from this Angel, who had his name given to the region he governed, resolving to pass on an undying recognition of himself by an easy kind of memorial.” – Gesta Danorum 1.2

It is in the favor of the Eurasian Israelist idea that ancient sources claim common ancestry between these groups. We will explore how Angel came to be the first Englishman, and what his Levantine roots may have been.

Cornelius Tacitus and Germania

The Roman historian Tacitus writes, in his publication Germania, that the Angli neighbour the Eudoses, later called the Jutes, and that they are shared in their worship of Nerthus. The Jutes are today a part of the broader ethnic group of Danes.

“The neighboring Reudigni, and the Avions, Angli, Varini, Eudoses, Suardones, and Nuithones, are defended by rivers or forests. Nothing remarkable occurs in any of these; except that they unite in the worship of Hertha (Mother Earth, Nerthus)” – Germania 40

There is here a mention of the Jutes, Eudoses, but not of the Danes. Gudmund Schütte, a danish historian and specialist in Germanic studies has proposed that the Reudigni were a Danish, or even pre-Dane tribe that settled modern day Randers. I speculate that one or more of these tribes “became” the Danes, and settled Denmark with the Angles, as Saxo describes. “Isis” of the Suebi, described by Tacitus, has been the subject of historical controversy. The notion that a Germanic tribe would worship an Egyptian goddess seems out of place, but would support the notion that the Germanic people at least had knowledge of the gods of the middle east. Scholars have noted that Tacitus may have used interpretatio graeca, interpretation by means of Greek models, and therefore used Isis as a comparison for the Roman audiences. Another interesting detail in Germania is a description of one of the rituals used by the Germanic tribes in their worship of Nerthus. Tacitus describes it the following way:

“In an island of the ocean stands a sacred and unviolated grove, in which is a consecrated chariot, covered with a veil, which the priest alone is permitted to touch. He becomes conscious of the entrance of the goddess into this secret recess; and with profound veneration attends the vehicle, which is drawn by yoked cows.” – Germania 40

The brief description of this religious ritual has striking comparisons to the Tabernacle used by the Israelites during the exodus. Similarly, both have a central place of worship which is covered by a “veil,” or a “tent” with only a priest being allowed to enter the “secret recess” or “inner sanctuary.” Although the comparisons semingly end there, as the Israelites worshipped a single male god, the presence of a holy place of consecration in which the “soul” of the venerated deity meta-physically resides, and only the priest can enter, benefits the position of Eurasian Israelism.

With the writings of Saxo and Tacitus, it is possible to make a loose timeline of events, based primarily on these two manuscripts. According to Tacitus, several Germanic tribes resided in central Europe, among these the Angli and Reudigni, who were identified by Schütte as possible Danish. These tribes, according to Saxo, resided in the south of Jutland and created societies. Historical accounts later describe the Angli and another group, the Saxons entering eastern Great Britain and forming the Anglo-Saxon people. This alone does not identify any of these groups with any Levantine group, but it establishes a clear historical perspective: that the modern day Danes and English immigrated from the south, and that their origins before that are largely speculative.

Hebrew Identity of Angel

It is unclear who Humli, father of Dan and Angel is. No obvious Hebrew equivalent to the name or identity has been found, and it remains a mystery. I will be contacting hebrew speakers about a possible connection. One theory proposed by Brit-Am points to the hebrew word for a bull-calf, aegel (עגל) which is also a nickname used for Ephraim in Jeremiah 31:18. Ephraim is mentioned here because the tribe was located next to Dan. I intend on contacting Brit-Am and asking them for further information regarding this topic.

I admit I find this explanation flimsy and irrelevant, and would put more credence into Angel having a name like Malakh, which would be Angelos in Greek, and that name transferring during the migration, somehow. As you might have been able to tell, I also do not but much credence into this explanation either. A latin name for the Jutes, Iutae, is almost identical to the latin for Judah, Iudas. Like Ephraim, Judah was a tribe located next to Dan. I find it likely that members of the tribe of Judah went with Dan (and possible Ephraim) in their possible migration.

Conclusions

We can draw a number of loose conclusions, that together may draw a more convincing argument. It is important to note that all evidence presented here is circumstantial at best, speculative at worst.

• According to Saxo and Tacitus, the Jutes and Angli shared a common ancestry, culture and geographical location.

• The latin term for the Jutes, Iutae, is almost identical to the latin for Judah, Iudas.

• Religious practices of the Germanic tribes described by Tacitus share striking similarities with Israelite religious practice described in the bible.

• The name Angel may have a connection to an established nickname for Ephraim

In Part III, we will will at some possible migration patterns used by the Israelite tribes, and how they may lead us to Northern Europe.

Eurasian Israelism in Gesta Danorum Part I:

Gesta Danorum, or the Deeds of the Danes is a 12th century work done by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus. It is often cited as the most ambitious collection of historical accounts regarding Denmark and Scandinavia. Sources are available under the Sources page.

GD is also cited by both old and modern Anglo-Israelist and Nordic Israelist groups as historical evidence for their positions, specifically for the claim that the Danish people are descendants of Dan, son of Israel. As such, we will go through the manuscript to find data which will either support or deny our preconceived notion.

The Mythological King Dan

According to Saxo, the first recorded king of the Danes was, as the name suggests, Dan, son of “Humli” and brother of “Angel,” from which Anglo is derived. Chronicon Lethrense, another medieval manuscript, also mentions a king of the Danes named Dan. The Ballad of Eric is another example, though much later, of Dan being mentioned. King Dan is also identified by several scholars as Halfdan the Old, another legendary king figure. According to Saxo, Dan has two sons, Humli and Løther, and a wife, Gritha. After the death of Dan, an interesting practice is initiated to select a new king. Saxo puts it this way: “When they were to choose a king it was our forebears’ custom to proclaim their votes while standing on stones fixed in the ground, as though to augur the durability of their action through the firmness of the rocks beneath them.” – Gesta Danorum 2.1 Although a direct comparison is hard to find, a similar practice was done by the Israelites, as noted in 1 Samuel:

“In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves,” and “Then Samuel called the people together before Yahuah at Mizpah.” – 1 Samuel 8:18 and 1 Samuel 10:17

These verses show that, atleast to some extend, the practice of gathering and choosing, or voting in, a king is seen in both cultures. This may or may not be unique to either culture, but it is an interesting note that this was the “obvious” choice for electing a leader for both people. It is also of note that Saxo first describes Dan and Angel as “founders of our race,” but then goes on to describe “forbears,” who we must conclude is of a different identity. Humli, or Humblus, was initially chosen to be the successor, but was forced to relinquish power to his brother, Løther, or Lotherus.

Dan ben Ya’akov and the Tribe of Dan

Jacob, or Yaakov, also called Israel, had twelve sons, who would become the namesakes of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The history of the Israelites is well documented in the Torah, and some interesting comparisons can be made to Saxo’s writings. An interesting detail is the way in which both the Tribe of Dan and the early Danes were described; lazy, slothful and harsh. The Jewish Encyclopedia, based on Jeremiah, describes the tribe as wicked. Saxo notes “the Danes’ sluggishness matched their former ignorance and they were as wretchedly slothful now as they were ill-educated before.” Again, a minor point, but interesting that these terms were used for both peoples by prominent writers. Another point of note is the fact that the Tribe of Dan is described as a seafaring nation (Judges 5:17). The Jewish Encyclopedia notes, in relation to Judges 5:17: “This probably had reference to the fact that members of the tribe of Dan had enlisted on the ships of the Phenicians.”

Archeological examples of longboats used by the Danes (knarr), especially the vikings, and longboats of the Phonecians (trireme), who had close relations to the Israelites, show boats of almost identical structure and function. If the Danes are descendants of Dan, a known seafaring nation with knowledge of the almost identical Phoenician boats, it is unlikely that such valuable knowledge would be lost during migration to a new land. A 15th century manuscript called Vetus Chronicon Holsatiae is perhaps one of the earliest example of an author concluding that the Israelite tribes moved towards Europe, specifically Scandinavia.

Conclusions

We can draw a number of loose conclusions, that together may draw a more convincing argument. It is important to note that all evidence presented here is circumstantial at best, speculative at worst.

• Saxo identifies the first king of the Danes, and the namesake of the Danish people as “King Dan.”

• The “forebears” of the Danes had a custom of gathering people and voting on top of rocks. The Israelites also had at least one example of gathering people to choose a king.

• Dan and Angel are identified as founders of the “race” of the Danes, but “forbears” are identified, indicating the Danes had a former tribal or racial identity, much like the Tribe of Dan.

• The Danes and the Tribe of Dan were both identified as having negative traits (wicked, lazy and slothful) by respected historians.

• The Book of Judges and The Jewish Encyclopedia identify the Tribe of Dan as a seafaring nation with ties to the Phonecians. The Danes have been known for their seafaring abilities since ancient times.

• Archeological evidence of longboats used by both the Danes and the Phonecians show almost identical designs.

In Part II, we will go further into the connection between the early Danes and the Tribe of Dan, with the Gesta Danorum as our primary source.

Stone Circles & Their Significance

Stone circles, in some form, have been observed worldwide. From Europe, especially the UK, to the Gambia. From Sweden to Russia. Perhaps most significant, in Israel. The simplistic design of the megaliths seems obvious, even random. It is conceivable that this design could be conjured by various cultures and peoples who have had no contact with each other, and in most cases this is probably likely. Despite this, it is interesting to note some key similarities found in structures made by people who are seperated by thousands of miles. Combined with the fact that stone circles are only one of several megalithic structures found worldwide (dolmens being another), an image is drawn.

Although circumstantial at best, the existence of these megaliths, and especially their large numbers in some places, can be used to draw lines between the stone age cultures of the Middle East and the Europeans. Stonehenge in England is perhaps one of the best known, and best preserved megalithic structures in the world. Although the current Stonehenge is only part of the original structure, specifically the inner part, modern reconstructions give an accurate picture of the megalith as it once stood.

Stonehenge of the Levant

Interestingly, a structure called the “Stonehenge of the Levant” shares key similarities with the English counterpart. Rujm el-Hiri in Golan Heights, Syria was constructed around the same, and also features the design of larger rings of stone surrounding smaller rings, leading to a central core. Notably, Rujm el-Hiri was built using around 42.000 smaller rocks placed next to each other, and not large stones placed upon each other, like Stonehenge.

Human remains have been found at both Stonehenge and Rujm el-Hiri, although dolmen, usually associated with burial, have only been observed directly around Rujm el-Hiri. The closest dolmen to Stonehenge, Devil’s Den, is around 25km away. It would be highly speculative, but possible, to associate both Stonehenge and Rujm el-Hiri with some sort of religious ceremonial practice. In the case of Rujm el-Hiri, the burials around the structure has been noted by many others as being very significant in the context of a religious practice. Until further evidence is presented, applying the same purpose to Stonehenge (on that merit alone) would be unfounded. Other circular structures have, like stone circles, been observed worldwide. Today, it is widely hypothesized that many of these structures functioned as solar observatories and calenders. Chanquillo in Peru, the Goseck circle in Germany and Arkaim in Russia have been proposed, with varying levels of credibility, as astronomical tools of the ancients. It has been proposed that Stonehenge served a similar function.

Stone Circles in America

While it is completely unfounded to claim pre-Colombian contact between South Americans and Europeans, especially at the approximate time of construction of these sites, it is an interesting observation that people in completely different parts of the world could devise sofisticated tools in such an obvious fashion, but without a clear purpose being obvious to future generations. The relationships between these structures, if there are any, must be further studied. I suspect that more similarities will be found between the stone circles of England and the few known circular structures of the Levant, but this is pure speculation on my part.