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Vineta
- a legendary city on the Baltic shore - the Atlantis
of the North
The semi-legendary city of Vineta, which
ended by sinking into the sea, is mentioned before the year
500 as the most important trading city in Europe with links
with Russia, Greece, Phoenicia and the Mediterranean. The
Arabic writer Ibrahim Ibn Yaqub described it (c. 970) as "a
large city by the ocean with twelve gates, the greatest of
all cities in Europe, farthest northwest in the country of
Misiko (=Poland) in the marshes by the ocean".
'Jomsborg'
may have been the Nordic name for Vineta. It is said that
Jomsborg was also called Jumne or Jumneta - and later it became
Vineta. Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1200) writes in his history of
Denmark that around 980 King Harald Bluetooth fled from his
son Sweyn Forkbeard's rebellion to the fortress of Jomsborg.
This was the castle that the Danish kings Niels (d. 1134)
and Valdemar the Great (d. 1182) attacked and laid waste by
opening the dykes by the River Oder. The Icelandic saga of
the Joms Vikings from c. 1240 also mentions Vineta. But where
was Vineta or Jomsborg?
In
the course of the sixteenth century Vineta appears on printed
maps of the southern Baltic coast, but without reflecting
contemporary settlement. The name was taken from older sources
and is surrounded by the mists of legend.
The
legend of Vineta may have been related to the later trading
city of Wolin in northwestern Poland. Excavations have revealed
the remains of a large international trading city from the
Viking Age and the earliest Middle Ages - but other theories
about Vineta have also been proposed.
The
exhibition Mare Balticum takes its point of departure in the
mythical sunken city of Vineta - the Atlantis of the North.
Back
to map
Exhibits
1
Olof Rudbeck
Atlantica sive Manhem, 1679
Rudbeck was Sweden’s first field archaeologist – a professor of botany and anatomy in Uppsala who also taught mining and fortification theory. He suggested that Svealand was the cradle of the Indo-European races and localized Plato’s Atlantis in Sweden after the Flood.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
2
Daniel Juslenius (1676-1752)
Aboa Vetus et Novus, 1700
Juslenius taught theology at the Åbo Academy from 1727 and became Bishop of Borgå in 1734. In Aboa Vetus et Novus he tried to find the roots of the Finnish language in the Tower of Babel.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
3
Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803)
Stimmen der Völker in Liedern, 1778/79
Herder was a theologian at the cathedral chapter in Riga in 1764-69. He revived interest in national culture, the folk tradition and political identity in the Baltic countries adjacent to his own native region Morungen/Morag.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
4
Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884)
Kalevala, first published in 1835
Inspired by romanticism, as a young doctor Lönnrot collected folk songs and verses on his journeys to Karelia. People liked the idea that he had “found the Kalevala in the forests”.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
5
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald (1803-1882)
Kalevipoeg, 1857-1861
To arouse national feelings in Estonia, Kreutzwald collected folk songs, tales and legends. A French edition was published in 1865, a German one followed in 1873. The first song festivals were based on Kalevipoeg and Antanas Baranauskas’ (1835-1902) The Tomb of Anyksciai (1858/59), a tale of the destiny of the Lithuanian people.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
6
Esias Tegnér (1782-1846)
Poem, Svea (subtitle Pro Patria, ‘For the fatherland’), 1811
Tegnér was awarded the Major Prize of the Swedish Academy for his national poem. It laments the loss of Finland two years before and the previous losses of Swedish territory as well as the defeat of Charles XII.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
7
Map of Scandinavia drawn by Nicolaus Germanicus c. 1467 on the basis of a map known as the ‘Later Map of Claudius Clavus’.
Since 1550 it had been supposed that Vineta was at Koserow or Damerow. From 1630 until about 1730 it was thought that the north west point of Usedom was the location. Romantic texts speak of “square stones and house foundations”. These have turned out to be boulders from the Ice Age.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
8
Sebastian Münster. Description of Pomerania with all its duchies, counties and prominent places, with ‘Wineta’ marked. Basel 1544.
The oldest map of Pomerania. It includes the whole country from Barth in the west to the Weichsel in the east and for the first time gives the name ‘Pomerellen’ for the eastern part, which since 1308 had belonged to the Teutonic Order, then in 1466 became part of the later kingdom of Prussia.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
9
Abraham Ortelius
Rugiae, Usedomiae et Julinae, Wandalicarum insularum vera descriptio. C. 1584
‘Map of Rügen, Usedom and Julin, a true description of the islands of the Vandals’.
Coloured print from Abraham Ortelius: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, 1612.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
10
Gerhard Mercator
Marca Brandenburgensis et Pomerania
‘Wineta emporium destructum anno 1630 a Conrado rege Daniae...(um 1627)’. 4th ed. 1613,
‘The trading city of Vineta destroyed in the year 1630 by King Christian of Denmark’. Print.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
11
Nicolaus Visscher
Map of the duchies of Pomerania and Mecklenburg.
Amsterdam 1715
‘Wineta emporium olim celeberr. aquar. Aestu absorpt.’; ‘Arcona urbs olim munitissima destructa a Daniae Regio Waldemaro 1168’. ‘The famous trading city of Vineta, which was swallowed by the sea’. ‘The strongly fortified city of Arkona, which was destroyed by the Danish King Valdemar in 1168’.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
12
Map of the islands of Usedom and Wolin, hand drawing by Wulff. C. 1740.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
13
Georges Louis le Rouge
Map of the Duchy of Pomerania. Paris 1757.
‘Wineta, jadis célèbre par ses foires, enfondré’; ‘Arcona, jadis Place très forte détruite par Woldemar Roi de Dannemarc en 1168’. ‘The flooded Vineta, once famed for its trade’. ‘Arkona, the once so strongly fortified place, which was destroyed by the Danish King Valdemar in 1168’.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
14
Friedrich Ludwig Güsselfeld
Map of the Prussian duchies, both the Swedish and the Prussian parts, indicating the ‘ruins of Vineta’. Nuremberg 1792.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
15
Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann (1819-1881)
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
16
Gerhart Mercator
Totius Daniae nova Descriptio. Beginning of 17th century. Map of Denmark showing Vineta at Damerow.
Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
17
Willem and Johan Blaeu
Map of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Published c. 1635. Drawn a few years earlier by Anders Bure de Boo (Buraeus).
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
18
Olaus Magnus (1490-1557)
Carta Marina after the first edition, Venice 1539.
Olaus’ map was the first to show the Baltic coastline realistically. His Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus, ‘History of the Nordic Peoples’, was printed in Rome in 1555.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, København
19
Olaus Magnus
Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus. Rome 1555.
Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
20
D. J. Ch. Kundmann
Rariora Naturae und Artis item in Re Medica oder Gelegenheiten der Natur und Kunst... Breslau/
Leipzig 1737.
Kundmann’s scientific descriptions are well known for their woodcuts, which show fossils encapsulated in amber.
Danmarks Natur- og Lægevidenskabelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
21
Pieces of amber with encapsulated fossils. Archaeological finds.
Muzeum Zamkowe w Malborku
22
Piece of antler with carved dragon motif. Second half of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
23
Bone pin. Mid-eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
24
Runic inscription on wood. End of tenth century, beginning of eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
25
Slavic earthenware vessel of the Fresendorf type. Eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
26
Axe of iron. End of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
27
Leather shoe. End of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
28
Dragon head carved in wood. Ringerike style. End of tenth century, beginning of eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
29
Fragment of silk. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
30
Amulet of wood, Slavic god. First half of eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
31
Horseshoe-shaped buckle of bronze, East Baltic type. Tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin.
32
Sun compass (?) of wood. First half of eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin.
33
Goldsmith’s clamp, antler/iron. Around 900. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
34
Belt mounting with plant ornamentation. Second half of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin.
35
Wooden oar. First half of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
36
Spur of iron/bronze. Eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
37
Fibula of bronze decorated with faces. End of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
38
Amber. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
a) Unworked amber
b) Amber beads
c) Thor’s hammer
d) Chess piece
e) Gaming pieces
f) Amulet with horse’s head
g) Pendant
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
39
Fragment of Slavic ship. Second half of eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
40
Knife handles, wood or antler. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
a)-c) Scandinavian style (Borre style)
d) Slavic style
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin.
41
Keys of iron. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
42
Scales of bronze and weights of bronze/iron. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin.
43
Combs of antler with rivets of iron. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
44
Spoon of wood with carved decoration. End of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
45
Spoon of wood with decoration in Borre style. End of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
46
Spindle whorls. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
a) Painted earthenware
b) Earthenware
c) Amber
d) Earthenware
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
47
Tweezers of bronze. Tenth and eleventh century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin
48
Eight Scandinavian arm rings of gold. Hoard finds from the beach at Peenemünder Haken, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Second half of tenth century.
Kulturhistorisches Museum, Stralsund.
49
Glass beads, some with gold. Second half of tenth century. Earth find from Wolin.
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wolin.
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