DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52552#0104
88
THE THUNDERWEAPON
its names are thorvigge (Warend), thorenvigg (Uppland, cf.
Rietz, Dialektlexikori), thorvig (Medelpad, Angermanland;
Rietz: Gotaland, Smaland, district of Nyland in Finland),
godviggen (Nerike, cf. No. 82), thornkilen (Dalarne, Gotland ;
Rietz: thornskil from Gotland), thorkil (Angermanland), go-
farskilen (Helsingland), thorensten (Helsingland), thorsten (Me-
delpad), gomorsten (Skane). [Cf. II. tillagg, p. ix.] Ibid. II.
tillagg, p. x. : “ In the parish of Rydaholm, Finveden, the
thunderbolt is also mentioned by the name of thunder-arrow.”—
Oskpil (i.e. thunder-arrow) — stone antiquities: district of
o
Nyland in Finland: Nyland, iv. p. 106.—Askviggar, i.e. “thunder-
bolts,” according to Dalin’s Dictionary is the common name for
“ wedge-shaped stones (of flinty slate, serpentine, greenstone,
etc.), belemnites, and rock crystals which are sometimes found
in the fields, on and beneath the surface of the ground, and
are believed by the peasantry to have been hurled down with
the lightning.”—STOBZEUS, Opera (Dantisci, 1753), p. 127, gives
the following names for belemnites: thordons kolf -pihl (i.e.
thunder-arrow), -wigge (i.e. thunderbolt), and watte-ljus, and
says that the usual qualities of the thunderstone are attributed
to them.—Other natural stones (“ langliche platte dreieckige
Steine, wie Schleifsteine, oder auch dreieckige schwarze metal-
lische Steine, wahrscheinlich Schwefelkies ”) pass for thunder-
stones (bisaviggar, bisikula~) on the islands off the coast of
Esthonia: RUSSWURM, Eibofolke, II. p. 248.—DALIN, Svensk
ordbok, says that thorvigg in South Sweden also means “ light-
ning, flash of lightning likewise Rietz : thornvigg in Gotaland
(cf. the modern Greek meaning of αστροπελέκι [ 114]).—Govigg,
see No. 82 ; marestenar, smordubbar, godbondestenar, stones
worn by water, see No. 83.
82. Popular conception of the thunderstone.
Govigg is the usual name for old stone weapons, most fre-
quently flint chisels, those relics from the stone age which are
so often found in the ground. The popular belief is that
whenever “ the thunder strikes,” such a chisel comes down with
the lightning [a], buries itself seven fathoms deep in the earth [£],
and gradually rises until it comes to the surface again in the
THE THUNDERWEAPON
its names are thorvigge (Warend), thorenvigg (Uppland, cf.
Rietz, Dialektlexikori), thorvig (Medelpad, Angermanland;
Rietz: Gotaland, Smaland, district of Nyland in Finland),
godviggen (Nerike, cf. No. 82), thornkilen (Dalarne, Gotland ;
Rietz: thornskil from Gotland), thorkil (Angermanland), go-
farskilen (Helsingland), thorensten (Helsingland), thorsten (Me-
delpad), gomorsten (Skane). [Cf. II. tillagg, p. ix.] Ibid. II.
tillagg, p. x. : “ In the parish of Rydaholm, Finveden, the
thunderbolt is also mentioned by the name of thunder-arrow.”—
Oskpil (i.e. thunder-arrow) — stone antiquities: district of
o
Nyland in Finland: Nyland, iv. p. 106.—Askviggar, i.e. “thunder-
bolts,” according to Dalin’s Dictionary is the common name for
“ wedge-shaped stones (of flinty slate, serpentine, greenstone,
etc.), belemnites, and rock crystals which are sometimes found
in the fields, on and beneath the surface of the ground, and
are believed by the peasantry to have been hurled down with
the lightning.”—STOBZEUS, Opera (Dantisci, 1753), p. 127, gives
the following names for belemnites: thordons kolf -pihl (i.e.
thunder-arrow), -wigge (i.e. thunderbolt), and watte-ljus, and
says that the usual qualities of the thunderstone are attributed
to them.—Other natural stones (“ langliche platte dreieckige
Steine, wie Schleifsteine, oder auch dreieckige schwarze metal-
lische Steine, wahrscheinlich Schwefelkies ”) pass for thunder-
stones (bisaviggar, bisikula~) on the islands off the coast of
Esthonia: RUSSWURM, Eibofolke, II. p. 248.—DALIN, Svensk
ordbok, says that thorvigg in South Sweden also means “ light-
ning, flash of lightning likewise Rietz : thornvigg in Gotaland
(cf. the modern Greek meaning of αστροπελέκι [ 114]).—Govigg,
see No. 82 ; marestenar, smordubbar, godbondestenar, stones
worn by water, see No. 83.
82. Popular conception of the thunderstone.
Govigg is the usual name for old stone weapons, most fre-
quently flint chisels, those relics from the stone age which are
so often found in the ground. The popular belief is that
whenever “ the thunder strikes,” such a chisel comes down with
the lightning [a], buries itself seven fathoms deep in the earth [£],
and gradually rises until it comes to the surface again in the