Vistulans

The Vistulans, or Vistulanians (Polish: Wiślanie), were an early medieval Lechitic tribe inhabiting the western part of modern Lesser Poland.

Etymology

Their name derives from the hydronym of the river Vistula, meaning "inhabitants of Vistula"; the region is mentioned as Uuislane by the Bavarian Geographer, v Vislè and v Vislèh in the Vita Methodii, and Visleland by Alfred the Great in the 9th century.

Identification

Even though some historians, such as Przemysław Urbańczyk, claim that the Vistulans did not exist, there are three documents from the 9th century which can be tied to this tribe. First is the so-called Vita Methodii or Pannonian Legend (The Life of St. Methodius), second is the Bavarian Geographer, and third is Alfred the Great's Germania. Scholars consider that the Vistulans could also have been mentioned in the Old English and Nordic epic poems. King Alfred's translation of Orosius contains a description of Europe which states be eastan Maroara londe is Wisle lond, ⁊ be eastan þæm sint Datia, þa þe iu wæron Gotan ('To the east of the Moravians' land is the Vistula land, and to the east of them are the Dacians, that formerly were Goths'.)

A verse in Old English poem Widsith (10th century):

It is considered that parts of the epic poem could be dated to the 6th century. The syntagma ymb Wistlawudu has seen different translations by the scholars depending on the consideration whether Wistla is a borrowing from a German, Latin, or Slavic language. As such *Wīstle could be identified with the people, while Wistlawudu interpreted as "by the Vistulan woods" or "by the Vistulan wooden hills" (Beskids and Western Carpathians). However, the Hræda which is genitive plural of *Hraede, gives further insight to the meaning and age of the poem.