View source for Yotvingians

{{short description|Historical Baltic people}}
[[File:Baltic Tribes c 1200.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|A map of the territory of the Yotvingians and other Baltic tribes]]

'''Yotvingians''', also called '''Sudovians''', '''Jatvians''', or '''Jatvingians''',{{efn|[[Sudovian language|Yotvingian]]: ''Jotvingai''; {{langx|lt|Jotvingiai}}, {{Lang|lt|Sūduviai}}; {{langx|ukr|Ятвяги}}; {{langx|lv|Jātvingi}}; {{langx|pl|Jaćwingowie}}, {{langx|be|Яцвягі}}, {{langx|de|Sudauer}}.}} were a [[Western Balts|Western Baltic]] people who were closely tied to the [[Old Prussians]].{{Sfn|Sužiedėlis|2011|p=334}}<ref name="Terra">{{cite book |last1=Zinkevičius |first1=Zigmas |last2=Černelienė |first2=Marytė |last3=Makauskas |first3=Bronius |last4=Maksimavičius |first4=Petras |last5=Birgelis |first5=Sigitas |last6=Paransevičius |first6=Juozas Sigitas |last7=Mikėnaitė |first7=Palmira |last8=Burdinaitė-Ołów |first8=Birutė |last9=Balčiūnaitė |first9=Taida |title=Terra Jatwezenorum: Jotvingių krašto istorijos paveldo metraštis |date=2009 |publisher=[[Puńsk|Punsko]] „Aušros“ leidykla |url=https://punskas.pl/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Terra-2009.pdf |access-date=27 January 2023 |language=lt}}</ref> The linguist [[Petras Būtėnas]] once asserted that they were closest to the [[Lithuanians (tribe)|Lithuanians]].{{Sfn|Būtėnas|1957|p=314}} The Yotvingians contributed to the formation of the [[Lithuania|Lithuanian state]].{{Sfn|Budreckis|1967}}

== Culture ==

=== Etymology ===
According to [[Vytautas Mažiulis]], the name Sūduva derives from a local [[hydronym]] ''*Sūd(a)vā'', derived from a [[Baltic languages|Baltic]] verbal root, ''*sū-'': to flow, pour.{{Sfn|Mažiulis|1997|pp=166–167}}

=== Language ===
Numerous linguists consider the [[Yotvingian language]] as a dialect of the [[Old Prussian language]].{{Sfn|Sužiedėlis|2011|p=334}} The Lithuanian linguist [[Petras Būtėnas]] states that such an opinion is incorrect, because the Lithuanian {{Lang|lt|kalnas}} predominates in Yotvingian toponymy instead of the Old Prussian {{Lang|mis|garbis}}.{{Sfn|Būtėnas|1957|p=314}} The Lithuanian professor [[Zigmas Zinkevičius]] wrote that the Yotvingians spoke a dialect of [[Western Baltic language|Western Baltic]] that was closer to Lithuanian than Prussian.{{Sfn|Zinkevičius|1996|p=51}} The only known written source of the Yotvingian language is the manuscript "{{Interlanguage link|Pagan Dialects from Narew|lt|Pagonių šnektos iš Narevo|be-tarask|Паганскія гаворкі з Нараву}}".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Witczak|first=Krzysztof Tomasz|year=2015|title="The Pagan dialects from Narew" in the light of Yatvingian onomastic remnants|url=http://www.baltistukongresas.flf.vu.lt/failai/tezes/Witczak.pdf|journal=Baltic from an Indo-European Perspective|language=en|pages=43–44}}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Panstwo mieclawa.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|A map showing the territory of the already partially assimilated Yotvingians in the 11th century]]

The Yotvingians lived in the area of [[Yotvingia|Sudovia]] (Yotvingia) and [[Dzūkija|Dainava]], southwest from the upper [[Nemunas|Nemunas river]]. Today, this area corresponds mostly to the [[Podlaskie Voivodeship]] in [[Poland]], portions of [[Lithuania]] west of the [[Neman|Nemunas]] and a part of [[Grodno Region|Hrodna Province]] in [[Belarus]]. The territory was between the later cities of [[Marijampolė]] and [[Merkinė]] (Lithuania), [[Slonim]] and [[Kobryn]] (Belarus), and [[Białystok]] and Lyck in Prussia (now [[Ełk]], Poland).

Before the 10th century, in the south, Yotvingian homesteads reached the [[Brest, Belarus|Brest]] area. In the west, they reached the [[Narew]] river basin. In the north, they reached the [[Vilnius]]' and [[Kaunas]]' southern outskirts. The territory was shrinking over time.

<gallery class="center" caption="Kurgans of Sudovian culture predate Yotvingian presence">
File:Cmentarzysko Jacwingow, Suwalszczyzna, Aug 2004 A.jpg|A [[kurgan]] in the area of [[Suwałki]]
File:Cmentarzysko Jacwingow, Suwalszczyzna, Aug 2004 B.jpg|A kurgan in the area of Suwałki
File:Kurhan.JPG|A kurgan in the area of [[Jatwieź Duża]]
</gallery>

==History==
{{More citations needed|date=October 2010}}

=== Ancient history ===
According to ''The Histories'' of [[Herodotus]] ''(5th century B.C.)'', the [[Neuri]] (Νευροί) were a tribe living beyond the [[Scythians|Scythian]] cultivators, one of the nations along the course of the river [[Southern Bug|Hypanis]] (Bug river), west of the [[Borysthenes]] (Dniepr river).{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} This was roughly the area of modern Belarus and Eastern Poland by the [[Narew]] river, coinciding with the Yotvingian linguistic territory of toponyms and hydronyms ([[Narew]] river){{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=184}} and the [[Scythians|Scythian]]{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=153}} tribe of the Aroteres to the south-east.{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=184}}{{sfn|Sulimirski|Taylor|1991|p=585}}

[[Ptolemy]] in the 2nd century AD called the people ''Galindai kai Soudinoi'' (Σουδινοί). [[Peter of Dusburg]] called them ''Galindite and Suduwite''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} In the [[Hypatian Codex]] the spelling changes: ''Jatviagy, Jatviezie, Jatviažin, zemlia Jatveskaja, na zemliu Jatviažs´kuju'' and more. Polish sources also used Russian spellings: ''Jazviagi, Iazvizite, Jazvizite, Yazvizite''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}

This name was taken by the papal administration: ''terra Jatwesouie, Gretuesia, Gzestuesie, Getuesia und Getvesia''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} The Knights called this tribe ''Sudowite, Sudowia, in qua Sudowit''.{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=184}} and the [[Scythians|Scythian]]{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=153}} tribe of the Aroteres to the south-east.{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=184}}{{sfn|Sulimirski|Taylor|1991|p=585}}

=== 10th century ===
In 944, during the treaty between the [[Kievan Rus']] prince [[Igor of Kiev|Igor]] and the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, the Yotvingians were hired by the Kievan ruler to serve as mercenaries.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} In 983, [[Vladimir the Great|Vladimir I of Kiev]] hired the Yotvingians to add to his army.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}

=== 13th century ===
[[Image:02022 0853 Yotvingian jewellery, between 12th and 13th century, Suwalki region.jpg|thumb|12th and 13th-century Yotvingian jewellery found in the [[Suwalki region]]]]
[[Image:020220103 Yatving bronze pendants, 12th - 13th century, inspired by Viking period silverworks, Jegliniec.jpg|thumb|12th and 13th-century Yotvingian bronze pendants found in [[Jegliniec]]]]

In two dotations, in 1253 and 1259, by King [[Mindaugas of Lithuania]], a new name was recorded: ''Dainava, Deynowe, Dainowe, Denowe'' (land of songs). The forests were named ''Deinova Jatvež''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} In the 1260 treaty with the Teutonic Knights, the region is called "''terre Getuizintarum''".{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}{{clarify|reason=Gen./dat. singular or nominative plural?|date=April 2024}} [[Komantas of Sudovia|Skalmantas]], leader of the Yotvingians was responsible for single-handedly raiding [[Pinsk]] in the [[Principality of Turov]].

=== 14th century ===
In the sentence of [[Breslau]] of the emperor [[Sigismund of Luxembourg]] to the Livonian Order from 1325, this area is called ''Suderlandt alias Jetuen''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}

=== 15th century ===
[[Vytautas the Great]] wrote about "terra Sudorum", in a letter to [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor|King Sigismund]] of March 11, 1420.

A 1860 census by the clergy of the Belarus Grodno area, had 30,929 inhabitants identifying as Yatviags.{{Sfn|Sabaliauskas|1995|p=80}}

=== 20th century ===
[[File:Yotvigia Map.svg|thumb|Map of the Yotvingian Ethnolinguistic area defined on the Western Polissia scholarly conference In April 1990.<ref name="Sfera">''Цадко О.'' [http://journal.palityka.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/04_cadko.pdf Полесье и опыт национального конструирования (1988–1995)], Палітычная сфера. Гісторыя і нацыя, no.24 (1), 2016, pp. 78-93.</ref>]]
In the 1980s, a group of intellectuals led by [[Nikolai Shelyagovich]] emerged, which created the public-cultural association ''"Polesie"'' ({{lang|be|Полісьсе}}) in April 1988. Its goals were the revival of the [[West Polesian|Western Polesie language]],<ref name= Slounik>{{Cite web |title=Шыляговіч Мікола · Slounik.org |url=https://slounik.org/153720.html |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=slounik.org |language=be}}</ref> recognition of the local residents of as a national minority and a national and cultural autonomy of Western Polesie. The group claimed that the residents of West Polesia were '''Yotvingians'''.'''<ref name="Sfera" />'''

In April 1990, the group held a scholarly conference in [[Minsk]], declaring that the territories of the [[Brest region|Brest]] and [[Pinsk]] regions of Belarus, the [[Volhynia]] region of Ukraine, and the [[Podlachia]] and [[Chełm]] regions of [[Poland]] were a part of the Yotvingian ethnic group.<ref name="Sfera" />

== Notable Yotvingians ==
*[[Komantas of Sudovia]] led the Yotvingians in the [[Prussian uprisings]].{{Sfn|Kapočius|1970–1978|p=210}}

==See also==
*[[Sudovian language]]
*[[Yotvingia]]
*[[Polesie (association)|Polesie association]]

== Literature ==

*{{Cite book|last=Totoraitis|first=Jonas|title=Sūduvos Suvalkijos istorija|publisher=Piko valanda|year=2003|isbn=978-9986-875-87-1|location=Marijampolė|language=lt|orig-date=1938}}
*Witczak, K. T., ''Traces of Dual Forms in Old Prussian and Jatvingian in Woljciech Smoczynski and Axel Holvoet'', eds, Colloquium Pruthenicum primum, 1992, pp 93–98
*Gerullis, G., ''Zur Sprache der Sudauer-Jadwinger'', in Festschrift A. Bezzenberger, Göttingen 1927
*Toporov,V., ''ИНДОЕВРОПЕЙСКЕ ЯЗЫКИ'' [Indo-European languages] Лингвистический энциклопеический словарь.[Linguistic encyclopedic dictionary] Moskva, 1990, pp 186–189
*Mažiulis, V., ''Baltic languages''. Britannica Online Encyclopedia
*Henning, E., ''De rebus Jazygum sive Jazuin-gorum'', Regiomonti, 1812
*Sjoegren, A., ''Ueber die Wohnsitz Verhaeltnisse und der Jatwaeger'', St. Petersburg, 1859
*Sembrzycki, J., ''Die Nord-und Westgebiete the Jadwinger und deren Grenzen'', Altpreussischeme Monatschrift, XXVIII, 1891, pp.&nbsp;76–89
*W. R. Schmalstieg, ''Studies in Old Prussian'', University Park and London, 1976.
*V. Toporov, ''Prusskij jazyk: Slovar''', A - L, Moskva, 1975–1990.
*V. Mažiulis, ''Prūsų kalbos etimologijos žodynas'', Vilnius, t. I-IV, 1988–1997.
* Archäologie der UDSSR: Die Finno-Ugrier und die Balten im Mittelalter, Teil II, Balten, S. 411–419, Moskau 1987
* Lepa, Gerhard (Hrsg): Die Sudauer, in Tolkemita-Texte Nr. 55, Dieburg 1998
* Lepa, Gerhard: Gedanken über die Prußen und ihre Lieder, in Tolkemita-Texte "25 Lieder der Sudauer" Nr. 56, Dieburg 1999
* Litauische Enzyklopädie, Bd. XXVX, Boston, USA, 1963
* Salemke, Gerhard: Lagepläne der Wallburganlagen von der ehemaligen Provinz Ostpreußen, Gütersloh, 2005, Karten 19/ 7 - 19/ 13
* Žilevičius, Juozas: Grundzüge der kleinlitauischen Volksmusik, in Tolkemita-Texte "25 Lieder der Sudauer" Nr. 56, Dieburg 1999

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==

* {{Cite journal|last=Būtėnas|first=Petras|author-link=Petras Būtėnas|date=December 1957|title=Sudūviai - Jotvingiai - Dainuviai|url=http://partizanai.org/failai/pdf/01Karys/Karys-1957-10.pdf|journal=[[Karys]]|language=lt|volume=10|issue=1337|pages=314–316}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Budreckis|first=Algirdas|date=1967|title=Etnografinės Lietuvos rytinės ir pietinės sienos|url=http://partizanai.org/karys-1967m-7-8/5742-etnografines-lietuvos-rytines-ir-pietines-sienos|journal=[[Karys]]|language=lt}}
* {{Cite book|last=Gimbutas|first=Marija|title=The Balts|publisher=[[Thames and Hudson]]|year=1963|series=Ancient peoples and places|volume=33|location=London|pages=97–102|author-link=Marija Gimbutas}}
* {{Cite book|last=Mažiulis|first=Vytautas|title=Prūsų kalbos etimologijos žodynas|publisher=Mokslas|year=1993|isbn=978-5-420-00791-4|volume=II|location=Vilnius|pages=7–12|language=lt|trans-title=Etymological Dictionary of the Prussian Language|author-link=Vytautas Mažiulis}}
* {{Cite book|last=Mažiulis|first=Vytautas|title=Prūsų kalbos etimologijos žodynas|year=1997|isbn=978-5-420-01406-6|volume=IV|location=Vilnius|pages=166–167|language=lt|trans-title=Etymological Dictionary of the Prussian Language|author-link=Vytautas Mažiulis}}
* {{Cite book|last=Sabaliauskas|first=Algirdas|title=Mes Baltai|publisher=Science and Encyclopedia Publishers|year=1995|location=Vilnius, Lithuania|pages=80|language=lt|trans-title=We, the Balts}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Antoniewicz|first=Jerzy|year=1958|title=The mysterious Sudovian people|journal=Archaeology|volume=II|issue=3|pages=158–161}}
* {{Cite book|last=Antoniewicz|first=Jerzy|title=The Sudovians|year=1962|location=Białystok}}
* DUSBURG (PETRI DE DUSBURG), ''Chronicon Prussiae'', ed. Chr. Hartknock, Jena, 1879
* {{Cite encyclopedia|year=1970–1978|title=Skomantas|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia Lituanica]]|location=Boston, Massachusetts|last=Kapočius|first=Juozas|editor-last=Sužiedėlis|editor-first=Simas|lccn=74-114275}}
* {{Cite book|last=Sužiedėlis|first=Saulius A.|title=Historical Dictionary of Lithuania|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]]|year=2011|isbn=9780810875364}}
* {{Cite book|last=Zinkevičius|first=Zigmas|title=The History of the Lithuanian Language|publisher=Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidykla|year=1996|isbn=9785420013632|author-link=Zigmas Zinkevičius}}
* {{cite book |last=Sulimirski |first=T. |author-link=Tadeusz Sulimirski |year=1985 |chapter=The Scyths |editor-last=Gershevitch |editor-first=I. |editor-link=Ilya Gershevitch |series=[[The Cambridge History of Iran]] |title=The Median and Achaemenian Periods |volume=2 |location=[[Cambridge]], [[United Kingdom]] |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |pages=149–199 |isbn=978-1-139-05493-5 }}
*{{cite book |editor1-last=Boardman |editor1-first=John |editor1-link=John Boardman (art historian) |editor2-last=Edwards |editor2-first=I. E. S. |editor2-link=I. E. S. Edwards |editor3-last=Hammond |editor3-first=N. G. L. |editor3-link=N. G. L. Hammond |editor4-last=Sollberger |editor4-first=E. |editor4-link=Edmond Sollberger |editor5-last=Walker |editor5-first=C. B. F. |last1=Sulimirski |first1=Tadeusz |author-link1=Tadeusz Sulimirski |last2=Taylor |first2=T. F. |author-link2=Timothy Taylor (archaeologist)  |date=1991 |title=The Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and other States of the Near East, from the Eighth to the Sixth Centuries B.C. |series=[[The Cambridge Ancient History]] |volume=3 |issue=2 |chapter=The Scythians |url= |location=[[Cambridge]], [[United Kingdom]] |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |pages=547–590 |isbn=978-1-139-05429-4}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Yotvingia}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120204202555/http://www.vaidilute.com/books/gimbutas/gimbutas-01.html M. Gimbutas book on the Balts, with maps]

{{prussian clans}}

[[Category:Historical ethnic groups of Europe]]
[[Category:People from Prussia (region)]]
[[Category:Historical Baltic peoples]]