Thing (assembly) facts for kids
A thing (also called a folkmoot or assembly) was a special meeting in early Germanic societies. It was like a big gathering where free people from a community came together. A person called a lawspeaker would lead these meetings.
Things happened regularly, usually in important places that were easy to get to. At these meetings, people made laws, settled disagreements, and sometimes even traded goods. The word "thing" today often means an object, but long ago, it meant this important assembly.
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Contents
What Was a Thing?
A "thing" was a type of governing assembly in ancient Germanic societies. It was a meeting of the free people in a community. A "lawspeaker" was in charge of these meetings.
Things were held regularly in special places. These places were often easy for people to travel to. At these gatherings, people made laws and solved problems. They were also social events and places for trade.
Today, the word "thing" in English means an object. But its original meaning was this kind of important meeting.
Where Did the Word "Thing" Come From?
The word "thing" comes from old languages like Old Norse and Old English. In these languages, it was "þing" or "thing."
Over time, the meaning of the word changed. Around the year 1300, it started to mean personal belongings. This eventually led to its modern meaning of "object."
You can still see the word "thing" in names of some modern governments. For example, the parliament in Iceland is called the Alþing. The parliament in Norway is called the Storting. Even the day Tuesday in German ("Dienstag") and Dutch ("dinsdag") is named after the "thing."
Early Records of Things
One of the first detailed descriptions of a thing was written by Tacitus in AD 98. He said that things were yearly meetings where people sent representatives. These meetings dealt with laws and military matters.
The oldest written mention of a thing is on a stone pillar. This pillar was found near Hadrian's Wall in the UK. A Roman army unit from a group called the Frisians put up the pillar.
The pillar mentions "Deo Mars Thincsus," which means "god Mars of the Thing." This might refer to a god connected to these assemblies. The Anglo-Saxon "folkmoot" was a similar type of meeting. It was a very early version of what we now call a parliament.
How Things Worked in Germanic Society
During the Viking Age, things were public meetings for free men. They were held in different areas, like countries, provinces, or smaller regions. These meetings acted as both parliaments and courts.
Their main goals were to solve arguments and make important decisions. Thing sites were also often used for religious ceremonies. Only free men of a certain age could join the assembly. Women were present at some things, like the Icelandic Althing, but they usually didn't make decisions.
Things helped to reduce fights between different groups. They were important places for solving problems, arranging marriages, showing power, and settling who inherited what.
In Sweden, assemblies were often held near natural or man-made mounds, like burial mounds. Large rune-stones were sometimes placed at thing sites. These stones showed that a local family was trying to claim power. Thing sites were usually located near roads or rivers, making them easy to reach.
The thing met regularly. It made laws, chose leaders and kings, and judged cases. The lawspeaker would remember and recite the laws. Many experts believe that things were early forms of democratic institutions.
The Icelandic Althing is thought to be the oldest parliament still existing today. The Norwegian Gulathing also dates back to 900-1300 AD. While things weren't democratic like modern elections, they aimed to be fair and represent many people.
In Norway, things were places where free men and elected officials met. They discussed things like taxes. Some scholars say that powerful families controlled things. But others say that any free man could speak and share his ideas.
Historians like Torgrim Titlestad say that Norway had a very advanced political system over a thousand years ago. This system had high participation and democratic ideas. Things also worked as courts. If a small thing couldn't agree, the problem would go to a bigger thing. The Norwegian parliament is still called the Storting, which means "Big Thing."
Over time, kings gained more power. Things then lost much of their political role. They mostly became courts in the later Middle Ages.
Things in Norway
Between the 11th and 14th centuries, Norway became a stronger kingdom. The king started to control the assemblies more. It's not always clear if the king used old meeting places or created new ones. Some new thing sites might have been built to protect against the Danish king.
In northern and southwestern Norway, thing sites were often near important farms. These areas were seen as neutral ground. Landowners could meet there for political and religious activities. This helped royal officials and farmers work together.
An old Norwegian custom was to bring weapons to meetings. This came from the "weapon-take" tradition. People would rattle their weapons to show they agreed. Laws were made to control how these weapons were handled.
One important Norwegian thing site was Haugating in Tønsberg. This was a key place for declaring kings. For example, Harald Gille was declared King of Norway there in 1130.
Things in Sweden
Like Norway, Sweden's thing sites changed as the king's power grew. There was a struggle between the Christian king and old local leaders. Runic inscriptions at thing sites often showed these power struggles.
Swedish assembly sites often had large mounds, rune-stones, and were located where roads or water routes crossed. This made them easy to access.
A famous story tells how Þorgnýr the Lawspeaker told King Olof Skötkonung that the people, not the king, held the power in Sweden. The king had to give in to the thing's will. Important things in Sweden included the Thing of all Swedes and the Thing of all Geats.
The island of Gotland had many things in medieval times. Each thing sent a judge to the main island-thing called landsting. New laws were made at the landsting.
Things in Iceland
Things in Iceland were similar to those in other parts of Scandinavia. But they had a very clear structure. Iceland was divided into four areas. Each area had a certain number of lawmakers called goðis.
The most important assembly was the Icelandic Althing (Alþingi). It was the main meeting during the Viking period and Middle Ages. Unlike other European societies, Iceland relied on the Althing for laws and justice, not a king.
Þingvellir was the site of the Althing. People came there once a year to bring cases to court, make judgments, and discuss laws. The goðis and others formed the Law Council (Lögrétta). They reviewed laws, made new ones, and set punishments.
Besides the Althing, there were local Spring Assemblies (vorþing) in each area. These were led by three goðis. There were also courts that met at the Althing.
Things in Greenland
In the early 1900s, experts found two possible thing sites in Greenland. These were at Brattahlíð and Garðar. Both sites were found using old writings and archaeological evidence.
These Greenlandic sites had some features seen in other assembly places. For example, they had temporary turf structures, which were also found in Iceland. They were also located near important farms.
This suggests that trade and social gatherings happened at these sites. Since Greenland had few settlements, people probably used these meetings to trade and socialize.
Things in the British Isles
In England, there's a place called Thingwall on the Wirral Peninsula. In areas like Yorkshire, which were once part of the Danelaw (Viking-controlled areas), similar meetings were called "wapentakes."
Thynghowe was an important Danelaw meeting place in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire. It was lost for a long time but rediscovered in 2005–06. It was a place where people solved problems and settled issues. "Thynghowe" is an Old Norse name. The word "howe" means "mound," often pointing to an ancient burial mound.
Things in Frisia
Early medieval Frisia (a region in the Netherlands and Germany) had three levels of thing assemblies. There was a highest level for the whole region, a middle level for smaller areas, and a lowest level for local communities. The local meetings were probably held three times a year.
Law-speakers called asega led the thing meetings. The word asega means "law-speaker." Many historians believe thing sites existed in places like Naaldwijk and Dokkum. From the 12th century, a big thing called Upstalsboom met once a year. Delegates and judges from all seven Frisian regions gathered there.
Place Names from Things
Thing assemblies were usually held in special places, often a field or common area. A famous example is Þingvellir, the old site of the Icelandic thing (Alþingi).
The parliament of the Isle of Man is still called Tynwald. This name comes from "thing meadow." Every year on July 5, new laws are read out at Tynwald Hill.
Other places in northern Europe have names that come from "thing." These include Dingwall in Scotland and Tingwall in Orkney and Shetland. In Sweden, there are places called Tingvalla. In Norway, you can find Tingvoll.
In Dublin, Ireland, there was once a raised mound called the Thingmote. It was 40 feet high and 240 feet around. This is where the Norse people met and made their laws. It stood until 1685.
Modern Day "Things"
Many national governments in Nordic countries still use the word "thing" in their names:
- Alþingi – Iceland's "General Thing"
- Folketing – Denmark's "People's Thing"
- Storting – Norway's "Great Thing"
Other self-governing regions also use the word:
- Lagting – Åland's "Law Thing"
- Løgting – The Faroe Islands' "Law Thing"
- Landsting – Greenland's "Land Thing"
- Tynwald – The Isle of Man's "Thing Meadow"
In Sweden, the national parliament is called the Riksdag. But the local county councils are called Landsting. The first level of courts in Sweden and Finland are called tingsrätt, meaning "court of the thing."
In Norway, the parliament (Storting) used to have two parts: the Lagting (Thing of the Law) and the Odelsting (Thing of Allodial Rights). These parts were removed in 2007. Lower courts in Norway are called Tingrett. Four of Norway's appeal courts are named after old regional Things.
In Dutch, the word geding means a lawsuit or trial. For example, kort geding means a "short thing" or an injunction.
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