Re: Baltic Slav rebellion

--- In cybalist@egroups.com, Steve Woodson <wood2@...> wrote:

> The name of the diety of that shrine was Swantewit (Swan-white).

This

> is said to be an ancient Teutonic diety worshiped in an area that

had

> been sacred since pre -Teutonic times.

This looks like a folk etymology. While a white swan is quite
romantic, a real name most like was *Sve,tovitU or *Sve,tovidU.
<*sve,t- 'sacred', *vid- 'look'. If the last component was truly vit-
, then I'm not sure what it could mean exactly.

Sergei