Scandza

Scandza was the name given to a "great island" by the Roman historian Jordanes in his work Getica, written while in Constantinople around 551 AD. This island was located in the arctic regions of the sea that surrounded the world. He described the area to set the stage for his treatment of the Goths' migration to Gothiscandza, the island in front of the Vistula river. Composed of information from several sources, his account contains several accurate descriptions of the mouth of the Vistula river. The common interpretation is that Jordanes is describing Scandinavia. Prominent Swedish archaeologist Göran Burenhult regards Jordanes' as a unique glimpse into the tribes of Scandinavia in the 6th century.