þingvitni (OSw) thingsvitne (ODan) þings vitni (OSw) noun

Defined in ODan JyL 1:38 as the men, at least seven, present at a thing (ODan) ‘assembly’ (see þing) who witnessed cases being handled there. These could be called on to testify later, and ODan laws repeatedly state that no oaths could be sworn against their testimony. In OSw DL Rb:9, three men from each broafiol (OSw) ‘quarter of a Thing assembly area’ were to be called to swear as þingvitni, and in ODan SkL 18 they were two. One of their main functions seems to have been to ensure and confirm proper public announcements, not least concerning land transactions, but they also appear in matters of inheritance, wounds, killings, etc.

assembly witness ODan ESjL 1−3
ODan JyL 1, 2
ODan SkL 18, 59, 121, 140, 170, 233
OSw SdmL Jb, Mb, Rb
court witness OSw KrL Jb
OSw MEL Jb
Thing assembly witness OSw DL Bb, Gb, Rb
witness of the assembly OSw ÄVgL Jb
OSw YVgL Jb Refs:

Andersen 2010, 84, 96; Schlyter s.v. þingvitni, Tamm and Vogt, eds, 2016, 301