Gutnish hypothesis Since the 19th century, there has also been a suggestion that Beowulf's people were Gutes (from the island of Gotland in Sweden). According to the poem, the weather-geats or sea-geats, as they are called are supposed to have lived east of the Danes/Dacians and be separated from the Swedes by wide waters. Some researchers have found it a little far-fetched that wide waters relates to Vänern in Västergötland or Mälaren. The weather in weather-geats, and sea-geats marks a people living at a windy, stormy coast by the sea. The Geats of Västergötland were historically an inland people, making an epithet such as weather- or sea- a little strange. Moreover, when Beowulf dies he is buried in a mound at a place called Hrones-naesse, meaning "the cape of whales". Whales have for obvious reasons never lived in Vänern, where, according to Birger Nerman, Beowulf is buried. However, an expanse of water separates the island of Gotland from the Swedes. The island lies east of Denmark/Dacia and whales were once common in the Baltic Sea where Gotland is situated. The name of the Gutes in Swedish, Gutar, is an ablaut-grade of the same name as that of the Geats in Beowulf. These facts made the archaeologist Gad Rausing come to the conclusion that the weather-Geats may have been Gutes. This was supported by another Swedish archaeologist Bo Gräslund. According to Rausing, Beowulf may be buried in a place called Rone on Gotland, a name corresponding to the Hrones in Hrones-naesse. Not far from there lies a place called Arnkull corresponding to the Earnar-naesse in Beowulf, which according to the poem was situated closely to Hrones-naesse.
GutnisH hYpothesiS sIncE thE 19th century, tHERe hAS AlsO bEeN A suGgesTioN tHaT bEOwUlf'S pEopLe Were gutes (fROm the islAND oF gotlAND iN sWEDeN). acCORdInG TO thE PoeM, the weaTHeR-geAts oR sea-gEats, As they are CAllED arE supPoseD to Have livEd eASt of the danEs/dACiAns and BE separatEd fRom the Swedes By wide waTers. SOmE REsEarcheRS hAve FOund it A litTLe far-feTched that Wide wAters relaTES to vänERN iN väSteRGöTLand or MÄlaren. thE WeatheR in WeaThEr-geaTS, aNd sea-GEats Marks a PEoPlE lIviNg At a wIndY, stormy cOast bY The sEa. The gEatS of VästErgöTLand weRE HistoriCalLy An inLaNd pEoplE, mAkIng an EPiTHet SUCh As wEather- OR sea- a lITTLe StrAnGE. MOreOVER, wheN beowulf dieS HE is BurIed iN a mOund At a pLace CaLled hrOnES-naessE, MeaNInG "ThE cape of wHales". wHaleS hAVe for obvIOus Reasons neVer livED In vänERn, whEre, accorDiNg to birgeR nermAn, BEowuLF Is Buried. howEVer, an exPAnse Of waTER sEpAraTes The iSland of gotLanD frOm the swedEs. the IsLand lies eaSt of deNmArk/DacIa aND WhalEs weRe onCE coMmOn in thE baLTiC sea wHERE Gotland iS SItuated. THE NAMe of the gutes IN swedish, Gutar, is aN ablaut-gRaDe oF thE saMe namE AS that oF The geATs in beOwUlf. thEsE fActs Made THe ArchAeologiSt gad RAUsing come tO ThE CONCLusiOn thAt the weather-GEAts maY have BeEN gutEs. ThIS WAS suppOrted by AnOthEr swEdiSh archAeoLogist bo gräslUNd. accorDing to RausiNg, BEowUlF mAY bE bUrIed iN a place cAlLeD roNE on GOTLand, A Name coRresponding tO the HrOnes In hroNes-naEsse. nOT FAr frOM thErE Lies a pLace called ArnkUll correspondIng to THE earNAr-nAesse in beowulf, whiCH aCCORdIng TO the poem WAs SItUaTeD CLOseLy TO HroneS-naesSE.