The general opinion among the scholars I've spoken to about this is that they have a problem with "maes-" being of anything other than Norse origin, due to the overwhelming influence of Old Norse on other place names in Orkney. Personally, I don't think the "it must be Norse because everything else is" argument holds much water without further argument or evidence - a Norse origin for the "maes-" element would help, for example. The date when "Maeshowe" came to replace "Orkahaugr" would have considerable relevance, I feel.
Anyway, would you like me to email you the correspondence I've had with learned Doctors of Celtic history about this?
 Reply | with quote | Posted by Lianachan
21st April 2005ce
14:52 |
Mess/Mass/Maes/May (wideford, Apr 16, 2005, 11:23)- Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (moss, Apr 16, 2005, 12:16)
- Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (follow that cow, Apr 16, 2005, 16:00)
- Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (follow that cow, Apr 16, 2005, 17:13)
- Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (Lianachan, Apr 18, 2005, 08:53)
- Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (Lianachan, Apr 18, 2005, 09:26)
- Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (follow that cow, Apr 18, 2005, 09:37)
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Re: Mess/Mass/Maes/May (wideford)