Friday 30 December 2011

Ancient Names for Nations

I decided to post a kind of correspondance chart with the ancient Near Eastern names for the various nations of the Mediterranean region.  These are from mostly biblical names, but a few are also from Canaanite inscriptions found in various locations.  The ancient name will be on the left, with its modern (or Greco-Roman) equivalent on the right.

Canaan- Phoenicia
Shinar- Sumer
Cush- Ethiopia
Mizraim- Egypt
Kaphtor- Crete
Phut- Libya
Arphakshad- Chaldea
Lud- Lydia
Asshur- Assyria
Serug- Syria
Joktan- Arabia
Gomer- Cimmeria
Ashkenaz- Armenia/Scythia
Magog- Scythia
Elishah- Aeolian isles
Rodanim- Rhodes
Malat- Malta
Tarshish- Tartesis in southern Spain/Iberia
Sapan- Spain/Iberia
Shardana- Sardinia
Kittim- Cyprus
Madai- Media and Persia
Javan- Greece
Lukka- Lycia
Danuna- Cicilia
Shekelesh- Sicily
Teresh- Tuscany (the Etruscans)
Tjeker/Zakar/Trawisha- Troas/Troy (it is possible that Teresh and Tjeker lived in Trawisha- Teresh later going west)

2 comments:

  1. Shinar is north and central mesopotamia long after sumer and akkad its Babylonia.

    Cush is not Ethiopia its Sudan little of Egypt and arabia and where eden is and touching Elam.

    Tarshish is not Spain but some wherein turkey ans Satan is in northern Syria. Teresh are not Tuscany or etruscans . teresh is the middle east.

    So there's a few little errors corrected there.

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    Replies
    1. Correct Canaanite or Kananian names:

      Canaan is kinaani or kinahnu
      Sumer is Dingiru or idinu
      Shinar which is central and north meso of Babylonia was called first shinruma.

      Cush is kushi based off the original Egyptian kushu .

      Mizrayim is misru or misrami but misru mainly.

      Crete is kaptaru


      Phut is puti

      Arpakshadi

      Luda

      Ashurii

      Yaktani
      Gamru
      Ashkazu
      Magu
      Ilasu
      Radnumu
      Malatu
      Tarshishu
      Sapanu
      Kitmu
      Maddi
      Yavani
      Shikilshu
      Tarshu
      Troasha
      Hattusha

      Arabs they called arubu

      Edom is udumu
      Moab is mabu
      Ammon is Ammi
      Midyan is midnu
      Amorites is amuru
      Israel is ashrilu

      But not all the six I listed excluding amorites are authentic the other 5 are iron age later comers.
      There's also the Nabatu and shasu or shutu Canaanite nations who are also bronze age canaanites, so there you go.

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