PLACE NAMES: CLUES TO PAST EVENTS Place names, you see, can give valuable clues for events in history. Ancient history, too. Archaeologist Nelson Glueck observed that the most ancient geographical names are faithfully reflected in modern designations. For example, Eriha is the word Jericho; Beisan is old Beth-shan, and so on. When an explorer or archaeologist is searching for an ancient site it is crucial for him to pay attention to the modern place names in the area he is searching. We can follow the path of Alexander the Great as he conquered the East by observing the place names that still exist all the way from Macedonia to India. These place names capture moments of history 2,300 years ago. Place names go back further still. BEFORE THE EGYPTIANS AND PHOENICIANS There is abundant evidence that before the Phoenicians and Egyptians travelled the world, certain key names and words had already been taken throughout the world. Although these names and words have undergone change, they can still be recognised. They are found in the native names of rivers and mountains, of volcanoes, waterfalls, lakes, islands, regions, towns and cities. They are also found in tribal names, in mythological and deified names, and the names for animals, birds, fish, flowers, trees, foods and parts of the body. TWO HUMAN DISPERSALS These KEY WORDS, blended into many combinations in many languages, can be identified in TWO DISTINCT GROUPS. Long term studies by Irish etymologist John Philip Cohane have established that there were anciently TWO MAJOR DISPERSALS of people from the Middle East. of root words. He says: “If one puts a charted overlay containing only the first group of names on top of a map of the world and then puts on top of that another charted overlay containing only the second group of names, the most logical conclusion is that, in prehistoric times, instead of one there were two dispersions from the Mediterranean.” (John Philip Cohane, The Key. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1970) THE FIRST DISPERSAL Words of the first group are found in all parts of the world. The FIRST dispersal covered the “whole world” in a very short time. This included people who were mapping the planet. If we were to trace the footsteps of the first migration wave, we would discover that it has left its traces in just ONE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. Some very valuable work into the evidence for this “First Tongue” has been undertaken by researchers like Gary Vey of Viewzone and others. THE SECOND DISPERSAL By contrast, the second migration wave left its traces in MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. This was a widespread, though more limited dispersal. This SECOND dispersal was heavily concentrated in a limited area of the world: the Mediterranean area, Africa and parts of Asia, “petering out along the eastern coast of the Americas in one direction (and) in Japan, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand in the other direction.” (Ibid) Thus two old dispersions of people have been identified and recorded. This amazing fact, discovered only in our time, reminds us of an interesting claim made in the biblical book of Genesis. It says that there were TWO DISPERSALS after the Great Flood. 1. An initial rapid dispersal from what is today eastern Turkey. It claims that at this time there was one language over “the whole earth”. 2. Later, a sudden language disturbance in Mesopotamia resulted in the inhabitants being scattered “abroad upon the face of all the earth.” So says the book of Genesis. And that’s precisely what archaeology is discovering! If you’re interested, there’s a wealth of information about this in the ebook “The Corpse Came Back”. Just go to beforeus/third.php
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:21:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015