ERZURUM

The story about "Ardzn-Rum" is nonsense from all angles. Every time the etymology has nothing to say, the "distorted Arabic name" always comes to the "rescue". This was the case with Zaragoza, this was the case with Lenteji and many others.

The name, of course, must be interpreted from the Kartvelian point of view. First, we discard the Latin ending "-um" (there are many such toponyms on Ptolemy's maps. In Ukraine alone, these are Leinum, Barsakum, Niossum, etc.) and are left with the suddenly typical Kartvelian adjective "erzur(i)" (ერზური).

This root is not found in today's Georgian dictionaries. But we have a miracle called "Otar Kajaia's Dictionary of the Megrelian Language" (Megrelian language always helps out where Georgian fails. And vice versa: Georgian helps out where Megrelian fails. And if both fail, then Svan helps out. Don't let a wedge be driven between you, be united).

So, in Kajaia's dictionary, we find the Megrelian word ერზამა (erzama), meaning "ignition", where "-am" is a Megrelian suffix (remember the story of Priam), which leaves us with "erzi"/"erza" as the root. It is quite likely that this root, lost today, used to mean "fire". And “erzuri,” accordingly, would mean “burning,” or “glowing,” which perfectly corresponds to a settlement illuminated at night.

Post a Comment

0 Comments