Another name of an Iberian tribe from the north of Spain (more precisely, from Catalonia) should be explained as the adjective "Laietani", formed from the toponym "Laieti" ("land of la-"), which, in turn, may be formed from the root "laa", interpreted by Saba Orbeliani as "swamp" (alternative spelling of ლია).
Interestingly, the land around Barcelona, which has preserved this root in the name of one of its central streets - Laietana - is indeed very swampy, with those swamps today turned into more civilized water reservoirs, such as local landmarks Pantano de Vallvidrera, Pantano de Collserola or Pantano de Sant
Pons. Even more interestingly, the Italian Lazio, which was previously written as “La(e)tium” and therefore represents the same toponym “laieti”, is also a region with increased marshy conditions, which includes the famous Paludi Pontine swamp.
0 Comments