"Brit-Am Now"-914
Contents:
1. Interesting Article on the
Jewishness of the
Khazars
2. Jewish Communities in England and Wales Prior to 1290 CE
3. Phoenicians in Cornwall
4. Picts,
Hittite, etc in Europe: An interesting Extract followed by
Brit-Am Commentary
5. A Hebraic Source from Cornwall?
6. Genealogy: Irish Ancestry-Surname Search by Region
7. Genealogy: Britain Ancestry-Surname Search by Region
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1. Interesting
Article on the Jewishness
of the Khazars
http://www.sullivan-county.com/identity/khazars.htm
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2. Jewish
Communities in England and Wales Prior to 1290 CE
http://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/pre-1290/list_regions.htm
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3. Phoenicians in
Cornwall
"The Phoenicians in St Just"
http://stjustvingoe.tripod.com/phoenicians_in_st_just.htm
The Phoenicians in St Just
by [?] Sandra and George Pritchard
[Extracts]
The coming of the Phoenicians
There are a number of legends about the Phoenicians trading with the Cornish for
tin. One names the village of Treen not far from St Just as being at one time an
important market town where the tin-streamers who worked the streams from
Penwith would bring their tin and other goods to trade with the Tyrian
merchants. It was these Tinners who constructed Castle Trereen as a place to
protect themselves and their goods against attack.
The Evidence
<<Many learned people will tell you that the Phoenician's never visited
Cornwall. However if you visit the Egyptian Room in Truro Museum you will find
in the bottom corner of a glass case a tiny bronze figure of a bull with a human
face (shown above). The story of this find is interesting.
<<Since ancient times there has been speculation as to the origins of the
Phoenicians. The Greeks were particularly puzzled by them and gave them the name
"Phoinikes" which loosely translated as "red people" some say from the colour of
their land, whilst others argue it was the colour of their hair.6.
<<Maybe the red hair amongst the folks of Sennen comes from the Phoenicians
instead of the Danes.
<<The Phoenicians called themselves Canaanites, and modern researchers tell us
they were the descendents of two groups, the early Canaanites who inhabited the
shores of Lebanon and the Sea People who invaded the Lebanon about 1200B.C. It
is thought that the Sea People originated from an area on what we now call the
Gulf. 9.
<<Because of discoveries of the remains of a number of Phoenician cities in the
last hundred years this argument can be countered and that rather than being
firmly planted as one nation, the Phoenicians started in Lebanon, but
established colonies all along the coast of the Mediterranean. At the time of
Solomon 1000B.C. they occupied a number of these city-states at Byblos, Sidon,
Tyre, Berytus (Beirut), Tripoli, Baalbeck and Caesarea.12.
"Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches;
with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs."13.
Tyre, was ruled over by King Huram whose people were not only skilled at moving
things by sea but also had other skills. Solomon needed Cedar and other goods
when he was constructing the Temple in Jerusalem and approached the Phoenician
King about supplying them. Solomon asked the King
"Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in
brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson and blue, and that can skill to
grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and Jerusalem.14.
<<MBy this reference we now know that in the two hundred years since their
arrival in Lebanon, the Phoenicians had developed as major traders and
craftsmen at the centre of the ancient world. The Oxford Dictionary definition
of Brass is a mixture of Copper and Tin or Zinc.
<<"TIN was known as an alloy with Copper at least as early as 1600 B.C. in
Egypt, and probably before 2000 B.C. in Europe. It was also prepared pure in
Egypt at least by 1400 B.C. The source of it is much debated. Banca, Spain, and
Britain have all been proposed. That it appears as an alloy earlier in Europe
than in Egypt shows that it was European. - - - The word used by Homer
kassiterov, is the same as the Arabic kasdeer, probably derived from ancient
Phoenician.16.
<<Certain it is that these mariners brought Tin from the Cassiterides, which
embraced the Scilly Isles and the coast of Cornwall.17. One of the most
remarkable facts connected with the early races in Europe and Asia was the
extensive use of weapons and implements of Bronze; and the noted British
archeologist, Sir John Evans, shows that the use of Bronze preceded that of Iron
in Egypt ." 18.
<<As more and more remains of these Phoenician cities have been discovered, the
finds show that Phoenician art clearly reflected the influences of Egypt, Syria,
and Greece. Phoenician deities were represented in Egyptian and Syrian attire
and were surrounded with foreign symbolism adopted by Phoenician artists and
used to illustrate indigenous beliefs. The Phoenicians excelled at metal craft
and carving and this is why King Solomon made the request for Phoenician Artists
to work on the Temple.19.
<<The Phoenician ivories and metal relief's were copied in many neighbouring
regions, especially in Palestine, Greece, and Etruria. Their artisans settled in
Egypt and Greece and imported Syrian work as well as their own, increasing the
amalgamation of styles. The principal Phoenician excavations are at Byblos, but
Phoenician works in jewellery, glass, clay, alabaster, ivory, many metals,
faience, and wood are found in all Mediterranean countries and neighbouring
areas of Asia Minor.20.
<<The ancient world had much to thank Tyre for. The Greek attributed the
introduction of the alphabet to their country to Cadmus, the son of a Tyrian
king. The name of the continent is said to come from Europa, the sister of
Cadmus. But it was Tyre's purple-dyed textiles, worn throughout the ancient
world as a mark of royal rank, that brought fame and fortune to the city. One
gram of pure purple dye was worth ten or twenty grams of gold, so it is not
surprising that some of the beautiful sarcophagi of the necropolis belonged to
wealthy purple dye manufactures of Tyre. The ancient Tyrians extracted the dye
from the Murex, a marine snail that still lives along Tyre's shores deep among
the rocks and sunken archeological remains. Dye extraction is no longer a viable
commercial venture, but scientists have documented the process for historical
purposes.21.
<<By stressing through these forms his potency and virility, Baal represents the
masculine element, and serves as the fertilizing, life-giving, and life-renewing
aspect through whom the Mother Goddess fulfills her functions, She was called
Astarte / Asherar-yam, our lady of the sea, and in Byblos she was Baalat, our
dear lady.26. Coins found at one of the ancient Phoenician sites have a Mermaid
on them and it is believed that this is a representation of Astarte.
She was also linked with mother goddesses of neighbouring cultures, in her role
as combined heavenly mother and earth mother. Cult statues of Baal and Astarte
in many forms were left as votive offerings in shrines and sanctuaries as
prayers for good harvest, for children, and for protection and tranquillity in
the home and a number have been found showing the animal body and the human
face. The Phoenician triad was incorporated in varying degrees by their
neighbors and Baal and Astarte eventually took on the look of Greek deities.27.
References.
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4.
Picts,
Hittite, etc in Europe: An interesting Extract followed by
Brit-Am Commentary
a. The Source:
From Canaan to Connecticut --
The Story of the Algonquian Indians!
http://www.hope-of-israel.org/algonqun.htm
John D. Keyser
Extracts of interest (that we do not necessarily agree with):
When Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan river just north of the Dead
Sea, they camped a while at Gilgal, then moved to take Jericho and Ai.
Afterward, they returned to Gilgal (Joshua 1-8). After making peace with Gibeon,
Joshua led the Israelites through the Valley of Aijalon and defeated the five
Amorite kings (Joshua 9-10). From Makkedah, Joshua launched a SOUTHERN campaign
against Lachish, Hebron, Debir and Gaza.
Those of the inhabitants who were not put to the sword by the Israelites, FLED
TO EGYPT and sought refuge there. Samuel Purchas, in his book Relations of the
World and the Religions Observed in All Ages, records this flight:
"Procopius...affirms, that all the seacoast, in those times, from Sidon to
Egypt, was called Phoenicia: and that when Joshua invaded them, they [those that
weren't killed] LEFT THEIR COUNTRY, and FLED INTO EGYPT..." (1613. Book I,
chapter XVIII, p. 85).
After a victorious campaign, Joshua and the Israelites returned to Gilgal for a
period of time before launching any more campaigns against the Canaanites. The
Canaanites who had fled the country, however, pushed further into Africa:
"...there [in Egypt] multiplying, [the Canaanites] pierced further into Africa;
where they POSSESSED ALL THAT TRACT, UNTO THE PILLARS OF HERCULES, speaking half
Phoenician" (Ibid., same page).
Close to the Pillars of Hercules, on the African side, the vanquished Canaanite
refugees built two cities: "They [the Canaanites] built THE CITY OF TINGE AND
TANGER IN NUMIDIA, where were two pillars of white stone, placed near to a great
fountain, in which, in the Phoenician tongue, was engraven: WE ARE CANAANITES,
WHOM JOSHUA THE THIEF CHASED AWAY" (Ibid., same page).
In The Complete Works of Josephus, translated by Wm. Whiston, is a footnote on
page 110 that corroborates Purchas' record --
Moses Chorenensis sets down the FAMOUS INSCRIPTION AT TANGIER [TANGER]
concerning the old CANAANITES driven out of Palestine by Joshua thus: "We are
those exiles that were governors of the Canaanites, but have been driven away by
Joshua the robber, AND ARE COME TO INHABIT HERE" -- Kregel Publications, Grand
Rapids. 1988.
In time these inhabitants of Northern Africa became known as Berbers and Moors.
From Numidia the Canaanites soon made it across the Straits of Gibraltar and
reached as far north as Scandinavia and the British Ises. In these countries
(and Europe in general) they have left evidence of their existence over large
areas of land, and are known to the anthropologists as the "Beaker People."
The Northward Thrust
After a respite at Gilgal, Joshua and the Israelites thrust NORTHWARD as far as
Hazor, meeting the Canaanite hosts by the waters of Merom. Here they utterly
defeated the combined forces of the Amorites, HITTITES, Perizzites, Jebusites
and Hivites.
The land of the HITTITES, at the time of the conquest, extended north of
Palestine through Syria to the Euphrates river -- see Judges 1:26. Following
their defeat at the hands of Joshua the Hittites, along with others of the
Canaanites, fled northward through Syria into ANATOLIA. Notes Herman L. Hoeh of
Ambassador College:
The supreme god of the Canaanites was the WEATHER-GOD. Archaeologists have
uncovered representations of this deity, MOUNTED ON BULLS, at sites all across
the map of Europe! "Archaeological sites that have yielded representations of
DEITIES MOUNTED ON BULLS leave a 'MIGRATORY TRAIL' of dots across the map [of
Europe]. The route runs from the SYRO-HITTITE AREA, ALONG THE DANUBE, TO THE
LOWER RHINE AND THE BRITISH ISLES" (The Hittites: People of a Thousand Gods, by
Johannes Lehmann. The Viking Press, N.Y. 1977. P. 269).
Theodor Bossert, a leading Hittitologist, included a map showing all the sites
that have yielded this deity (STANDING OR SITTING ON A BULL) in his book
Altanotolien. The map clearly shows that the sites RUN A STRAIGHT LINE from
SYRIA to BOGAZKOY [in Anatolia] and FROM THERE ALONG THE DANUBE TO THE RHINE,
with an offshoot veering left to Italy. This god mounted on a bull is the
HITTITE WEATHER-GOD. A particularly fine example from the Roman period, portrays
him complete with all his attributes (e.g. thunderbolts and DOUBLE-AXE) and
riding a BULL, was found at HEDDERNHEIM, now part of FRANKFURT-AM-MAIN, early in
the present century.
What, then, did this "weather-god" mounted on a BULL represent?
Amihai Mazar provides the answer: "In the Canaanite religion, the bull was the
accompanying animal and SYMBOL OF BAAL, the storm god; in several Canaanite and
later Syrian artistic depictions the storm god is seen standing on the back of a
bull (Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, p.351).
Cult places where Baal was worshipped in the form of a bull have been uncovered
in various parts of Palestine. Notes Mazar --
On a high ridge in the northern Samarian Hills, in the heart of the Israelite
settlement region, an open cult place has been found which is perhaps one of the
few examples known of the biblical "high places" built "on every high hill and
under every spreading tree" (I Kings 14:23). On the ridge's summit a CIRCLE OF
LARGE STONES was laid, some 20m in diameter; the empty center of the circle was
perhaps reserved for a sacred tree. On the circle's eastern side, a large stone
was found standing on its narrow long side. Due to this stone's position in
front of a paved area on which several offerings were found, it seems to have
served as a MASSEBAH, a "STANDING STONE." A unique find here was a 0.18-m-long
bronze statuette of a BULL, which apparently was a major object of worship at
this site; it is reminiscent of the golden calf described in the Bible in
connection with the Exodus tradition and with the temples erected by Jeroboam I
at Bethel and at Dan (ibid., pp.350-351).
Bronze statuettes of bulls are to be found throughout Canaanite culture --
particularly at Hazor and Ugarit.
In the Historie af Danmark by Suhm, published in 1775, the arrival of the
Canaanites in Scandinavia is recorded: "Messenius...says that CANAANITES, which
were DRIVEN OUT BY JOSHUA, came to Scondia which they called henceforth
SCANDINAVIA. This is supposed to have happened 844 YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD...And
Arngrim Jonae, the learned Icelander, insists that THE CANAANITES, DRIVEN OUT BY
JOSHUA, WERE THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF THE NORTH..." (Page 101).
By the time Gathelus and his followers (see our article The Stone That Roared:
The Incredible Story of Lia-Fail) reached Germany in the decades immediately
following the Exodus, they found the Canaanites already in residence there:
They [Gathelus, Scota and their followers] went at last till they reached
GERMANY; they make a halt in it. It is there that there came a troop of the
soldiers of the PICT-FOLK [a name the Canaanites were called by other nations],
on account of the fame and glory of that sea expedition of Golamh [Gathelus];
they having had knowledge of one another FROM THE TIME HE WAS IN THRACIA with
his people. Each of them welcomed the other, and they joined their treaty and
friendship on each side. When they were agreed together, the PICTS [Canaanites]
complained to them of the narrowness of THEIR LAND AND TERRITORY IN THRACIA AND
IN PICT-LAND. Golamh [Gathelus] with his brethren, and his CHILDREN promised
that they would give help and military alliance with them, to contend for
ANOTHER TERRITORY and fair heritage; and that they would be united against their
enemies as though they were brethren; until that they [Gathelus and his people]
should get rest and should desist from the sea-journeyings and wanderings on
which they were, and that they should reach their native land. The PICTS
[Canaanites] were satisfied with that, and took farewell of Golamh [Gathelus]
thereafter. It is from that treaty and friendship which the PICTS joined with
Golamh that, long afterwards, the GAEDAL perforce cleared for them THE LAND
WHERE THE PICTS [CANAANITES] ARE, as Golamh [Gathelus] foretold at that time. --
Leabhar Gabhala: The Book of Conquests of Ireland, The Recension of Micheal
O'Cleirigh. Part I. Edited by MacAlister & MacNeill. Hodges, Friggis & Co., Ltd.
Dublin. 1916. P. 233.
Years later HEREMON, the son of Gathelus, would fulfill this promise.
b. Brit-Am Commentary
The article in question identifies the Picts and after them the Amerindians (or
at least some of
them) of North America as Canaanites.
The inspiration and primary source for this We understand to be the writings of
Herman L. Hoeh , who incidentally strongly recommended our work, "The Tribes.
The Israelite
Origins of Western Peoples" to his students.
The understanding of this school seems to be that actually two different peoples
are described as
Picts one of whom became the Red Indians and the other was Israelite.
We in Brit-Am are not sure about this but identify the Picts of history as
Israelite
and find a reference to Picts a being in Scandinavia of interest since it
corresponds with other sources.
We also appreciate all indications of peoples from the Middle East including
Israelites migrating
to areas in Europe especially Northern Europe.
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5. A Source from
Cornwall?
Irish, Welsh, Cornish sources all indicate that in "Celtic" Britain both
Canaanite and Hebrew influences were apparent.
This fits the description of the Northern Israelites having gone on the ways of
the nations around them before their exile.
"Bel" (i.e. Baal) was a major deity in Ireland and Britain.
There is no doubt about this based on place-names, archaeological evidence, and
ancient sources.
There is also much evidence from later writings in the Christian Era.
These writings mentions names and customs that dove-tails with the earlier
evidence
and strengthens it.
The problem however is that the Irish and British Churchmen (at least, if not
some of the lay people)
were quite learned for their time, knew Greek and Latin sources,
in some cases may have travelled to North Africa and Egypt etc
possessed a healthy imagination and were not afraid to take generous artistic
licence
in their writings.
We can never therefore be sure as to what they wrote reflected genuine
traditions
or was an historical extrapolation of their own.
Cornwall is to the south of Wales in Southwest Britain.
Cornwall became a center of "Celtic" British culture while previously having
been a source
of tin for the Phoenicians and [in Brit-Am understanding] the Ancient Hebrews.
The source below mentions the possibility that in Cornwall
existed deities known as "Jovyn" which may be the Roman "Jove" but also (like
"Jove")
could be a name derived from the Hebrew word for the Almighty.
"Astrot" which would be a form for the Canaanite Ashtoreth.
"Beryth" is similar to the Hebrew and means "Brit" or Covenant.
The question again is whether these name reflect a genuine tradition or a later
invention.
From: brittonica@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [brittonica] Digest Number 682
1a.
Re: Bewnans Ke From: Aspin
1b.
Re: Bewnans Ke From: Kevin Bowman
Mentions a work [in Cornish?] from ca. 1450 CE
"Bewnans Ke" (ed./trans. Graham
Thomas and Nicholas Williams) which apparently tells the life of a "Saint
Kea".
<<the pagan king of Cornwall, when he faces off with St. Kea, says that he
believes in a trinity
of gods. One of the gods, Jovyn, is mentioned many times outside this
formulation; then a number of times, a second god is added to
Jovyn, one Astrot. However, the third god is only mentioned twice, in
specifically "pagan trinitarian" statements, one Beryth.>>
<<I am wondering if the name "Beryth" might be related to the Biblical
Baal-Berith ("Baal of the Covenant"), mentioned in the Book of
Judges (9:4). This might link in with Astrot being equated with
Astarte/Ashtoreth.
<<Has anyone got access to a Cornish translation of the Bible? It
would be most interesting to see how the name of Baal-Berith there
tallies with Beryth.
Graham John
<<in the two lines it appears, it reads Jovyn, Beryth
hag Astrot in line 272, and then in lines 273-274, it is Fy the Jovyn
ha Beryth / hag Astrot plos, "Fie upon Jovyn and Beryth / and filthy
Astrot"
<<Graham seems likely to have hit the target, I think. Baal-Berith is
rendered Baalberyth in this Cornish translation of the Bible:
http://www.cornishbible.com/CornishBible/07.Judges.htm
<<Even in English Berith is often rendered Beryth because of the
association with ancient Berytus, modern Beirut.
Kevin A. Bowman
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6. Genealogy:
Irish Ancestry-Surname Search by Region
http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/index.cfm
Surname Search Engine
Found in Middle of the Page.
Lists regional distribution with map
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7. Genealogy:
Britain Ancestry-Surname Search by Region
http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLnames/Surnames.aspx
"Entry to the search function is hard to spot if you haven't been there
before. Look to the right side of the horizontal green bar."
Incudes map of regional distribution of each surname
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