Kir and Caer are the same term, differently expressed. In Scripture we meet with Kir Haresh, and Kir-Hareseth. Isaiah. c. 16. v. 7. and v. 11. and Kir Moab, c. 15. v. 1. and Kir Heres, of the same purport as Kir Haresh, is mentioned by Jeremiah, c. 48. v. 31. Upon the Euphrates was Cercusium and Carchemish. In Cyprus was Kironia, rendered Κερωνια by [[356]]Ptolemy; whose true name was Kir-On, the city of the Sun; where was a temple to Our-Ain, styled Urania. Kir-On was often rendered Cironis, Coronis; and the Deity Coronus and [[357]]Cronus. By these means the place was substituted for the Deity, and made an object of worship. Of this abuse I shall often speak. Artemis was, properly, a city, Ar-Themis, the same as Thamuz of Egypt. What was called Artemis, and Artemisium, was in some places reversed, and expressed by Kir subjoined: hence Themiscir, and Themiscura in Pontus.
Col, Cal, Calah, Calach, signify properly an eminence, like the Collis of the Romans; but are often used for a fortress so situated. We sometimes meet with a place styled absolute Calah: but the term is generally used in composition, as Cala Nechus, Cala-Anac, Cala-Chan, Cala-On, Cala-Es, Cala-Ait, Cala-Ur, Cala-Ope, Cala-Ham, Cala-Amon, Cala-Adon: whence came the names of people and places styled [[358]]Callinicus, Calachene, [[359]]Colonæ, Cales, Calathe, Calistæ, Calathusa, Calauria, Coloriua, Caliope, Calama, Calamos, [[360]]Calamon, Calymna, Calydnus, Calycadnus; all which were places in Phrygia, Bithynia, Assyria, Libya, denominated from their situation and worship.
Comah is used for a wall; but seems to be sometimes taken for those sacred inclosures wherein they had their Puratheia; and particularly for the sacred mount which stood in those inclosures. From Comah came the Greek χωμα, a round hill or mound of earth; called also Taph and ταφος; and thence often mistaken for a tomb: but it was originally a high altar.
By Gib is meant a hill. Gibeon was the hill of the Sun; said to be famous for its springs. Gibethon is a compound of Gib-Ethon, or Ath-On, titles of the same Deity. Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, was slain by Baasha, at Gibethon, of the [[361]]Philistines.
Har and Hor signify a mountain; ορος of the Greeks.
Tin seems to have signified a sacred place, for sacrifice; a kind of high altar. The Greeks generally expressed it, in composition, Τις· hence we read of Opheltis, Altis, Baaltis, Abantis, Absyrtis. It was in use among the antient Hetrurians and other nations: hence came the terms Aventinus, Palatinus, [[362]]Numantinus, &c. It seems to be the same as Tan in the east, which occurs continually in composition, as in Indos-tan, Mogolis-tan, Pharsis-tan, Chusis-tan.
Tor is a hill or tower. Many places in Greece had it in their composition; such as Torone, Torete, Toreate: also in Hetrurïa, Torchonium. Turzon, in Africa, was a tower of the [[363]]Sun. It was sometimes expressed Tar; hence Tarcunia, Taracena, Tarracon in Spain, Tarne (Tar-ain) which gave name to a fountain in Lydia; Taron (Tar-On) in Mauritania. Towers of old were either Prutaneia, or light-houses, and were styled Tor-Is: whence came the Turris of the Romans. Sometimes these terms were reversed, and the tower was called Astur. Such a one was near some hot streams, at no great distance from Cicero's Villa. It is thus described by Plutarch: Αστυρα—χωριον παραλιον Κικερωνος. The river, too, was called Astura. There was also a place of this name opposite to the island Lesbos, undoubtedly denominated from the like circumstances in its situation; as may be learned from Pausanias, who had seen it. Ὑδωρ δε απο πηγων ανερχομενον μελαν ιδων οιδα εν Αστυροις· ταδε Αστυρα απαντικρυ εστι Λεσβου· λουτρα εστι θερμα εν τῳ Αταρνει καλουμενῳ.
Caph, Cap, and Cephas, signify a rock; and also any promontory or headland. As temples used to be built upon eminences of this sort; we find this word often compounded with the titles of the Deity there worshipped, as Caph-El, Caph-El-On, Caph-Aur, Caph-Arez, Caph-Is, Caph-Is-Ain, Caph-Ait; whence came Cephale, Cephalonia, Caphareus, Capisa, Cephisus, Capissene, Cephene, Caphyatæ, Capatiani. In Iberia was a wonderful edifice upon the river Bœtis, mentioned by Strabo, and called Turris Capionis. It was a Pharos, dedicated, as all such buildings were, to the Sun: hence it was named Cap-Eon, Petra Solis. It seems to have been a marvellous structure. Places of this sort, which had towers upon them, were called Caphtor. Such an one was in Egypt, or in its [[364]]vicinity; whence the Caphtorim had their name. It was probably near [[365]]Pelusium, which they quitted very early for the land of Canaan.
Diu sometimes, but sparingly, occurs for an island; and is generally by the Greeks changed to Dia, Δια. The purport of it may be proved from its being uniformly adapted to the same object. The Scholiast upon Theocritus takes notice that the island Naxos was called Dia: [[366]]Διαν την νυν καλουμενην Ναξον; and he adds, πολλαι δε και ἑτεραι εισι νησοι Διαι καλουμεναι, ἡτε προ της Κρητης—και ἡ περι Μηλον, και ἡ περι Αμοργον, και ἡ της Κεω χεῤῥονησος, και ἡ Πελοποννησου. All these were islands, or peninsula regions.