The Borrowed Plant Name Stems in the Georgian Gospel

The world of plants in the New Testament is not distinguished with chromaticity, but to each plant name, that is generally significant for the Biblical texts, a very interesting, exactly determined, formal-semantic model is related.

Most of the borrowed plant names are non-endemic species for Georgia, and it causes the existence of synonym forms: alo, halo (Hebr.), manana (Hebr.), nard- (lard-) (the Hebrew origin root, attested in Persian, entered in Georgian through Greek way), p’it’na (Pers. Gr.), t’egan- (Gr.), usup’- (Gr.), krtil- (Gr.?), šrošan- (Hebr. entered in Georgian through Persian way), cereco (Geo.?; anisul- Gr., k’ama ‒ Hebr.), ʒirak’- (Pers.). krtil- and ʒirak’- have apparently Georgian suffixed endings.

The other two complex compound names are the determinants of non-endemic species as well: danak’is k’udi (the name produced on a Georgian basis) and zetis xili, the first stem of which is of Arabic origin.

In general, the symbolic-sacred definitions are the cornerstone of the allegorical language of the New Testament. In this regard, the vocabulary of plant names testified in the editions of the Georgian translation of the Gospel gives a particular shade to the text.

1. “alo”, “halo” (Aloē L.) ‒ aloe in the Georgian Gospel is met in two forms: moiγes aγreuli murisa da alojsaj Jo. 19, 39;moiγo muri šezavebuli halojturt [“and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes”] Jo. 19,39C.

According to a biblical Encyclopedia aloe is a well-known exotic plant with wide and very thick thorny leaves. Its juice (also aloe) is a medical treatment, it was also used for embalming (cf. Jo. 19,39), and, - at home ‒ for fragrancy.

At the Cape of Good Hope and Ceylon many types of this tree are widespread. Due to the strong and pleasant smell of aloe, people of the East were using it as most precious incense. In the Holy Scripture aloe according to its aroma is equivalent to myrrh and cassia (Psalm. 44,9). The tree of aloe was very costly in the East.

According to Hérodote, aloe was used for the embalming of the dead in Egypt. It is known that Nicodemus brought the mixture of myrrh and aloe for the burial of Jesus Christ.

In other monuments of Old Georgian we meet: halo, alove, aloe, alo forms: “moiγo… muri da aloeē” K.Jer. 160. 2; “muri da aloj q’ovelta tana sulnelta (movistule)” K.Jer. – Aghdg. 159, 36; “mogala ergasisi lit’raj muri da alovē” Paul. 48,4[1].

Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani notes that alo is samuravi (19,39 Jo.). It is a big-leaf grass, it blooms after a hundred years and afterwards yields one fruit, which has a splendid aroma.

Sulkhan-Saba writes about the stem sabr: sabri (Bal.) is not a Georgian stem, it is called azua Za. azua (Bal.) sabri ZABCab. It is not interpreted; udi (tree) is an aromatic tree ZABCB[20].

The interpretations of azua and udi are not attested in any extant texts and Dictionaries.

As it turns out, sabri in Georgian is an Arabic borrowing. Arab. [ṣabr] : Geo. sabri.

In Abu Reihan Biruni’s (973-1048) well-known work[23] sabri is explained as [ṣabir, sabur] aloē. It is noted, that aloē is called [álbā] in Syrian, in Persian ‒ [albā], in Indian ‒ [būlū]. In Indian, the plant [sabur] is called [subār], in regions of Maghreb its name is [sabbāra].

Some heralds tell that the plant [ṣabir] is what Arabs call also [maḳir].

According to Abu Ubaida, from [maḳir] i.e. from aloe initially is separated [ṣabir], then [ḥuḍaḍ], and at last it is left pressing, which is called [maḳir] as well.

Azo, azua as a correspondent to Aloē, Ud is attested in Zaza Panaskertel-Tsitsishvili [17].

What about the Greek ἀλόη?, - In H. Hewy’s opinion, it is of Hebrew origin, derived from the plural form ’ăhālām or ’ăhālōt. On the other hand, he considers it possible to restore a dialectic form of Indian root ‒ aghil (=skt. agaru, aguru)[14].

Alo, halo forms confirmed in the Georgian Gospel redactions are derived from Greek ἀλόη(compare Syrian ’alwa; Persian albā); together with it, in Georgian is also met sabri, the later borrowing from Arabic ṣabr. As the Georgian variant of these words of foreign origin, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani assumes azua, the trace of which in Modern Georgian, Kartvelian languages and dialects is not shown.

2. “manana” (Erica L.) – manana is the food, which according to biblical tradition (Exodus 16,14), during forty years every morning had been falling upon the Jews departed from Egypt while travelling in the wilderness: mamata tkuenta čʼames mananaj udabnosa zeda da moc’q’des [“your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.”] Jo. 6, 49; mamata mat čuenta č’ames mananaj igi da udabnosa mas moc’q’des [“our fathers did eat manna in the desert;”] Jo. 6,31C; vitar igi č’ames mamata tkuenta mananaj [“not as your fathers did eat manna”] Jo. 6,58; mamani č’amdes mananasa udabnosa zeda Jo. 6,31 [“fathers did eat manna in the desert”].

In other monuments of Old Georgian: manana, “t’ak’uk’i okrojsaj, savsē mananajta” Hebr. 9, 4; “uc’wma mananaj sač’mlad” Pslm. 77, 24.

M. Nedospasova, concerning this stem notes: [manna] ‒ manana, according to the Bible, is a sweet and fecund food, which was falling from the sky for the Israelis during their travel in the desert, and it is a Hebrew word. It denotes a sort of ialγuni’s fruit (Tamarix galiccamannifera), from which’ adhesive sweet juice dropps onto the ground. With the influence of the Greek Holy Scripture, this word has been widespread in many languages with the form manna (instead of the Hebrew long vowel in Greek the consonant is duplicated, cf. myrr). In this regard, Georgian and Armenian are exceptional, where we have the manana form [16, p. 74-75].

Biblical manana “manna” means the species of ialγuni (Tamarix) from the Sinai Peninsula. Tamarix – [ṭarfā’] – ialγuni;Salix – [ṣafṣāfa] – t’iripi. The Arabic name of ialγun-i is phonetically very similar to the Georgian t’irip-i (Salix), but the proper Kartvelian stem denoting this plant is *ʒ1ecʼ1n1-, which is restored on the basis of following accordance: Geo. ʒec’n-, Megr. zičʼon- and Svan gჷnc’iš-.

3. “nardi” (Nardus L.) – nard- (nardus, siler, oleum nardeum) the plant and the aromatic oil distilled from it in the Georgian Gospel is met in the following examples: moiγo lit’raj erti nelsacxebeli nardisa [“then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard”] Jo. 12,3; akunda alabast’rita nelsacxebeli nardisa sarc’munojsaj [“having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious”] Mrk. 14,3.

Nard (Nardostachys jatamansi) is an aromatic precious plant known in the East (Jo. 12,3-5). Mostly it was brought from India. In Palestine and its neighbourhood it blooms on mountains and lowlands. It has purple - red flowers and fragrant leaves. They were distilling precious oil from its roots, which cost more than 300 Dinar (Mr. 14,3; Jo. 12,3), and they were kept in alabaster jars.

Ioane Bagrationi writes about nard that it grows in India and has a nice aroma.

Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani notes that nard is an aromatic and motley flower, which the Persians call sumbul.

It seems that the stem nard confirmed in the Georgian Gospel comes from Greek through the translations of Gospel texts. In the Greek etymological dictionary νάρδος - nardi is explained as a stem derived from Semite (Phinikian); compare Hebrew nērd, Aramaic nirda, Babylonian landu.

4. “p’it’nak’i”, “p’it’na” (Mentha L.) – p’it’na in the Georgian Gospel is met in the following contexts: moiγebt ateulsa p’it’nak’isa da cerecojsasa da ʒirak’isasa [“for ye pay a tithe of mint and anise and cummin”] Mattew 23, 23; ateulsa aγiγebt p’it’nak’isasa da t’eganisasa da q’ovlisa mxlisasa [“for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs”] Lk. 11,42.

According to Iv. Javakhishvili Georgian “p’it’nak’i” is correspondent to the Greek ἡδύοσμον, Latin mentha, Armenian անանուխ [ananuḥ], and it should be known in Georgia from the ancient time.

In Southern Europe and our country mint grows also wildly. This plant has been widespread in Palestine as well. According to Pliny the Younger, the Greek name of mint should be derived due to its pleasant aroma, though in parallel it should also have been called “minth” and our ancestors have learnt from them (Natur. hist., lib. 19, cap. 47). Mint was used during various illnesses as a medical treatment.

In P. Gorgijanidze Dictionary “p’it’na” is equal to Arabic “nana” and Persian “pudna”.

Phonetical correspondance of Georgian p’it’nak’- and Persian fudan ‖ fudna “mint” is so evident that it is obvious that p’it’na in Georgian is Persian borrowing: pudina > putina > pitina > pitna.

5. “t’egani” (Ruta graveolens L.) – Plant t’egani is confirmed in the Gospel of Luke: ateulsa aγiγebt p’it’nak’isasa da t’eganisasa da q’ovlisa mxlisasa [“for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs”] Lk. 11,42.

According to Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani t’egani is tarragon. In Greek it is called other grass and in Latin and Armenian – other ZA.

t’egani – Greek πήγανον, Latin ruta; Armenian [fegana]. From the Georgian sources it is not seen how widespread this plant was in ancient Georgia. Vakhushti doesn’t mention it; Ioane Bagrationi notes Рута, Rutha graveolens nacre grass, t’egani; a bush plant from South Europe.

Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani thought that t’egani was the same as tarragon and that it is borrowed from a foreign language, but he did not specify exactly from which language it was borrowed. R. Eristavi considers t’egani || tarragon as synonyms as well.

In Iv. Javakhishvili’s opinion, the Georgian t’egani is a disfigured Greek name p’eganon [πήγανον]; we also share this opinion.

6. “usup’i” (Hyssopus L.) – usup’- in the Georgian Gospel: čʼurčʼeli aγavses ʒmrita mit usup’sa tana [“and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop”] Jo. 19, 29.

H. Lewy in his important research “Die Semitischen Fremdwörter im Griechischen“ about ὓσσωπος mentions that the name of this plant spread in Cilicia comes from Hebrew ’ezōb. This opinion share also Renin and Müller [14, p. 38].

This stem of Greek origin is also borrowed in Arabic through Aramaic (compare with the Georgian usup’i, a bush with aromatic leaves)[16, p. 34].

usup’i ‒ hyssopus in the Old Georgian dictionary is explained as “sprayer”, “bile”, and naγveli (“bile”) – as bitterness, “hyssop”. Such variation of explanations should be due to the polysemantic nature of the root, which, as it seems, should be connected to the ritual use of this plant.

It should be noted that the above mentioned stem is reflected in the ancient Georgian mythos Amirandarejaniani as the proper name of a man – Usup, a brother of Amiran.

7. “krtili” (Hordeum L.) – krtili [keri] in Georgian Gospel: aγavses namusrevita mit atormet’i k’ueli xutta mat krtilisa p’urtagan [“filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves”] Jo. 6,13C; romelsa akus xut queza krtilis da or tevz [“which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes”] Jo. 6, 9C.

Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani notes: krtili cf barley ZAB (Bal.) autumn barley CDE. keri – sowed in spring is called keri, and in autumn – krtili.

In A. Makashvili’s “Botanical Dictionary”: keri (Hordeum) Svan čʼჷmin.

According to Iv. Javakhishvili: “it is hard to believe that because of the difference of the sowing time one and the same plant has two different names. So, we should think that krtili and keri initially were the names of two different species of hordeum. Moreover, krtili was sown in autumn, and keri - in spring… It is noteworthy that this plant has one name in Greek ‒ κρῑθή, and Latin – hordeum[12, p. 352].

The coincidence of Georgian ker- and Greek κρīθη stems witnesses their common origin. keri “barley” is confirmed also in Zan and Svan but not - the stem krtil-. In Svan there is met also another stem - čʼჷmin-[24, 6, 5, 8]. Compare Ossetian kær- Georgian borrowing with more general meaning “food”[21, p. 83-88] and Abkhazian ak’ar-, Armenian gar- “barley”.

8. “šrošani” (Lilium candidum L.) ‒ šrošani in Georgian Gospel is confirmed in the following examples: ganicadet šrošani, vitar-igi aγorʒindis: raca šurebis, arca hstavs [“consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not”] Lk. 12, 27; mixedet šrošanta velisata [“consider the lilies of the field“] Matthew 6, 28.

M. Nedospasova shares the consideration of well-known Semitologists and Iranists about the Hebrew origin of Persian [sūsan]. It seems that this Hebrew word has entered in Arabic via Aramaic (cf Greek κρίνον Armenian šušan).

H. Lewy relates Greek κρίνον to Hebrew [šūšan][14, p. 49].

Georgian šrošan- is derived from Persian [sūsan], which in turn is a Hebrew stem.

9. “cereco” (Anethum graveolens L.)‒ cereco (k’ama) is confirmed in the Gospel of St. Matthew: rametu moiatevsit p’it’nak’isaj, cerecojsaj da ʒirak’isaj [“for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin”] Matthew 23, 23.

Iv. Javakhishvili in connection with cereco notes: Geo. cereco, Megr. ceroce || coroce, Greek ἄνεθον, Lat. Anethum - ancient Georgian correspondent of these stems is survived until today. Iv. Javakhishvili considers cercw, cerecoj, ceroce, coroce and rogǔ stems together, singles out rcv- root and considers as a name of “seed”, “grain”. Though such a conclusion seems logical, to our mind it appears somehow doubtful.

10. “ʒirak’i” (Cuminum cyminum L.) ‒ ʒirak’i is presented in the Gospel with p’it’na (mint) and cereco (anise): rametu moiatevsit p’it’nak’isaj, cerecojsaj da ʒirak’isaj [“for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin”] Matthew 23, 23.

Iv. Javakhishvili relates this plant name attested already in ancient Georgian translated monuments to the Greek κύμῖνον, Latin cyminum and Armenian չաման[12, p. 240-242].

While analyzing the stem [kimm] ‒ ʒirak’i, M. Nedospasova witnesses famous Semitologists, according to whom, the stem should be coming from Aramaic. Akad. kamūnu < Shum. gamun. This stem from Semitic has entered in Greek and Latin, and from here into other languages (cf Geo. k’ama).

There is a different point of view concerning the origin of this word, according to which the Arabic word comes from Greek [kammunun][16, p. 65].

Georgian ʒira must be borrowed from Persian [zīre] “cummin“, “plum“. Etymologically – “bottom”, “under” – in Persian as well as in Georgian.

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