THE EASTERN ORIGIN OF THE CELTS. > 91 



62 In the above list, in addition to the mountain tracts connected with Ealvem and the 

 rivers associated with tlie name of Bedan, we find rivers bearing the names of all the other 

 members of the family, including Rakem. Gilead furnishes the Calycadnus, Celadon, Cladeus, 

 Galesus, and Clyde ; Peresh the Parisus ; Sheresh tlie Serus, Sarus, and Siris ; Ulam the Ulai ; 

 Salambria, Ollius, Almo and Alaunus ; Rakem the Rhogonis, Erigon and Erasinus. Several of 

 the names are found in connection with lakes ; Eatthina with a lake in Fersis ; Rhagiana with 

 one in Media ; Chaliat and Patansana with Arsene pains in Armenia ; Phytaeum and Trieho- 

 nium with Trichonis palus in ^tolia ; Prasias palus in Thrace ; Claudanum with a lake in 

 Illyria ; Ulmum with Perso Lacus, and Tricciana with Volcese palus in Panuonia ; Brigantia 

 with Bodamicus or Brigantinus lacus in Germany ; Perusia with Trasiraenus lacus in Etruria ; 

 Petenesca with a lake of the Helvetii, &c. Important peoples are represented by the various 

 names. Gilead himself furnishes the Calatii, Chaldee's, Galatians and Celts ; Peresh the 

 Parisii, Prasii, Bebryces, Parrhasii, Perisadyes, Parisii, Prausi, Frisii, and Pharusii ; Sheresh, 

 the Seres, Saraceni and Sesarethii ; Ulam the Elamites, Elamitffi, ElymiBi, Dalmatians, 

 Alauni, Alemanni and AUobroges ; Rakem, the Hyrcanii or Paricanii, Orchani, Trocuii, Hercu- 

 niates, Varciones, Brigantii, Rasena or Tyrseni, Areeomici and Hercynii ; and Bedan, the Budii, 

 Padsei, Patenae, Epetobriges, Bithynii, Apodoti, Pannonians, Vettones, Bathauati, Boduni, 

 Epidii, Batavians, and Batiui. Connected with the family of Gilead, perhaps as parts of that 

 family descending from yet unknown ancestors, we have found the Egestseans and Volsci. 

 They were of Segestan in Persia, where there were Elamites and Hyrcanians ; iEgestaia iu 

 Macedonia, in proximity to Elymea and Pydna ; Segeste in Pannonia, where were Perso, 

 Ulmum and Hercuniates ; Segeste in Liguria, between Ricina and Portus Erycis ; Egesta in 

 Sicily, in proximity to Eryx and the Elymi ; Stgustani in Gaul, near the AUobroges, Areeo- 

 mici and Ambarri. The Volsci have left similarly connected traces : Vologesia in Babylonia, 

 north of the Orcheni ; Voleese Palus in Pannonia, on wliich was Tricciana of the Hercuniates ; 

 Vulsiniensis Lacus in Etruria, in which Tarquinii may give Rakem ; Volsci in Latium, among 

 whom was Tarraoina; Volcae in Gaul, confounded with the Areconjioi ; Velocasses also in 

 Gaul, north of the Parisii ; Volsas sinus in Caledonia, opposite the Elmdes. It thus appears 

 that the Segestani and Volsci were families of tlie Rakemites. Many othor tribes will bo found 

 to occupy similar subordinate positions. Besides the descendants of Zinuan, who furnish the 

 Cymri, Cimbri, &c., those of the other sons of Abraham by Keturah wiU be found to have 

 contributed to the Gallic stock. The Aquitani, for instance, were in all probability the 

 progeny of Jokshan. There is a form of Rakem's name which has been before us that calls for 

 special notice. It is that which appears in Trachonitis, Tragonice, Trachea, Trocmi, Trachin, 

 Trichonis, Triclionium, Troezen, Trosmi, Dyrrachium, Tricciaua, Trasimenus, Tarquinii, Terra- 

 cina and Tyracinae. Already we have found Rakem preceded by a P or B, as in the Paricanii 

 and Brigantes. In ancient languages the letter r rarely occupies an initial position, and of the 

 letters which are found to usurp this position -in words originally commencing with r, the most 

 common are p or 'j, and t or d. The latter may be the relic of the old Semitic particle or 

 article etli ; or of the Coptic eit, which answers to the Hebrew beth=tlie house of ; or a simple 

 determinative of locality common to all languages more or less. Thebes iu Egypt was Te-Hapi. 

 In Palestine Tachmonite, Taanach, Tiphsah come from Hachmjn, Anak and Paseah respec- 

 tively. The same phenomenon is observable in the Tyrseni, whose original name was Rasena. 



It is somewhat strange that Trachea, Trachin, &c., in Greek should answer to Gilead in 

 Hebrew, as denoting "a hard, rough, stony region." An analogous case, which may be a mere 

 coincidence, appears in the Greek chalcos, brass, which is the root of many Gileadite names>, 

 such as Chalcis, Chalcidice, Chalcedon. The word brass is Celtic, aud appears as pres, pras, 

 in the Welsh and Erse, which may represent Peresh, as chalcos represents Gilead. It is worthy 

 of note that the Persian word is very similar to the Celtic. The Chaldeans manufactured 

 bronze, the ancient brass, from a very early period, aud probably gave their name as Chalei- 

 dians or Prasii to the metal. The Clialdsei of Pontus were metallurgists. The Gauls and 

 ancient Britons also wrought in metals. 



