Junk3] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCH.EOLOGV. [1890.
CYPRIOTE-AND KHITA.By Hyde Clarke.Theletterof the Rev. Cesare de Cara, S.J.,on the connexion
of Cyprus withthe Khita (Hittites),as suggested by me in 1872,*
givesa convenient opportunityfor resuming the subject.
Thatthe names of Hamath, Amathus,Kition,&c,are related,
is obvious to any observer of the local names of those regions.
What is the real connexionis another matter; and so also is the
questionwhetheroneis descended fromthe other, or both are of
commonorigin.
Whatis or are the Khita languageor languages—for M. Georges
Perrotand myselfhaveput forward the proposition that the characters
maybe read in more thanonelanguage—has not yet been agreed.
The question then comes before us as to whether there was
originallyonecharacterin Cyprus readin one languagealone,or
readin several languages. On this we have the evidence thatthere,
as elsewhere in the ancient East,and as is now foundin India, there
were several languages. We may learn too that the languages
beforethe arrival of Phoenicians andHelleneswerenon-Aryan.
A convenient modeof beginning the subject will be to examine
a few Cypriote charactersas to which we can have evidence.
J be, pe, phe, Cypriote [Man]. £ kai, Vy, signifies Man.
Man, Nupe, basa, baga; Musu, mba; Bini, okpea;
Ihewe,ngbea; Okuloma,oubo,owewo.
Note.—Thischaracteris Yod in Nabathasan, N in Phoenician,
Himyaritic, Old Ionic, Iberian, Anglo-Saxon Runes, Welsh
Bardic; R in Elbasan Albanian; Sa in Mankassar; Kh in
OldKorean.
HI mo, Cypriote[Head]. B Tamashek, N. Africa, v kun,
Vy, signifies Head. Head,Sobo,ohiomi; Bini,li-homo;
Ihewe(ohu-me?), &c.
lU ne, Cypriote [Elephant]. N Hebrew. Elephant, Sobo,
Bini,eni ; Ihewe,eni ; Oloma,eni, &c.* Palestine ExplorationJournal. NewSeries,No. 4, p. 179, &c,&c.
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