By Said M-Shidad Hussein
On the Records
Textual Accounts
It seems that some scholars have not paid adequate attention to the fact that Pliny, a Roman author (d. 79 CE), and others, state that the Egyptians had contacted and influenced Somalia. There are at least two kinds of information in this regard.
Firstly, he attests to the existence of a city called Port of Isis, on the northern coast of Somalia. He described the port as a center to which Myrrh is brought by the area inhabitants, and he also associated it with the name Abalito, which is clearly the Avalite of Periplus, and the Awtal or Awdal of the Somalis. But even before Pliny, Strabo called ‘tog’ or river, near Raas Caseyr ‘Isis’.
Isis is a Greek form of Iset, a very important deity which was the partner of Osiris and mother of Huur. Huur (Falcon); and Biset (cat), another leading deity, are also connected with Somalia, as explained earlier. Thus, symbols of Egyptian Culture are connected with historical Somali Ports.
Secondly, Pliny adds that, Sesostris led his army to Mossylite, a cape and harbor exporting cinnamon.[i] Sesostris was an Egyptian king who reigned over 3,900 years ago. Mossylite or Mosyllum is identified with Boosaaso or a nearby site, in the west of Raas Caseyr, by Periplus’s account. This confirms that the Greco-Romans knew about the historical destination of Egyptians and Cape Aromata was derived from the very Egyptian term, Kheto Anti.
Since Strabo named some other places near Raas Caseyr with Greek appellations, the question now is, who did name Zaylac, and Raas Caseyr ‘Isis’, Egyptians or Greeks? It is unlikely that the Greeks did it, but even if they did it, it doesn’t really matter because they were referring to an Egyptian tradition anyway. The Greeks just felt an Egyptian legacy in this land and sought to emulate this legacy by applying their names to these places.
The Greeks liked to put a Greek flavor into other cultures with which they got acquainted. For example we know that they changed totally or partly the Egyptian names and other symbols of that culture. Nearly 200 years ago, professor Heeren noted: “Whatever the Greeks adopted from foreigners they always stamped as their own property.”[ii]
Another concern can be about the different names given to Zaylac. The site of the ancient city might have shifted from one place to another in the same location since Pliny’s very name Abalito is preserved by the village Abalit, on the north of Zaylac bay. The old city was lost to the advancing shore and even parts of the new city are sometimes endangered by the water. The city might have variously been called these names. There is another sign for the name’s existence in pre-historic times. It is identified with the Bible name ‘Obal’, since a name close to that form is not found at any other place in both sides of the Red Sea which the book pointed out.
This type of name change or name-form change is usual. Today’s ‘Mogadisho’ or Muqdisho has been called Maduuna and Xamar. In fact, the name ‘Xamar’, which was first recorded by Al-Hamawi of Syria around 1220 CE, is the newest name of the city. The name Awdal itself, which means island, has also been put as Awtal, Aftal and Adal, while Zaylac is also formed as Saylac, ‘Zaila’, or ‘Zeila’. The term ‘Zaylac’ itself was first mentioned by Al-Ya’qubi about 880 CE as a new name of the city.
Read more: Kingdom of Punt Part IV
Said M-Shidad Hussein
Email:[email protected]
We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on WardheerNews.com. WardheerNews will only consider articles sent exclusively. Please email your article today . Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of WardheerNews.
WardheerNew’s tolerance platform is engaging with diversity of opinion, political ideology and self-expression. Tolerance is a necessary ingredient for creativity and civility.Tolerance fuels tenacity and audacity.
WardheerNews waxay tixgelin gaara siinaysaa maqaaladaha sida gaarka ah loogu soo diro ee aan lagu daabicin goobo kale. Maqaalkani wuxuu ka turjumayaa aragtida Qoraaga loomana fasiran karo tan WardheerNews.
Copyright © 2024 WardheerNews, All rights reserved
