Birgi + Gambulu

Birgi’ & Gambulu.

=============

 

Bi-ir-gi-’

This is the 13th place inn the list of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (676 BC) when he mentions the places in the kingdom of Sidon. This place must be somewhere in the area between Batroun and Trabulus., assuming that the scribe of Esarhaddon followed a strict order in mentioning the places from the south to the north. The meaning of the name = Well of the valley. When I describe the next town Gambulu, then it will become clear where the exact location of Birgi’could have been.

 

If, on the contrary, the scribe of Esarhaddon writes down the places at random, then another location is possible. There is a place near Sidon, 12 km to the north, with the name Barga, with could be Birgi’ in the list of Esarhaddon. It is close to the earlier mentioned Jiyé (Gi’).

See: Krahmalkov, Dictionary, p. : b’r-g (Ph) = Be’r-gê.

 

Ga-am-bu-lu.

The 14^th place in the list of Esarhaddon is Gambulu, which shows either a dissimilation “bb > mb” in Gabbul or simply epenthetic “m” appearing before “b”, and should not identified with Gabla. That means “hill” on an altitude of 480m on the opposite side of the Nahr al-Gawz like Kaftoun, Dar Baachtou, el Majdel or Zakzouk. Between the two hills alongside the Nahr al-Gawz could be placed Birgi’ in this case. Could that be between Biqsmayya and Gabla?

 

Conclusion: Nothing is certain about Birgi’ and Gambulu.

 

See:Itineraria Phoenicia. E.Lipinski. OLA 127. St.Phoen.XVIII. Leuven 2004. p. 27+28+288.

Adapted version.

ncfps