Hara Berezaiti - Etymology and Derived Names

Etymology and Derived Names

Harā Bərəzaitī reflects Proto-Iranian *Harā Bṛzatī. Harā may be interpreted as "watch" or "guard", from an Indo-European root *ser- "protect". *Bṛzatī is the feminine form of the adjective *bṛzant- "high", which is cognate with Celtic brigant- (as in the Brigantes) and with Germanic burgund- (as in the Burgundians). Hence 'Harā Bərəzaitī' "High Watchpost."

The mountain has several secondary appellations, including Haraitī "the guarding one" (feminine), Taēra "peak" (Middle Persian Tērag) and Hukairya "of good deeds" (Middle Persian Hukar).

*Bṛzant- "high", is the ancestor of modern Persian boland (بلند). The legendary mountain has given its name to two physical features of the world: In Middle Persian, Harā Bərəzaitī came to be identified with Harborz, Modern Persian Alborz, a range in northern Iran, which parallels the southern edge of the Caspian Sea; and Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus range, near the border of Russia and Georgia, as well a number of other high mountains throughout the Iranian Plateau, such as the Albarez (Jebal Barez in Kerman).

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