Talk:Baetyl

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I suppose that in pre-Islamic times, the Black Stone of the Kaaba would be an example, presumably the most famous example. Crust 20:15, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

Omphalos
I removed the paragraph on the Omphalos at Delphi since that object was not a baetyl, but rather an ordinary stone sculpture--the original survives today. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.152.38.10 (talk) 16:07, 30 September 2009 (UTC)

-The Omphalos of Delphi WAS a baetyl. It was a specific one, however. Unlike other baetyls, however, was supposed to be the center of the earth. There was another baetyl at the outside of the sanctuary, even if this article makes it seem as if there was only one.

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1. Why the OR claim that Jacob's Ladder has anything to do with baetylus? All that Genesis story says is that the guy slept somewhere, using a stone for a pillow, and had a vision. Apparently he thought that the place was important, not the stone per se.

2. how do we know that this or that idol was baetylus? Did contemporary Roman sources clearly distinguish man-made idols from the alleged meteorites? 76.24.104.52 (talk) 06:34, 19 December 2009 (UTC)

Betyl
The English word is betyl, but apparently bætylus has a more distinguished air. I've now made betyl redirect here.--Wetman (talk) 14:23, 26 October 2010 (UTC)

Baetyls not always Meteorite
The article makes it sound as if being a meteorite is one of the prerequisites of being eligible to be called a baetyl. However, many objects referred to as baetyls (particularly many semitic baetyls) are just ordinary terrestrial stone (such as the ones found at Petra). A simple squat pillar of uncarved stone which has cultic veneration (an object of pillar worship) will often be labeled as a baetyl. — al-Shimoni  ( talk ) 19:34, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Right. The Betyl (etymologically, House of God) is just an erected stone that "marks" the presence of the deity in that place. Gazilion (talk) 00:25, 22 January 2012 (UTC)

Etymology
"Baetylus" is not a Semitic word, but a Latin word of Semitic origin. ביתאל (bethel) would be a Semitic (Hebrew) word, meaning "House of God".~I think we should add that to the article. Gazilion (talk) 00:33, 22 January 2012 (UTC)