Jerome

calls it “a figure of shame.” Both the Ashér and the Ashérah (see Judges iii, 7), and the A yrian Asratum, were similarly phallik poles, and sacred trees (see Proc. Bib. Arch, Socy., Feb. 1897). Fiirst compares the Phoenician Asr (spelt with the letter samech) as a name of Ba’al. Among Turanian Etruskans Asera is a gode carrying a hatchet. The Hebrews also erected the pole carrying the brazen serpent (2 Kings xviii, 4) in their temple—where it had the same meaning (as a healer) that belongs to the snake staff of Asklépios, the great healer. An inscription from Larnaka, in Cyprus, describes the making of Ashérim much as the lingam has been described to us at Banaras, and Jaipir, as the “budding rod” (compare the paper by Rev. J. W. Collins, Proc. Bib. Arch. Socy., June 1889), These again were the tufted Thursoi of Dioniisos (see Rods). [The Ashérah had a veil, as had certain sacred trees in Arabia—2 Kings xxiii, 7.—Ep.] A iir-akh-edin, Esarhaddon (“‘ A ur has given a brother”) was one of many A yrian kings named from the god Asir or A iir. He acceded 680 B.c., and “ gave back to Babylon” next year “her gods; and he rebuilt the famous temple of Ba’al.” He died on his way to Egypt in 668 Bc. Ash (see Aesk, and Ask). A sacred tree to Kelts and Teutons, planted in their circles (see Arthur): probably reverenced as coming early into leaf. "Ashtoreth. See Astar, Asia. This name originally was confined to the Roman province —tuled by Asi-archs—in the west of Asia Minor, and hence extended to all the east. [Probably the word means “shores."—Ep,]