The Puzzler, on 15 October 2012 - 07:52 AM, said:
Gk alphos - should relate to alpha - meaning highest, top most - as the clouds were - alb/alt mean high because the clouds were high and they were white so this form spread to 'white' - and altars were at 'high places' too, so imo, altars were originally mountain ridges that reached into the sky, touching the clouds. This concept is ancient, with the mountain ridge actually holding UP the sky and the clouds, hence when it collapsed, the sky fell down.
Altars my have been on mountain ridges, but that doesn't necessarily mean there is an etymological connection. And altars were not only erected on high places.
altar (n.)
O.E. alter, altar, from L. altare (pl. altaria) "high altar, altar for sacrifice to the great gods," perhaps originally meaning
"burnt offerings" (cf. L.
adolere "to worship, to offer sacrifice, to honor by burning sacrifices to"), but influenced by L. altus "high."
http://www.etymonlin...searchmode=none
.
Edited by Abramelin, 15 October 2012 - 08:07 AM.