Aballava
Attested: Rudge Cup and Amiens Patera ABALLAVA; Ravenna Cosmography Avalana 2x, Avalava 1x; Notitia Dignitatum ABALLABA; Inscription ABALLAVENSIUM.
Where: Roman fort at Burgh by Sands, NY328591, near the west end of Hadrian's Wall.
Name origin: The initial Ab-, from PIE *ap-/*ab-, probably meant ‘water’, referring to the river Eden and Powburgh Beck flowing into the Solway estuary through *lava ‘lips’ as discussed here.
Notes: The name has nothing to do with apples (PIE *abel-) which are not grown seriously there now, though of course the climate was fractionally warmer during the Roman Climatic Optimum. An old guess that *lava meant ‘intermittent stream’ no longer seems good, but it prompted consideration of the local flood risk map and how close to the fort water could occasionally come, but this whole area has changed substantially since Roman times. One has to wonder if rises in the level of land relative to sea on a time-scale of decades (due to isostatic rebound and vertical growth of saltmarsh), as mentioned for Uxella on the other side of the Solway, were noticed back then.
You may copy this text freely, provided you acknowledge its source as www.romaneranames.uk, recognise that it is liable to human error, and try to offer suggestions for improvement.
Last edited 17 January 2023 To main Menu