- In 2020, Egyptologists from the University of Bonn deciphered the oldest known place name sign in the world, dating back to the late fourth millennium B.C. The four hieroglyphs inscribed on a rock in the Wadi el Malik east of Aswan, Egypt, declared the region the Domain of the Horus King Scorpion.
Of course, place names, otherwise known as toponyms, existed far before the Scorpion King, both the 2002 and the 3070 B.C. versions.
But where do place names come from?
Well, toponymy reveals a lot about the culture and history of a place, including the people who lived there, the nature of the settlements, and the geographic landscape.
So that's your short answer.
For the long answer, including the longest place names in the world, join me as we dig into the exciting world of toponyms.
I'm Dr. Erica Brozovsky, and this is Otherwords.
(mysterious music) - [Narrator] Otherwords.
- I love superlatives more than anyone.
So the first thing I wondered was what's the longest toponym?
