PegaBruta (Winged Pine Tree), a symbol of the two sister cities: Los Angeles &andBeirut

Pega: Means Wing/Feather (in Assyrian), symbolizes Angel Wings related to the city of Los Angeles (means Angels in Spanish)

Bruta: Means Pine Tree (in Assyrian), and is the ancient name of the city of Beirut.

The Pine trees of Beirut belong to the Pinaceae family, and so do the Cedar trees. In ancient times the city was famous for its pine tree forests, that it why it was given the name Bruta in the ancient Assyrian/Syriac/Aramaic language, and from Bruta (Pine) the name Beirut was derived.

Later when botanical species were given Latin names, the ancient name Bruta was borrowed, Latinized, and given to the specific pine specie that was abundant in the city of Beirut, hence it was called Pinus Brutia (Beirut Pine).

Anyone from the city of Beirut would know the neighborhood called Al-Snawbara (Pine Tree), and Hirsh El-Snawbar (Pine Forest) on the road to the airport (this is what is left of deforestation and urbanization). Snawbar is the meaning of Bruta in the Arabic language

The pine trees of Beirut are also known under different names based on the variation of the species:

• Pinus Brutia (Beirut Pine), Turkish Pine
• Pinus Halepensis Brutia, Aleppo Beirut Pine
• Pinus Halepensis (Halab Pine), Aleppo Pine
• Pinus Pinea, Stone Pine, Umbrella Pine

PegaSus (Winged Horse), from an ancient Assyrian artwork

The word PegaSus (Winged Horse), which many think of it as a Greek name, yet the breakdown of the name has no meaning in the Greek language. In fact the etymology of the name proves that it is of Assyrian origin, a compound name consisting of two words: Pega which means (Wing or Feather), and Sus which means (Horse), and combined as PegaSus it exactly describes the winged Horse, which was depicted in ancient Assyrian art that was famous in portraying winged creatures.

Similarly, I coined the new Assyrian word PegaBruta, and gave it as a title to my painting to mean Winged Pine Tree, where Pega (Wings) symbolize the Angel Wings of the city of Los Angeles, and Bruta (Pine Tree) represents the city of Beirut and its ancient name. The two words combined represent the link between the two sister cities; Beirut and Los Angeles

By John Hajjar