Editing Muscat (section)

==Toponymy==
[[Ptolemy]]'s ''Map of Arabia'' identifies the territories of ''Cryptus Portus''<ref name="Foster 1844, p.231">Forster (1844), p.231.</ref> and ''Moscha Portus''.<ref>Forster (1844), p.241.</ref> Scholars are divided in opinion on which of the two is related to the city of ''Muscat''. Similarly, [[Arrian]]us references ''Omana'' and ''Moscha'' in ''Voyage of Nearchus''. Interpretations of Arrianus' work by [[William Vincent (priest)|William Vincent]] and [[Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville]] conclude that ''Omana'' was a reference to ''Oman'', while ''Moscha'' referred to ''Muscat''.<ref>Forster (1844), p.173.</ref> Similarly, other scholars identify [[Pliny the Elder]]'s reference to ''Amithoscuta'' to be ''Muscat''.<ref name="Foster 1844, p.231"/>

The origin of the word ''Muscat'' is disputed. Some authors claim that the word has [[Arabic language|Arabic]] origins &ndash; from ''moscha'', meaning an ''inflated hide'' or ''skin''.<ref>Forster (1844), Vol.2, p.174</ref> Other authors claim that the name ''Muscat'' means ''[[Anchorage (shipping)|anchorage]]'' or ''the place of "letting fall the anchor"''.<ref>Miles (1997), p.468.</ref> Other derivations include ''muscat'' from [[Old Persian]], meaning ''strong-scented'',<ref>Hailman (2006), p.49.</ref> or from [[Arabic language|Arabic]], meaning ''falling-place'',<ref>Philips (1966), p.4.</ref> or ''hidden''.<ref>Room (2003), p.246.</ref> ''Cryptus Portus'' is synonymous with Oman ("hidden land"). But "Ov-man" (Omman), and the old Sumerian name ''Magan (Maa-kan)'', means sea-people in Arabic. An inhabitant is a ''Muscatter'', ''Muscatian'', ''Muscatite'' or ''Muscatan''. In 1793 AD the capital was transferred from [[Rustaq]] to Muscat.