Obscure karkar references

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 95608

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mcdee1980" 
<idrinkjameson at h...> wrote:
>       I started searching for interesting facts concerning the 
much 
> debated name of Igor Karkaroff.  I came up empty using the full 
last 
> name with either -off or –ov.  All I found using those were 
millions 
> of HP sites in various languages.  I took off the ending and came 
up 
> with two interesting, although probably useless, possibilities.  
The 
> first is a Biblical reference and the second is geographical.  The 
> battle having the largest number of combatants to date had me 
> questioning whether or not I'd actually found something relevent, 
but 
> you can chew on it however you please.
>  
> 
> 1.) The Battle of Karkar (or Qarqar) was fought in 853 BC when the 
> army of Assyria, led by king Shalmaneser III, encountered an 
allied 
> army of 12 kings led by Hadadezer of Damascus. This battle is 
notable 
> for having the largest number of combatants to that time.  
> Interestingly enough this is the first truly solid date in Hebrew 
> history, according to what I read.  The battle happens during a 
key 
> period in Israel, the Northern Kingdom is united beyond the scope 
of 
> tribes and is at peace with Judah (Southern Kingdom).  They are 
> fighting together against a common enemy.  I'm a New Testament 
> scholar, or rather was in college, so I'm not the one to comment 
on 
> this.
> 
snip<<

Potioncat:
I would have to think this might a source.  It has the lovely number 
12 and Assyria which has been mentioned in at least one of the HP 
books.  Even if JKR only chose it for its sound.

I also agree with the ideas from another post that the -off ending 
is an old style and would be an appropriate spelling if Karkaroff is 
older than he appears.