or PEOR, a deity worshipped at a very early period by the Midianites and Moabites, and probably by all the other tribes which then inhabited Syria. Much has been said concerning the functions of this god, and the rank which he held among the Pan- PHE

Phellandrii-gan divinities (see BAAL-Peor); and many conjectures have been formed concerning the origin of his name. Most of these seem to have no better foundation than the fables dreams of the Jewish rabbies. Phegor, or Peor, is undoubtedly the same with the Hebrew word pechor, which signifies aperit, and probably refers to the prophetic influence always attributed to the solar deity, by which he opened or discovered things to come. Accordingly we find Phegor or Peor generally joined to Baal, which was the Syrian and Chaldean name of the sun after he became an object of worship; hence Baal-Phegor must have been the sun worshipped by some particular rites, or under some particular character. What these were, a refutation of Pechor into its component parts may perhaps inform us. As this word, wherever it occurs in Scripture, has some relation to disfiguring or opening the mouth wide, it is probably compounded of phah the mouth or face, and ehar naked. In those countries we know that the women wore veils; but it would appear, that in celebrating the rites of this deity they were unveiled. It seems even not improbable, that on these occasions the sexes danced promiscuously without their clothes; a practice which would naturally give birth to the licentious amours mentioned in the 25th chapter of the book of Numbers. If this be admitted, it will follow that Phegor was the sun presiding over the mysteries of Venus.

PELLANDRIUM, water-hemlock; a genus of plants belonging to the pentandra class. See BOTANY Index.