Beetylion (or Bmetylos)

is the name of an anointed stone worshipped among the Greeks, Phrygians, and other nations of the East; and supposed by modern naturalists to be the same with our ceraunia, or thunder-stone. The Batylos, among the Greeks, is represented as the same with the Abadir among the Romans. The Betylia of the ancient mythologists are considered by some as a kind of animated statues, invented by Coelus, in his war against Saturn. They were greatly venerated by the ancient heathen; many of their idols were no other; and in some parts of Egypt they were planted on both sides of the public roads. Though honored as being the mother of the gods, they were commonly shapeless stones. SEE STONEWORSHIP.