From Aramaic קַסִּיטְרָא (qassiṭrā, “tin”), from Ancient Greek κασσίτερον (kassíteron), κασσίτερος (kassíteros, “tin”, literally “the metal or earth from the land of the Kassi”); ultimately of obscure origin, considered of pre-Greek substrate. Identification and the meaning of κασσί (kassí) has been disputed; see Kassites, a historically significant bronze age people from the Zagros Mountains, the nearest source of Mesopotamian tin – which could relate us to مَرْقَشِيتَا (marqašītā, “marcasite”) –, and the Cassiterides and cassiterite.