Nordwestblock or LBK
*mad- "middle, measure" (< PPIE *mad-) +
*-t-l- tool suffix
-> *mastl-os
(with Nordwestblock or LBK
*-d/dh/t- + -t- -> -st-
unlike Germ., Italic, Celt.
*-d/dh/t- + -t- -> -ss-
)
loaned into PGerm.
-> *mast-
loaned into PItal.
-> *ma:l- -> ma:lus
"the thing in the middle", ie. the tree of life
cf
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/md.html
and cf
http://www.biopix.dk/Photo.asp?Language=da&PhotoId=14271
traces of a pole have been found at the appropriate place for a mast
in several such ship tumuli (Da. skibssætning, Sw. skeppssätning,
for those who want to google for them).
Torsten