Ktistai

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thracian_language
http://groznijat.tripod.com/thrac/thrac_3.html
'ktístai "Thracians, living in celibacy; monks" (Strab.). There is no convincing etymology.'


Why has no one tried connecting it to
Slavic *čist-/čest- "pure, clean; cleanse"?

*cìstъ adj. o (a) "clean, pure"

CS
OCS čistъ

E
Ru. čìstyj

W
Cz. čistý;
Slk. čistý; Pl. czysty

S
SCr. č`ìst;
Čak. č`ìst (Vrg.), f. čist`à, n. č`ìsto;
č`ìs (Orb.), n. č`ìsta, n. č`ìsto;
Sln. čìst;
Bulg. čist

BSl. *(s)ki?sto-

B
Lith. skýstas "thin (of liquids)";
Latv. šķîsts "liquid, thin (of fabric), clean, clear"
OPr. skijstan Asg. "pure"
PIE *(s)kid-to-
See also: *cědìti; *cěstiti; *čistiti


And while I'm at it I think I'll derive that root from
*česàti v. (b) "cratch, comb"

CS
OCS česati "pick, pluck", 1sg. češo,

E
Ru. česat' "scratch, comb", 1sg. češú, 3sg. čéšet

W
Cz. česati "scratch, comb";
Slk. česat' "comb, hackle"; Pl. czesać "comb, hackle"

S
SCr. čèsati "scratch, comb", 1sg. č`èšÄ"m;
Čak. čes`àti (Vrg.) "scratch", 2sg. č`èšeš;
čes`àt (Orb.) "comb", 1sg. č`èšen;
Sln. čésati "tear, scratch, comb", 1sg. čė´šem

BSl. *kes-

B
Lith. kàsti "dig, rake";
Latv. kast "rake"

PIE *kes-

Cogn.
Hitt. kiszi v. "combs";
OIr. cίr f. "comb";
OE heord f. "hair"

See also: *kasati; *kosa I; *kosmъ; *kosno,ti


since the original purpose of the comb is not aesthetic, it's delousing.

Entries are from
Rick Derksen
Etymological Dictionasry of the Slavic inherited Lexicon


Torsten