DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0124
of their sacred animals, among which arc the lion, and the sca-
rabaeus, the processions of deities, seated either on globes or in
boats, and from the monstrous combinations to be found on it,
it is probable that it was intended to offer to the view of the de-
vout a kind of personification of the celestial bodies, an apo-
theosis of mortals, and a type of the different attributes of the
Creator of the world made known to us in the phenomena of na-
ture. One compartment of the cieling contains the ascending
and descending signs of the zodiac, interspersed with other con-
stellations. Of these I shall speak more at large hereafter. At
present I will only refer to the long female figure which encloses
them. As this figure, when it is found in a conspicuous situation,
is always encircling either a crowd of deities, or the stars of the.
firmament, and as its energy or property is very strongly charac-
terized in the Temple at Uendera, I cannot but think it was in-
vented as a type of the first creative power, and a personifica-
tion of the divine breath*. And from the tower upon the head,
we may fairly presume that it is the origin of the Cy bele or Cybehe,
the dea turrita of the Greek mythology, who was entitled the
mother of all the gods. As to the end proposed by the numerous
representations of offerings presented by priests and others to the
different figures of the deity, as pourtrayed throughout this temple,
they were probably illustrative of the worship and attributes of
eacdi deity, to those who were initiated into the mysteries; while to
the vulgar they would serve to sanction the custom of making a
sacrifice of their property and their passions to the duties of reli-
gion ; or they might perpetuate the pious memory of the sove-
reigns in whose reigns the temples were built.
1 have mentioned offerings presented by priests or others ;—the
former seem in general to be designated by a plainer dress, and
*Ka» nty'tv^a. Qe$ itifipen htivji ts yfartj. Genesis ck. i.ver. 2.
close
rabaeus, the processions of deities, seated either on globes or in
boats, and from the monstrous combinations to be found on it,
it is probable that it was intended to offer to the view of the de-
vout a kind of personification of the celestial bodies, an apo-
theosis of mortals, and a type of the different attributes of the
Creator of the world made known to us in the phenomena of na-
ture. One compartment of the cieling contains the ascending
and descending signs of the zodiac, interspersed with other con-
stellations. Of these I shall speak more at large hereafter. At
present I will only refer to the long female figure which encloses
them. As this figure, when it is found in a conspicuous situation,
is always encircling either a crowd of deities, or the stars of the.
firmament, and as its energy or property is very strongly charac-
terized in the Temple at Uendera, I cannot but think it was in-
vented as a type of the first creative power, and a personifica-
tion of the divine breath*. And from the tower upon the head,
we may fairly presume that it is the origin of the Cy bele or Cybehe,
the dea turrita of the Greek mythology, who was entitled the
mother of all the gods. As to the end proposed by the numerous
representations of offerings presented by priests and others to the
different figures of the deity, as pourtrayed throughout this temple,
they were probably illustrative of the worship and attributes of
eacdi deity, to those who were initiated into the mysteries; while to
the vulgar they would serve to sanction the custom of making a
sacrifice of their property and their passions to the duties of reli-
gion ; or they might perpetuate the pious memory of the sove-
reigns in whose reigns the temples were built.
1 have mentioned offerings presented by priests or others ;—the
former seem in general to be designated by a plainer dress, and
*Ka» nty'tv^a. Qe$ itifipen htivji ts yfartj. Genesis ck. i.ver. 2.
close