DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12654#0044
16 VARIOUS SIGNIFICATIONS OF RUK-H. [Parti.
ing, consumption, fuel; to burn, to be burnt," &c.
pcuKg in like manner signifies " a fire, heat, fire-
wood ; to burn, to inflame," &c. pEKg signifies " to
burn." p<\Kge signifies " a live coal," &c.; and p<\Kg,l,
" firewood," and, in the plural, " live coals." On com-
paring these significations with those of the hiero-
glyphic word Ruk-h, we see that its proper meaning
was " a live coal," and its tropical meaning, " burn-
ing," or " to burn," and thence " heat." I have been
thus particular in explaining the various significations
of Ruk-h in hieroglyphics, on account of the great im-
portance of a fact which I shall have soon to state as
one of the proofs of the identity of the second Ruk-h
with the vernal equinox.
I have now to observe, first, that the places of the
two Ruk-hs in relation to the place of the cynoce-
phalus, which I have shown to represent one of the
two equinoxes, suggest that the Second (or Little) Ruk-h
also represents an equinox. Secondly, the modern
Egyptians call the vernal equinox " esh-Shems el-
Kebeereh" ^w^53\ ^p.^ •*'*■ 1 \ or "the Great Sun," and
a point of time exactly a zodiacal month before that
equinox, "esh-Shems es-Sagheereh" i^«jLoJ\
or " the Little Sun." These two names are vulgarly
pronounced " esh-Shems el-Kebeer," and " esh-Shems
es-Sugheiyir." This I consider sufficient to show what
are the two Ruk-hs, notwithstanding that the Great
Ruk-h precedes the Little, and the Little Sun precedes
the Great; for the ancient Egyptians may have had as
good a reason for calling the First Ruk-h " great " as
the modern Egyptians have for applying that epithet to
the Second Sun. But to prove that the Great Ruk-h
is identical with the Little Sun, I proceed to observe,
thirdly, that the point of time called the Little Sun is
ing, consumption, fuel; to burn, to be burnt," &c.
pcuKg in like manner signifies " a fire, heat, fire-
wood ; to burn, to inflame," &c. pEKg signifies " to
burn." p<\Kge signifies " a live coal," &c.; and p<\Kg,l,
" firewood," and, in the plural, " live coals." On com-
paring these significations with those of the hiero-
glyphic word Ruk-h, we see that its proper meaning
was " a live coal," and its tropical meaning, " burn-
ing," or " to burn," and thence " heat." I have been
thus particular in explaining the various significations
of Ruk-h in hieroglyphics, on account of the great im-
portance of a fact which I shall have soon to state as
one of the proofs of the identity of the second Ruk-h
with the vernal equinox.
I have now to observe, first, that the places of the
two Ruk-hs in relation to the place of the cynoce-
phalus, which I have shown to represent one of the
two equinoxes, suggest that the Second (or Little) Ruk-h
also represents an equinox. Secondly, the modern
Egyptians call the vernal equinox " esh-Shems el-
Kebeereh" ^w^53\ ^p.^ •*'*■ 1 \ or "the Great Sun," and
a point of time exactly a zodiacal month before that
equinox, "esh-Shems es-Sagheereh" i^«jLoJ\
or " the Little Sun." These two names are vulgarly
pronounced " esh-Shems el-Kebeer," and " esh-Shems
es-Sugheiyir." This I consider sufficient to show what
are the two Ruk-hs, notwithstanding that the Great
Ruk-h precedes the Little, and the Little Sun precedes
the Great; for the ancient Egyptians may have had as
good a reason for calling the First Ruk-h " great " as
the modern Egyptians have for applying that epithet to
the Second Sun. But to prove that the Great Ruk-h
is identical with the Little Sun, I proceed to observe,
thirdly, that the point of time called the Little Sun is