The Origin of Pagan Idolatry Ascertained from Historical Testimony and Circumstantial Evidence...three Volumes...

EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES IN PLATE III.

The rise and progress of Temple Architecture.

Fig.

1. THE lunar ship of Osiris, with the oracular navel containing the god in the centre of it. From Pococke.

2. The lunar ship resting on the summit of Ararat, the original mountain of the Moon.

3. The sacred mountain with two natural peaks, viewed as a physical copy, on au immense scale, of the two horns of the lunette or of the stem and stern of the ship.

4. The lunar ship, with the great father supplying to it the place of a mast, resting on the top of the mountain of the Moon.

5. The sacred mountain with three natural peaks, viewed as a physical copy of the two horns and mast of the lunette. This is a supposed form of Meru; and the real form of the sacred mount Olivet, on the three peaks of which were wor shipped Astoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom.

6. Japanese temple at Quano, built as a copy of the lunar mountain. From Kæmpfer's Japan. pl. xxxii. fig. 14.

7. Indian pagoda at Tanjore, supporting the hull of a ship. From Maurice's Ind. Ant.

8. Great pagoda at Tanjore, terminating, like the fabled Meru, in three peaks. From Maurice's Iud. Ant.

9. Ancient pagoda at Deogur, sustaining the mystic egg and trident; which last is a copy of the lunar ship Argha with its mast. From Maurice's Ind. Ant.

10. Temple of Belus at Babylon, according to Herodotus. This seems to have been the ancient tower of Babel completed by Nebuchadnezzar. It is a supposed form of Meru.

11. An Egyptian pyramid near Sakarra. From Norden.

12. Mexican temple of the Sun and Moon. From Maurice's Ind. Ant.

13. Great pyramid of Cairo.

xxviii

Fig.

EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES IN PLATE III)

14. Shoemadoo, the great temple of Buddha at Pegu. From Symes's Embassy to

Ava.

15. A holy mountain with a consecrated cavern in its side.

16. Section of the great pyramid of Cairo, exhibiting its dark central chamber or artificial cavern. From Pococke.

17. Holy two-peaked artificial tumulus of New-Grange with Mercurial columns and door of approach to its central chamber. From Ledwich's Aut. of Ireland. 18. The Ark, resting among the crags of Ararat, and exhibiting the semblance of a dark grotto.

19. Rock temple of Jugneth Subha at Ellora, excavated out of the bowels of a mountain in imitation of the Ark. Such places of worship frequently occur in India, Persia, Egypt, Palestine, and the Crimea. From Asiat. Research. vol. vi. 20. Gateway of the Egyptian temple at Edfu, designed to imitate the two-peaked mountain and sacred cavernal door. From Norden.

21. A supposed form of mount Meru, surmounted by the Ida-vratta or sacred mundane ring of hills.

22. A temple of the sort usually called Druidical, designed to imitate the Ida-vratta on the top of the lunar mountain.

23. A temple of Buddha in Ceylon, uniting the two forms of the egg and the pyramid. From Asiat. Research. vol. vi.

24. A pyramid at Sakarra, uniting the two forms of the egg and the pyramid. From Norden.

25. A Persian fire-temple, exhibiting the form of the egg. From Hyde.

26. The Pantheon at Rome, exhibiting the form of the egg.

27. Oviform Tolmen in Cornwall, with the sacred door or orifice used in the initiation

of aspirants. From Borlase.

28. A holy grove of palms.

29. Portico of an imitative Grecian temple.

30. An Egyptian temple at Essnay, exhibiting conjointly the mountain, the cavern, and the grove. The cornice over the portal is decorated with the hieroglyphic of the winged globe and serpent. See Plate I. Fig. 8. From Norden.

31. Kitt's Cotty house in Kent. An artificial cell or cavern of Ceridwen, within which aspirants were wont to be inclosed, and from which they were reputed to be born again. From Borlase.