Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/111

 ) S. I. FEB. 5, 98.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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a ong the back of the book, "Letters of ]\ arque. Rudyard Kipling."

The last two books, having been published v ithout the writer's sanction, were withdrawn f 'om circulation, and are consequently scarce ; bat the rarest of all these publications is, I be- lieve, the genuine original issue of 'Soldiers 1 hree,' and I am doubtful if a perfect and i nmutilated copy of this little masterpiece 1 as vet appeared in a London auction-room. W. F. PKIDEAUX.

Kingsland, Shrewsbury.

ANCIENT ZODIACS.

CONSIDERING the important part which has ever belonged to the zodiac in ancient art, literature, science, astronomy, astrology, my- thology, and religion, it is surprising that there does not seem to exist a printed catalogue of the many remarkable extant zodiacal represen- tations, or of those recorded to have formerly existed. In a valuable article by Mr. Fowler (Archaiologia, xliv.), upon the signs as found together with emblems of the months in mediaeval architecture, about thirty -five zodiacs are enumerated. In the very valuable new 'Dictionary of Architecture '(art. 'Zodiac') a much larger number are mentioned. Neither of these makes any pretence to completeness, the first only referring to such zodiacs as are found connected with month emblems, while the second only refers to architectural zodiacs. In the following catologue it is proposed to include ancient zodiacal representations wherever found, and to arrange them, as far as may be, in chronological order.

Babylonian Zodiacs. 1. Among the boundary stones in the British Museum is a white upright stone. No. 99, discovered by Dr. Smith opposite Baghdad. In the cuneiform inscription on the back he read the name of Merodach Baladan and he dated it B.C. 1320. There was, how ever, an historical King of Babylon so named the contemporary of Isaiah (2 Kings xx.) who was in league with Hezekiah, B.C. 713 There appear to have been twenty-four figures on the front, of which these can be seen: Crescent, sun, star, scorpion, bird, two fishes, river, wolf, tower, eagle, horns, bull goat, spike, ram, leg, serpent, fish-goat, wingec lion. It appears to be a matsebah or zodiaca" pillar stone (2 Kings iii. 2). It is engraved ii Smith (' Assyrian Researches,' 1875, p. 236).

2. In the Bodleian Library Museum Oxford, is a cast of a Babylonian cpne-headec pillar stone, about three feet high. It is assumed to be three thousand years old. On the summit are carved twenty-four emblems

as bull, goat, wolf, serpent, crab, two birds, altar, spike, ram head, vase pouring water, mtelope, two-pronged fork, goat horns. Appa- -ently a zodiacal pillar stone or matsebah Deuteronomy xii. 3).

3. In the British Museum is a black Baby- onian conical stone, assumed to be of the twelfth century B.C. On it are sculptured a eg (Cepheus), Capricorn, horns, two suns,

moon, arrow, dog, serpent, scorpion, and five altars for the five planets (2 Kings xxi. 5). [t is engraved in Rawlinson ('Ancient Monarchies,' 1873, ii. 573).

Assyrian Zodiacs.

4. In the British Museum is a fragment of a circular zodiac which once had the names of the twelve months, with the signs of the zodiac which ruled over them on it. One of the two which remain legible is Scorpio (Brown, 'Eridanus,' p. 61). The ' Diet. Arch.' says this is the oldest planisphere known. It was found in Sennacherib's palace.

5. In the Bodleian Library Museum, Oxford, is a cast of an Assyrian cone-headed pillar stone about three feet high. On one side is a cuneiform inscription. On another is the Assyrian king, holding a bow in one hand, and two arrows or spears (duo gas-so) in the other. On the summit are sculptured lion, goat, scorpion, ram, crab, scales, dog, altars, tor- toise, sun, moon, mace, bird-topped staff, and four altars holding a cone, horns, spear, and wedge. It seems to me to be one of those zodiacal pillar stones (called matsebah) so often denounced to the Hebrews (2 Kings xxiii. 14),

Egyptian Zodiacs.

6. The ceiling in the Ramesseum (Mem- nonium) has the hieroglyphics of the months and the signs represented on it. It is dated B.C. c. 3000 (Lockyer, 'Dawn of Astronomy/ 1894, p. 143; Murray, 'Egypt'). But the building seems to be of the Roman period.

7. The twelve signs and the position of the planets are painted on a wooden coffin in the British Museum, dated by some B.C. 1722 (Rolleston, ' Mazzaroth,' 1865, iv. 17).

8. Belzoni, speaking of the subterranean sepulchre of Pharaoh Necho, who slew Josiah at Megiddo B.C. 610 (2 Kings xxiii. 29), says : "The ceiling of the vault itself is painted blue, with a procession of figures and other groups relating to the zodiac, p. 246 " (Taylor's Calmet, * Dictionary,' iv. 198).

9. On the ceiling of a small remote room in the temple at Dendera was a circular plani- sphere of granite containing the twelve signs and the thirty-six decans. The signs are the