Fig. 2 is a Buddhist emblem; the two fishes forming the circle represent
the mystic yoni, the sacti of Mahadeva, while the triad above them
represents the mystic trinity, the triune father, Siva, Bel, or Asher,
united with Anu and Hea. From Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, vol.
xviii., p. 892, plate ii.
Fig. 3 is a very remarkable production. It originally belonged to
Mons. Lajard, and is described by him in his second Memoire, entitled
Recherches sur le Culte, les Symboles, les Attributs, et les Monumens
Figures de Venus (Paris, 1837), in pages 32, et seq., and figured in
plate I., fig. 1. The real age of the gem and its origin are not known,
but the subject leads that author to believe it to be of late Babylonian
workmanship. The stone is a white agate, shaped like a cone, and the
cutting is on its lower face. The shape of this gem indicates its
dedication to Venus. The central figures represent the androgyne
deity, Baalim, Astaroth, Elohim, Jupiter genetrix, or the bearded Venus
Mylitta. On the left side of the cutting we notice an erect serpent,
whose rayed head makes us recognise the solar emblem, and its mundane
representative, mentula arrecta; on a spot opposite to the centre of the
male's body we find a lozenge, symbolic of the yoni, whilst opposite
to his feet is the amphora, whose mystic signification may readily be
recognised; it is meant for Ouranos, or the Sun fructifying Terra, or
the earth, by pouring from himself into her.
* A friend has informed me, for example, that he happened,
whilst at Pesth, to look at a gorgeously dressed and
handsome young woman. To his astonishment she pointed her
thumb precisely in the manner adopted by the Assyrian
priests; this surprised the young man still farther, and
being, as it were, fascinated, he continued to gaze. The
damsel then grasped the thumb by the other hand; thus
indicating her profession. My friend, who was wholly
inexperienced in the ways of the world, only understood what
was meant when he saw my explanation of Fig. 1.
The three stars over the head of the figure, and the inverted triangle
on its head, are representations of the mythological four, equivalent to
the Egyptian symbol of life (figs. 31, 82). Opposite to the female are
the moon, and another serpent, which may be recognised by physiologists
as symbolic of tensio clitoridis. In a part corresponding to the
diamond, on the left side, is a six-rayed wheel, emblematic, apparently,
of the sun. At the female's feet is placed a cup, which is intended to
represent the passive element in creation. As such it is analogous to
the crescent moon, and is associated in the Roman church with the round
wafer, the symbol of the sun; the wafer and cup thus being synonymous
with the sun and moon in conjunction. It will be observed that each
serpent in the plate is apparently attacked by what we suppose is
a dragon. There is some difficulty in understanding the exact idea
intended to be conveyed by these; my own opinion is that they symbolise
Satan, the old serpent that tempted Eve, viz., fierce lust, Eros,
Cupid, or desire, which, both in the male and female, brings about the
arrectation which the serpents figure. It is not to be passed by without
notice, that the snake which represents the male has the tail so curved
as to suggest the idea of the second and third elements of the trinity.
Monsieur Lajard takes the dragons to indicate the bad principle in
nature, i. e., darkness, night, Ahriman, etc. On the pyramidal portion
of the gem the four sides are ornamented by figures--three represent
animals remarkable for their salacity, and the fourth represents Bel and
Ishtar in conjunction, in a fashion which can be more easily imagined
than described in the mother tongue. The learned will find the position
assumed in Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, book iv., lines 1256, seq.
Fig. 4 is also copied from Lajard, plate i., fig. 10. It is the reverse
of a bronze coin of Vespasian, struck in the island of Cyprus, and
represents the conical stone, under whose form Venus was worshipped at
Paphos, of which Tacitus remarks, Hist, ii., c. 8, "the statue bears
no resemblance to the human form, but is round, broad at one end and
gradually tapering at the other, like a goal. The reason of this is
not ascertained." It is remarkable that a male emblem should be said to
represent Venus, but the stone was an aerolite, like that which fell
at Ephesus, and was said to represent Diana. It is clear that when a
meteoric stone falls, the chief priests of the district can say that it
is to be taken as a representative of their divinity.
My very ingenious friend, Mr. Newton, suggests that the Venus in
question was androgyne; that the cone is a male emblem, within a door,
gateway, or delta, thus resembling the Assyrian grove. It is certain
that the serpents, the two stars, and the two candelabra, or altars with
flame, favour his idea.
Fig. 5 represents the position of the hands assumed by Jewish priests
when they give the benediction to their flock. It will be recognised
that each hand separately indicates the trinity, whilst the junction
of the two indicates the unit. The whole is symbolic of the mystic
Arba--the four, i, e., the trinity and unity. One of my informants
told me that, being a "cohen" or priest, he had often administered the
blessing, and, whilst showing to me this method of benediction, placed
his joined hands so that his nose entered the central aperture. On his
doing so, I remarked "bene nasatus," and the expression did more to
convince him of the probability of my views than anything else.
Fig. 6, modified in one form or another, is the position assumed by the
hand and fingers, when Homan and Anglican bishops or other hierarchs
give benediction to their people. A similar disposition is to be met
with in Indian mythology, when the Creator doubles himself into male and
female, so as to be in a position to originate new beings. Whilst the
right hand in Plate VII. symbolises the male, the left hand represents
the mystic feminine circle. In another plate, which is to be found in
Moor's Hindu Pantheon, there is a similar figure, but draped fully, and
in that the dress worn by the celestial spouse is covered with groups
of spots arranged in triads and groups of four. With regard to the
signification of spots, we may notice that they indicated, either by
their shape or by their name, the emblem of womankind. A story of Indra,
the Hindoo god of the sky, confirms this. He is usually represented as
bearing a robe covered with eyes; but the legend runs that, like David,
he became enamoured of the wife of another man, who was very beautiful
and seen by chance, but her spouse was one whose austere piety made him
almost equal to Brahma. The evil design of Indra was both frustrated and
punished. The woman escaped, but the god became covered with marks that
recalled his offence to mind, for they were pictures of the yoni. These,
by the strong intercession of Brahma with the Rishi, were changed by the
latter into eyes. This story enables us to recognise clearly the hidden
symbolism of the Hindoo and Egyptian eye, the oval representing the
female, and the circle the male lodged therein--i.e., the androgyne
creator.