Stripped, however, of all this splendour and magnificence it was
probably nothing more than a symbolical instrument, signifying
originally the motion of the elements, like the sistrum of Isis, the
cymbals of Cybele, the bells of Bacchus, etc., whence Jupiter is said to
have overcome the Titans with his ægis, as Isis drove away Typhon with
her sistrum, and the ringing of the bells and clatter of metals were
almost universally employed as a means of consecration, and a charm
against the destroying and inert powers. Even the Jews welcomed the new
moon with such noises, which the simplicity of the early ages employed
almost everywhere to relieve her during eclipses, supposed then to be
morbid affections brought on by the influence of an adverse power. The
title _Priapus_, by which the generative attribute is distinguished,
seems to be merely a corruption of _Briapuos_ (clamorous); the _beta_
and _pi_ being commutable letters, and epithets of similar meaning,
being continually applied both to Jupiter and Bacchus by the poets. Many
Priapic figures, too, still extant, have bells attached to them, as the
symbolical statues and temples of the Hindus are; and to wear them was a
part of the worship of Bacchus among the Greeks: whence we sometimes
find them of extremely small size, evidently meant to be worn as amulets
with the phalli, lunulæ, etc. The chief priests of the Egyptians and
also the high priests of the Jews, hung them as sacred emblems to their
sacerdotal garments; and the Brahmins still continue to ring a small
bell at the interval of their prayers, ablutions, and other acts of
devotion; which custom is still preserved in the Roman Catholic Church
at the elevation of the host. The Lacedæmonians beat upon a brass vessel
or pan, on the death of their kings, and we still retain the custom of
tolling a bell on such occasions, though the reason of it is not
generally known, any more than that of other remnants of ancient
ceremonies still existing.[1] It will be observed that the bells used by
the Christians very probably came direct from the Buddhists. And from
the same source are derived the beads and rosaries of the Roman
Catholics, which have been used by the Buddhist monks for over 2,000
years. Tinkling bells were suspended before the shrine of Jupiter Ammon,
and during the service the gods were invited to descend upon the altars
by the ringing of bells; they were likewise sacred to Siva. Bells were
used at the worship of Bacchus, and were worn on the garments of the
Bacchantes, much in the same manner as they are used at our carnivals
and masquerades.
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Footnote 1:
The above description is from Payne Knight’s “Symbolical Language of
ancient Art and Mythology.”