Between 4000 B.C. and 900 B.C. a highly complex culture compounded of a
remarkable series of peculiar elements, which were associated the one
with the other in Egypt largely by chance, became intimately interwoven
to form the curious texture of a cult which Brockwell has labelled
“heliolithic,” in reference to the fact that it includes sun-worship,
the custom of building megalithic monuments, and certain extraordinary
beliefs concerning stones. An even more peculiar and distinctive feature,
genetically related to the development of megalithic practices and
the belief that human beings could dwell in stones, is the custom of
mummification.
The earliest known Egyptians (before 4000 B.C.) practised weaving and
agriculture, performed the operation of “incision” (the prototype of
complete circumcision), and probably were sun-worshippers. Long before
3400 B.C. they began to work copper and gold. By 3000 B.C. they had begun
the practice of embalming, making rock-cut tombs, stone superstructures
and temples. By the mere chance that the capital of the united Kingdom
of Egypt happened to be in the centre of serpent-worship (and the
curious symbolism associated with it—Sethe, =74=), the sun, serpent and
Horus-hawk (the older symbol of royalty) became blended in the symbol of
sun-worship and as the emblem of the king, who was regarded as the son of
the sun-god.
The peculiar beliefs regarding the possibility of animate beings dwelling
in stone statues (and later even in uncarved columns), and of human
beings becoming petrified, developed out of the Egyptian practices of the
Pyramid Age (circa 2800 B.C.).
By 900 B.C. practically the whole of the complex structure of the
“heliolithic” culture had become built up and definitely conventionalized
in Egypt, with numerous purely accidental additions from neighbouring
countries.
The great migration of the “heliolithic” culture-complex probably began
shortly before 800 B.C. [Its influence in the Mediterranean and in
Europe, as also in China and Japan, is merely mentioned incidentally in
this communication.]
Passing to the east the culture-complex reached the Persian Gulf strongly
tainted with the influence of North Syria and Asia Minor, and when it
reached the west coast of India and Ceylon, possibly as early as the end
of the eighth century B.C., it had been profoundly influenced not only by
these Mediterranean, Anatolian and especially Babylonian accretions, but
even more profoundly with Eastern African modifications. These Ethiopian
influences become more pronounced in Indonesia (no doubt because in
India and the west the disturbances created by other cults have destroyed
most of the evidence).
From Indonesia the “heliolithic” culture-complex was carried far out
into the Pacific and eventually reached the American coast, where it
bore fruit in the development of the great civilizations on the Pacific
littoral and isthmus, whence it gradually leavened the bulk of the vast
aboriginal population of the Americas.
[When this communication was made to the Society my sole object was
to put together the scattered evidence supplied by the practice of
mummification, and other customs associated with it, in substantiation
of the fact that the influence of ancient Egyptian civilization, or a
particular phase of it, had spread to the Far East and America. Since
then so much new information has come to light, not only in confirmation
of the main thesis, but also defining the dates of a series of cultural
waves, that it will soon be possible, not only to sketch out in some
detail the routes taken by the series of ancient mariners who spread
abroad this peculiarly distinctive civilization, but also to identify the
adventurers and determine the dates of their greatest exploits and the
motives for most of their enterprises. In collaboration with Mr. J. W.
Perry I hope soon to be ready to attempt that task.
I have deliberately refrained from referring to the vexed question of
totemism in this communication, although it is obvious that it is closely
connected with the “heliolithic” culture. I have used the expression
“serpent worship” in several places where perhaps it would have been
more correct to refer to the serpent-totem; but so far from weakening,
the consideration of totemism will add to the strength and cogency of my
argument.
When I assigned (p. 65) a comparatively late date for the extension
of the “heliolithic” culture to the western Mediterranean and beyond I
was not aware that Siret (_L’Anthropologie_, T. 20 and 21, 1909-10) had
arrived at the same conclusion.]