Abury, _have been built frequently in old times. The traces of
them pursued. Part of the history of_ Phut, _third son of_ Cham.
_A genealogy of the most ancient sacred and heathen families._
Phut _had a fleet of ships upon the_ Mediterranean. _The_
Typhon, Typhis, Python _of antiquity, called_ Apollo Pythius
_after death. He was a builder of these serpentine temples.
Like the emperor_ Augustus _in countenance. He erected the
first patriarchal temple at_ Delphos, _a_ Dracontium. Parnassus
_originally_ Larnassus, _which is no other than our_ Hakpen _of_
Abury. _The sabbath observed there originally._ Ææas, _a son of_
Phut’_s, built the_ Dracontium _at_ Colchis. Perseus, _another
son of his, bore the sacred hierogram, the circle, snake, and
wings, in his shield; whence the_ Medusa’_s head._
_Zoroaster Magus, in Euseb. p. e._ II. 7. _Plato_, _Porphyry_, and
others of the old philosophers, define God to be every where and no
where, who fills all space, and is contain’d in none; “from whom
came all things that are, and which are not yet; eternal, immutable,
omnipresent, incomprehensible, immaterial, without parts, beginning
or end.” If we put this definition into a geometrical figure, in
order to form a symbol, we cannot possibly do it better than by
describing the circle. A circle then in hieroglyphics means, divine;
but particularly, as it is the most perfect and comprehensive of all
geometrical figures, they design’d it for the symbol of the first and
supreme being; whose resemblance we cannot find, whose center is every
where, and circumference no where. It well pictur’d out, as _Abenephi_
the _Arabian_ and others assert, the divine nature of God.
Therefore this figure of the serpent and circle in their doctrine,
aptly means the divine creator, or the creator descended from the
supreme. For tho’ the deity was author of all things, yet more
immediately this SON or WORD of the supreme was the architect of the
universe.
And this we find exactly consonant to the scripture doctrine. So that
it seems very evident to me, the most important of divine truths
admitted in the christian church, were imparted to the first race of
mankind, the patriarchal church, which two are in reality but the same.
We learn repeatedly from _Sanchoniathon_, _Porphyry_, and other ancient
authors quoted by _Eusebius_ in the _præparatio evangelica_, that
the first sages of the world had just and true notions of the nature
of the deity, conformable to those of the Christians: That, in their
hieroglyphic way of writing, they design’d the deity and the mysterious
nature thereof, by the sacred figure of the circle, snake, and wings.
Of these, the circle meant the fountain of all being, the invisible
supreme, who had no name. The serpent symboliz’d the son, or first
divine emanation from the supreme. This they called by the name of
_Ptha_, which is deriv’d from the _hebrew_, meaning the WORD. The wings
symboliz’d that divine person or emanation from the former, commonly
called _anima mundi_, but the _Egyptians_ called him KNEPH, which in
_hebrew_ signifies _winged_.
Thus the old authors that speak of these things are to be understood,
though they are confus’d, not rightly apprehending the bottom of
the matter. And this hieroglyphic figure, in the whole, was call’d
_Knephtha_.
But this knowledge of the nature of the deity, the most valuable
_depositum_ which could be communicated to mortals, was first perverted
into idolatry; therefore God almighty forbore revealing himself further
on that head, in an explicit manner, ’till the fulness of time arriv’d,
the Christian dispensation. But those people who preserv’d themselves
from idolatry, among which I reckon our Druids, retain’d that knowledge
thereof which had already been imparted, of which this sacred figure
of the alate and serpentiferous circle was, as it were, a seal; which
they stamp’d upon these most lasting monuments, their temples. And I
doubt not but they somewhat improv’d the notions they had thereof, by
reasoning, in the manner I shall speak of chap. XV.
_Abury_ is not the only temple in _Britain_ form’d on this design of
the circle and serpent. I saw another at _Shap_ in _Westmorland_, when
I travell’d thro’ the place, _anno_ 1725, with Mr. _Roger Gale_. But I
had no opportunity of examining into it.
There is another, as I take it, at _Classerness_, a village in the
island of _Lewis_, between _Scotland_ and _Ireland_. I took a drawing
of it from Mr. _Lwydd_’s travels; but he was a very bad designer, and
having no knowledge of the purport, makes the representation still
worse. The circle to which it belongs is 20 cubits in diameter. There
is a central obelisc. A part of the snake remains going from it,
which he calls an avenue. He did not discern the curve of it, no more
than that of _Kennet_ avenue, which he likewise has drawn in the same
collection, as a straight line. It seems to me that the circle was
double, or two concentric. I shall print it in the succeeding volume.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXXII.
_Stukely delin._ _Harris sculp_
_View of the Kist-Vaen in Clatford bottom._]
No doubt but there are more in the _britannic_ isles. I propose in this
chapter to deliver my notions concerning them in the more eastern parts
of the world, of which are many traces in ancient writing; avoiding
prolixity as much as possible.
The practice of building these serpentine temples was us’d by the
patriarchs, perhaps near the beginning of the world. I have some proof
of their being ancienter than the flood; but shall not at present
insist on it. The first person I shall take notice of on this account
is _Phut_, a brother of _Canaan_, son of _Cham_. _Phut_ was a person of
much greater eminence in antiquity, than vulgarly thought. But would we
know anything of the particular memoirs of this man, or of any other
his relations and coevals, we have nothing left us for it but heathen
story.
Tho’ the _Phœnicians_, and our Druids, as well as the _Egyptians_ too,
had the earliest use of alphabet writing, yet none of these nations
have transmitted to us any memoirs of themselves. And for what little
knowledge we have of them, besides their monuments, we are altogether
indebted to the _Greeks_, that receiv’d these arts from them. They
happily improv’d art and science, sculpture and writing, so as to hand
down to us most of the ancient history we know, beside the bible. Still
this misfortune attended them, that they improv’d the symbolical method
of writing, which they learn’d from the _Phœnicians_ and _Egyptians_,
to that monstrous pitch, as to produce what we call by the general
name of _mythology_. It was but very late that they came to write true
history: so that the whole of the ancient history of the nations they
write of, is invelop’d in this perplexing mythology.
Yet we should be highly to blame, if we absolutely neglected it. ’Tis
all we can have of prophane antiquity. ’Tis more commendable for us
to study to extricate it from its symbolic mystery, and find out the
open truth. Those that have succeeded best therein, find much agreement
between it and the scripture history, as far as they are concurrent.
’Tis from this mythology, chiefly, that I can pretend to discourse any
further, concerning these great works I have been describing. I shall
endeavour to do it with all the brevity and perspicuity possible, as
becomes such sort of discourses. Yet I despair not of finding out a
good deal of true history. I shall not answer for all. And a great
deal of candour is necessary in the reader, if he would have either
pleasure or instruction in it. Yea, says a predecessor in these kind
of inquiries, Dr. _Dickenson_, _Delph. Phœnic._ “if we look over the
_greek_ mythology with proper sagacity, we shall easily discover many
footsteps of true religion.”
“A fable is an artificial discourse, consisting of the marvellous,
and a philosopher, in some sort, is a lover of such,” says the great
philosopher, _Metaphys._ I. 2.
There are vast treasures of ancient knowledge in mythology, especially
of history both sacred and civil. ’Tis all that we have left of heathen
history of the most ancient times, and ’tis worth our while to shake
off the rubbish, and pick out the useful part. The learned labours
of _Bochart_, _Selden_, _Marsham_, _Huetius_, _Gale_, _Cumberland_,
_Banier_, and many more, shew us its utility. And we must pardon
them if, in some things, they have gone beyond the golden medium, we
ourselves will be content to err somewhat with those great names.
_Phut_, son of _Cham_, was a person of eminence, tho’ not taken
notice of so much as he deserves. I think it much to our purpose to
recite some part of his history. He is the _Apollo_ mention’d by
_Sanchoniathon_, son of _Cronus_, who is _Cham_, as is demonstrated
beyond doubt by bishop _Cumberland_, in his posthumous works; he is
said to have been born in _Peræa_, i. e. the country towards the
_Euphrates_: his third son; as likewise deliver’d by _Moses_. From the
word _Phut_, he was called _Python_, by a little transposition natural
in pronouncing a difficult name; and, by a like transposition, _Typhon_.
_Apollo Pythius_ was the son of _Ammon, that is Cham_, says _Lucius
Ampelius_, _in libro memoriali_. _Plutarch de Isid. & Osir._ writes,
that _Typhon_ was brother to _Osiris_, who was undoubtedly _Misraim_,
son of _Cham_. The like by _Diodorus Siculus_.
To facilitate the understanding of antiquity, I here present the reader
with a genealogical table of the great personages we are going to treat
of. I could produce the evidences that prove each particular descent,
in a strictly heraldical way, but it would now take up too much of our
time.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXXIII.
_Stukely delin._ _Harris Sculp._
_North-East View of the Kist-Vaen in Clatford bottom. 1. July. 1723._]
DESCRIBED.
_The_ GENEALOGY.
LAMECH, Geinus Autochthou, Ophion, Ophiuchus,
Ehoun, Hypsistus. = Beruth
|
+-------------+
|
NOAH, Agroverus, Agrotes, _the Husbandman_, Epigeus
Autochthon, Ouranus, _the greatest of the Gods_, Titan = Ge, Titæa,
| Estia, Vesta.
|
|
+------------+---------------+--------+---------+
2 | | 1 | 3 |
SHEM, Magus, Mithras, | JAPHET, | CHAM, Amynus, Ammon, Saturn,
Dis, Sumanus, Pluto. | Nereus. | Mannus, Cronus, Ilus, Baal I.
| +---+ | +------+ |
| | | | | |
| Atlas +-+ | | |
| | | | | |
ARPHAXAD, Sydic | JAVAN, Pontus, | Dagon, Siton |
MELCHISEDEC | Janus | | +--+-+----------+
| | | | | | 2 | |
| | | Triptolemus | | MISRAIM |
+--+--+ Antaeus | Betylus | | Misor, Osiris |
| | | | | | | |
| | Asclepias | | +-----+ | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | +------+ 3 | | 1 |
SELAH | TARSIS, Poseidon, | PHUT | | CHUS
| | Neptune Demaroon Apollo | 4 | Belus II.
| Dioscuri | Jupiter Picus Typhon CANAAN | |
| +-----+--+ | | Agenor | |
| | | | | Mercury | |
EBER Albion Bergion |-+ | Phœnix | |
| +-----------------------------+ | | Chna | |
| | Melicartus | | +--+ |
| | Hercules | | | |
PELEG | +----------------------------------+ | | |
| | | +-----------------+------------------+ LUD Thoth |
| | | | | | Hermes |
| Perseus | CADMUS HETH | |
| | | | |
| Phaeton HIVITE |Hittite Europa |
REU Heveus, Hyas | NIMROD
| | | Ninus
| +---------------+ |
| | | |
SERUG HAMOR HOR ZOHAR
| _of whom_ Jacob Horite, Heros |
| _bought a field_, | |
| Gen. xxxiii. | |
| | | |
NAHOR SHECHEM SEIR EPHRON, _who sold unto_ Abraham _the_
| _who marry’d_ | _cave of_ Macpelah, Gen. xxiii.
| Dinah, Jacob’s |
| _daughter_. |
TERAH ANAH, duke
| |
ABRAHAM |
| |
+---------+ |
| | |
MIDIAN ISAAC |
| | |
| +-----------+ +--+
| | |
| ESAU = AHOLIBAMAH
APHER, Africus, Phryxus, Phrygius,
_who gave name to_ Britain.
_Phut_ was the first most celebrated navigator of antiquity, built
a fleet of ships, began to carry colonies into the countries on the
_Mediterranean_ sea. _Strabo_ in IX. tells us the history of him
from _Ephorus_, a very ancient historian. He says _Phut_ or _Apollo_
travell’d the earth, and came to the rude inhabitants of _Parnassus_.
His business was to bring men to civility and manners, to use corn for
their food.
_Pindar_ writes of him,
————_He travell’d o’er earth and sea, setting watch-towers on
hill-tops, among the nations, consecrating temples, and building
groves._
_Lycophron_ mentions _Typhon_’s watch-towers _in Arimis_, which
probably is the _Peræa_ of _Sanchoniathon_, the east part of _Syria_,
where _Homer_ says the ευνη, or bed of _Typhon_ was, in a field
abounding with oaks. ’Tis not unusual for _Apollo_ to be represented
in the character of a military captain. _Hygin. fab._ 140. And he
really was a leader of a vast colony of his people into _Egypt_, then
possess’d by his elder brother _Misraim_. Of this more hereafter. Of
him speaks _Seneca_ in _Medea_,
_Ausus Tiphys pandere vasto
Carbasa ponto, legesque novas
Scribere ventis_————
Again,
_Tiphys in primis domitor profundi._
_Jerem._ xlvi. 9. the _Libyans_ of _Africa_ are in the original _Phut_.
The _Lydians_ there are the people or posterity of _Lud_, _Thoth_, his
brother.
_Apollodorus_ I. 4. writes, that _Elios_, our _Phut_, married _Rhode_
daughter of _Neptune_, who was really _Tarshish_ son of _Javan_, son
of _Japhet_. From her he denominated the celebrated island, where,
to his honour, was erected by posterity, the most stupendous statue
in brass that ever was in the world, in any metal or other matter;
being seventy cubits in height, whence all great statues have been
call’d _Colosses_. The _Argonauts_ in _Apollonius_ I. sacrifice to
_Apollo_ the patron of navigation; in _Artemidorus_, _Oniro_ II. 35.
call’d _Apollo Delphinius_; that author says it means _long voyages_.
_Pausanias in Bœoticis_ gives him the same sirname. Hence, I apprehend,
the _dolphin_, his cognizance, was plac’d in the heavens.
In face, he was like to _Augustus_. I have several _Rhodian_ coins in
silver and brass, of different sizes, in all which he is pictur’d. Nor
need we be scrupulous in thinking them a good resemblance. For the
_Telchines_, inhabitants of _Rhodes_, are said to be the first makers
of images. And we may at this time of day, have the satisfaction of
seeing an infinite number of representations of him, in the coins,
busts, and images of _Augustus_, particularly the famous statue of
_Apollo_ in the _Vatican_ garden at _Rome_, made from the emperor’s
face. Therefore we may well admit of it for the heroical effigies of
_Phut_.
_Bochart_ thinks, he fixt his habitation first at _Delos_, and his
family, and thence the fable of his being born there. I have an ancient
brass coin, with the heroical effigies of his mother _Latona_. Her head
in the adverse ΙΕΡΑ ϹΥΝΚΛΕΙΤΟϹ, reverse, the goddess sitting, a _hasta
pura_ held oblique in her right hand. ΛΗΤΩΤΡΙΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXXIV.
_Stukeley delin._ _Harris Sculp._
_The Kistvaen in Clatford bottom. Jun. 30. 1723 from yᵉ Northwest_]
In this island of _Delos_ he had a most magnificent temple, built to
him in after ages, when idolatry began. The noble remains of it are
to be seen there still. For his great fame and exploits, posterity
consecrated him, calling him the son of _Jupiter_, meaning _Jupiter
Ammon_, or more properly of _Saturn_.
But in no place was _Phut_ more famous than in _Phocis_. He planted the
country about the mountain _Parnassus_, where he built, as I apprehend,
a great serpentine temple, like ours of _Abury_, at the bottom of that
mountain, by the city of _Delphos_. This I gather from the _Greek_
reports of the serpent _Python_ of an immense bulk, bred of the slime
left on the earth, by the general deluge, which _Apollo_ here overcame;
and instituted annual games call’d _Pythia_, plainly from his own name.
These were the first and most ancient games we hear of in _Greece_.
Change the places, _Abury_ for _Parnassus_, and we have both the
natural, as well as chronological history of the place; a vast temple
in form of a serpent, made out of stones left on the surface of the
earth after the deluge: not only so but the very name too. The name of
_Parnassus_ was originally _Larnassus_, says _Stephanus Byzantinus_.
The letter L is not a radical in this word, as the learned _Dickenson_
observes in _Delphi phœnic._ therefore the word is _Harnassus_, _Har_
is a headland or promontory of a hill, and _nahas_ a serpent, which is
no other than our _Hakpen_ of _Abury_. Whence we conclude, the snaky
temple extended its huge length along the bottom of _Parnassus_, and
laid its head upon a promontory of it, just as ours at _Abury_, on
_Overton-hill_. Whence _Ovid_ not merely poetically, describes it;
————_Tot jugera ventre prementem._
This was the original patriarchal temple dedicated to the true God,
where oracles were originally given by _Themis_ says _Apollodorus_
I. 4. Which name I take to be a corruption made in after times from
the _Jewish Thummim_, for a divine and true oracle; which _Dickenson_
asserts to have been at this place, page 104. in time turn’d into an
idolatrous one. Many built one after another, as the former ones were
sack’d and destroy’d.
The report of the mountain having been call’d _Larnassus_, is another
argument of the high antiquity of this first serpentine temple here
built by _Phut_, and throws us up to the patriarchal church, and to the
times immediately after the great deluge. _Stephanus_ of _Byzantium_
before quoted, says it: and the interpreter of _Apollonius_, and _Ovid_
makes _Apollo_’s engagement with _Python_ to be immediately after the
flood. They pretend the name _Larnassus_ comes from _Larnax_, the ark
of _Deucalion_ landing here, agreeable to the _Greek_ method of drawing
all antiquity to themselves.
The central obeliscal stone in some of the circular works here, which
was the _Kebla_, as in the southern temple of _Abury_, was afterward,
in idolatrous times, worshipped at _Delphos_ for the statue of
_Apollo_, as _Clemens Alexandrinus_ writes, _Strom._ I. ’till art and
_Grecian_ delicacy improv’d and produc’d elegant images, like that
aforemention’d of the _vatican_, and innumerable more, still remaining.
In _Vaillant_’s colony coins vol. I. page 242. is an elegant coin
struck at _Cæsarea_, to the emperor _Antoninus Pius_. On the reverse,
_Apollo_ standing, leans on a _tripod_, holds in his right hand a snake
extended. The learned author is at a loss to explain it, therefore
I may be allowed to give my opinion, that it relates to our present
subject.
It was the method of the ancient planters of colonies, to begin their
work with building temples, I mean our patriarchal temples, for there
were then no other. And they instituted festival and religious games,
which contributed very much to polish and civilize mankind, and make
them have a due notion and practice of religion, without which it
is impossible for any date to subsist. Of this _Strabo_ writes very
sensibly in IX. treating on this very place. The _Pæanick_ or _Pythian_
are the most ancient games we have any account of. _Strabo_ writes very
largely concerning them.
These great festivals were at the four solar ingresses into the
cardinal signs, which were the times of publick sacrificing, as I
suppose, from the creation of the world. The _Pythian_ festival was
celebrated on the sixth day of the _Athenian_ month _Thargelion_,
_Delphick Busius_. ’Tis between _April_ and _May_.
But we learn, from the scholiast of _Pindar_, _prolegom. ad Pythia_,
that _Apollo_ instituted the _Pythia_ on the seventh day after he had
overcome the serpent _Python_; and that at _Delphos_ they sung a hymn
called _Pæan_ to _Apollo_ every seventh day. The _Athenians_ did the
like, every seventh day of the moon, whence _Hesiod_’s
Ἑβδόμη ἱερὸν ἦμαρ————
Because, says he, _Apollo_ was born on that day.
The learned _Gale_ observes from this, in his court of the _Gentiles_,
p. 150. that it means the sabbath as the patriarchal custom, before
the _Jewish_ institution. _Usher_ before him, of the same opinion, in
his discourse on the sabbath. _Porphyry_ in his book concerning the
_Jews_, quoted by _Eusebius pr. ev._ I. 9. tells us, the _Phœnicians_
consecrated one day in seven as holy; he says indeed, it was in honour
of their principal deity _Saturn_, as they call’d him, and _Israel_. We
are not to regard his reason, any more than _Hesiod_’s aforementioned,
but his testimony of a matter of fact, has its just weight. He means to
prove a custom older than _Judaism_.
I take all this to be an illustrious proof of the patriarchal
observation of the sabbath, before the _Mosaick_ dispensation. Their
sabbath was intirely like our Christian, the greatest festival of all,
and deservedly the most to be regarded, as being religion properly, or
practical religion.
We cannot easily determine on what day the patriarchal sabbath was
kept, _Hesiod_’s reason being the birth day of _Apollo_, pleads for
Sunday; _Porphyry_’s for saturday, consequent to which thus _Martial_
XII. 63.
_In Saturnum._
_Antiqui Rex magne poli, mundique prioris,
Sub quo pigra quies, nec labor ullus erat._
But both shew evidently the antiquity of the hebdomadal division of
time, and the planetary names of the week days, and the primæval
sabbatical rest. _Pausanias in atticis_ writes, at _Megara_ was a
statue of _Apollo_ carrying the _Docimæ_ or tithe, another patriarchal
usage.
The work of _Phut_’s building an enormous serpentine temple, was call’d
killing or overcoming the huge serpent _Python_, properly son of the
earth.
————_Et te quoque maxime_ Python
_Tum genuit: populisque novis incognita serpens
Terror eras. Tantum spatii de monte tenebas._ Ovid. Met.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXXV.
_A Roman Urn found at Newington_
_Chyndonax a Druids tomb found in France._
_Celtic Urns found at Sunbury._
_Stukeley f._]
Publick sacrifices, games, hymns, a sabbatical observance being there
celebrated; we have just reason to think all the like were observ’d by
our Druids at _Abury_, especially considering they were of _Phœnician_
original.
To conclude this chapter, this labour of _Phut_’s is told in many
places. Some say it was in _Mysia_, in _Phrygia_ others, again in
_Cilicia_, in _Pithecusa_, in _Bœotia_; _Strabo_ xiii. writes, that it
was in _Syria_; and there seems to have been a serpentine temple on the
river _Orontes_ of _Antioch_, for it was call’d originally _Typhon_ and
Οφιτης, as _Strabo_ writes, xvi. and _Eustathius_ in _Iliad_, p. 262.
_Basil._ and in _Dionysium_. The story is of _Typhon_ a huge serpent
slain there by a thunderbolt from _Jupiter_, near a sacred cave called
_Nymphæum_.
The meaning of all this, seems to be, that _Phut_ in person, or his
people built them in all these places. _Ææas_ a son of _Phut_’s, built
the serpentine temple at _Colchis_.
_Perseus_ was a son of _Demaroon_, born in _Egypt_, _Euseb. p. e._
II. 1. he was coæval with _Phut_, and bore in his shield the sacred
hierogram, and he probably built of these _Dracontia_. From this the
poets made their fable of _Medusa_’s head, and that it turn’d men into
snakes. _Hesiod_ in the description of _Hercules_’s shield, thus paints
him in _English_.
“As he went, his adamantine shield sounded, and tinkled with a loud
noise. In a circle two dragons were suspended, lifting up their heads.”
_Johannes Malala_ makes _Perseus_ institutor of the _Magi_, who were
the patriarchal priests of the east. He calls the river of _Antioch_
abovementioned _Dracon_.
CHAP. XIII.