BOOK V. ing, like Parnassus, only two peaks: we find it begirt with a wide inunda tion and the temple-mount itself perfectly corresponds with the character of the god, to whom it was dedicated; for his image was wont to be solemnly carried about by the priests in an ark after the manner of the Egyptian Ammon or Osiris, and seated in that same ark it occupied the sacellum of the pyramid '.

Of a similar nature is the pagoda of Seringham, which is built in an island of the same name formed by two branches of the great river Cauveri that flows through the dominions of the Rajah of Tanjore. The whole island constitutes the vast pyramid: for the temple consists of seven square mural inclosures one within another, the centrical and loftiest area inclosing the sanctuaries. It is obvious, that by such an arrangement the island, gradually rising from its shores to its summit, would present to a spectator at a proper distance the exact fabled aspect of Meru and the real aspect of the Babylonian tower of Belus: for the seven square walls, successively rising according to the shape of the ground, would exhibit the appearance of the seven steps or stages attributed to the holy mountain and exemplified in the first-built pyramid on the Euphrates 2.

With the same allusion to the deluge in the choice of situation, a vast pyramidal mound of earth was thrown up on the sea-shore near the city of Tyre. As we may judge from the reigning superstition of the country, it was dedicated to Thammuz and Astartè who were venerated on the neighbouring lunar hill of Lebanon. It was said to have been constructed by the earth-born giants; nor was the tradition erroneous: for these post

That this pyramid was designed to represent a hill, is manifest from its oriental name. According to Bernal Diaz, it was styled the great Cu. But Cu is no other than the Persic Coh or Cau, which denotes a mountain. Thus Coh-Cas or Caucasus is the mountain of Cush. We find this identical name, in an inverted form, among the Peruvians; who, like their brethren the Mexicans, must have emigrated from north-eastern Asia. Cusco or Cush-Coh is still the mountain of Cush.

2 Orme's Hist. of Hind. apud Maur. Ind. Ant. vol. iii. p. 50, 51.. It is almost super fluous to remark, that the plan of this pagoda exactly resembles that of the Median city Ecbatana, which I have already noticed. Each was clearly a studied copy of mount Meru. There is another pyramidal temple in the Burman dominions, similarly situated in an island formed by the river Irrawaddee. See Symes's Embass. to Ava. vol. ii. p. 222.

diuvian giants, who peculiarly claimed to be the children of the great CHAP. VII. mother whether described as the Earth or the Moon or the Ark, were the military tribe of Cush; and the Phenicians were an eminent branch of the Indian Chusas or Ethiopians '.

If we finally pass into the recently discovered islands of the Pacific ocean, we shall still meet with the same architectural notions as those which prevailed in other parts of the world.

The great pyramidal Morai of Otaheite, which, agreeably to the speculations of the continental idolaters, is deemed at once a sepulchre and a temple, is certainly no other than an imitative Meru: and it is not improbable, that the very name of Morai may be a corruption of the title by which the holy mountain is distinguished. This building is a pile of stonework raised pyramidally upon an oblong base, two hundred and sixty seven feet long and eighty seven wide. Like the fabulous Meru and the Babylonian tower, it is constructed with steps or stages running round its whole circumference. Each stage is four feet high: and, as there are eleven of them, the altitude of the entire pile is forty four feet. It is observable, that in the two long sides of the edifice the stages are not horizontal, but all sink in a kind of hollow in the middle; so that, at the top, the whole surface from end to end is not a right line, but a curve. The pyramid, nearly in the manner of the Indian and the Mexican temples, is attached to a spacious inclosure of which it forms one side: it is surrounded by a sacred grove: and it is built upon the sea-shore. When we recollect the deity worshipped by these islanders, namely a god who is supposed to reside in an ark of a similar formation to the arks of Ammon and Vitzliputzli; we can be in little danger of mistaking the design, with which this pyramidal temple was erected. It is certainly a local Ararat, studiously built upon a promontory that juts out into the sea: and, accordingly, its top is so constructed as to exhibit the appearance of a lunar crescent with two horns or peaks.

The same conmemorative worship prevails among the natives of Atooi ; for we find in that island a pyramid, which closely resembles in form the

Nonni Dionys. lib. xl. p. 1048.

Cook's First voyage. b. i. c. 15.

BOOK V.

pyramids of Egypt. As the great Morai of Otaheite is erected near the sea; so the pyramid of Atooi stands on the bank of a small sacred lake'. In all these different cases the idea is still the same; for the sea, the lake, and the holy river, equally represented the deluge retiring into the great abyss from the arkite mount Ararat.

2. Whenever a sacred mountain was provided with a natural cave, that cave was highly venerated as the symbol of the gloomy mundane Ark resting among the crags and precipices of the Armenian peak. Hence, if a local Meru did not furnish the desired grotto, recourse was had to art: and, with infinite labour, excavations were formed out of the bowels of the solid rock. The same expedient was resorted to when the mountain was insular, for each small island towering above the sea was deemed a peculiarly appropriate representation of Ararat. And, when the mountain itself was artificial as in the case of pyramids and conical tumuli, a centrical chamber or cavern was studiously formed in the midst of the pale, that so the resemblance might be complete between these imitative Merus and their sacred prototype.

(1.) The many stupendous excavations in widely separated regions of the globe prove the boundless extent, to which the primeval superstition spread itself.

Of these several yet remain in the mountainous region of upper India, which may well be termed the Thebais of that country. Without insisting upon the probably hyperbolical language of Abul-Fazil, that in his various excursions among the mountains he personally examined twelve thousand recesses cut out of the solid rock all ornamented with carving and plaisterwork, it will be sufficient for my present purpose to notice the wonderful temple grottos of Ellora. These are hewn out of the perpendicular face of a rocky pyramidal hill, which doubtless was viewed as the Meru of the place. The several fronts, which they present to the approaching spectator, resemble each other in their square form and in the low doors by which admission is gained to the interior. Each exhibits the semblance of a huge square chest or ark, fast wedged amidst the crags of the mountain,

and provided with a low door or doors by no means suitable to the general CRAP. VII. magnificence of the cavern: each in short displays the precise shape of the Ark with its small portal, so far as we can gather it from the description given by Moses'. The dimensions of these artificial grottos are wonderfully large their roofs are supported within by pillars hewn, like theinselves, out of the living rock: and, amidst a vast variety of elegantly sculptured images, they are decorated with the statues of Siva and Parvati in the evident situation of being the presiding deities of the place. Hence we can have little doubt of the object, with which the excavations were formed; since those divinities floated on the surface of the deluge as the presiding mariner and the ship Argha, and since they afterwards peculiarly delighted to dwell on the summit of mount Meru. But the title of one of the grottos may serve to throw further light on the nature of the Mysteries, which were celebrated in their dark recesses. It bears the name of Cailasa or Paradise and Cailasa is that eminently sacred peak of Meru; which, as the special habitation of Siva and his consort the Ship, obtains a decided preeminence over the other two peaks. The remarkable construction of this cavern answers to its name: and here it was, I apprehend, that the aspirant, after passing through the preliminary difficulties of initiation, was received into the full glory of the illuminated Elysium. The Cailasa grotto exhibits a very fine front in an area cut through the rock. On the right hand of the entrance is a cistern of water: and, on each side of the portal, there is a projection reaching to the first story decorated with much sculpture and handsome battlements. From the gateway you enter a vast area cut down through the solid rock of the mountain to make room for an immense temple of the complex pyramidal form. This temple, which is excavated from the upper region of the rock and which appears like a grand building, is connected with the gateway by a bridge, the component stone of which was purposely left when the mountain was thus hollowed out. Beneath it, at the end opposite the entrance, is a figure of Bhavani or Argha sitting on the mysterious lotos and attended by two elephants. On each side behind the elephants are extensive ranges of apartments; and be

'See Plate III. Fig. 19.

BOOK V. yond them, in the area, two obelisks of a square form. The pyramid, which, as a representation of Meru, is also a symbol of that self-conspicuous image of nature that was exhibited to the epoptæ when they entered into the mimic Elysium, is no less than ninety feet in height from the floor of the excavated court. Its use was the same, as that of the phallic cone which is alike conspicuous in the inner cavern of the Elephanta pagoda: and in the sacellum of the Irish temple of Muidhr. In the immediate vicinity of these excavations, is the small circular lake with the pyramidal island and the neighbouring pagoda, which I have already taken occasion to notice'.

Of a form closely resembling the caverns at Ellora are the artificial Mithratic grottos in the mountainous part of Persia. They are hewn out of the face of a solid perpendicular rock: and their fronts invariably present. the appearance of a square ark, furnished with a small door, and wedged fast amidst the precipices of the mountain. One of them is remarkable from its being surmounted by a winged Cupid, the sylphid first-born of the old Hindoo and Orphic theology, seated upon the diluvian rainbow.

Analogous to these are the curious excavations of upper Egypt in the granite mountains denominated Tschebat el Kofferi and Tschabel Esselsele. The square front and the low door still present themselves: and within are spacious saloons and other chambers, supported by pillars cut out of the rock adorned with images and hieroglyphics, and still exhibiting remains of painting and gilding'.

Similar grottos may be seen near Tortosa to the north of Beruth and Tyre, hewn out of the solid rock and surmounted by two pyramidal towers, which were designed to represent the two exterior peaks of the holy hill +

2 Le Bruyn's Trav. vol. ii. plate 158, 166, 167. Thevenot's Trav. part ii. c. 7. 3 Norden's Trav. vol. ii. p. 33, 34, 93, 94. The theory, which I am advocating, is strongly corroborated by an incidental remark of Mr. Bruce drawn from him by the mere inspection of the Egyptian sanctuaries. The figure of the temples in Thebes, says he, does not seem to be far removed from the idea given us of the Ark. They were in fact studied copies of the great gloomy ship of the deluge. Bruce's Trav. vol. ii. p. 31.

+ Maundrell's Journey. p. 20.