CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE CULT OF NORTHERN AS OPPOSED TO SOUTHERN STARS.

So far as my inquiries have yet gone, there is not above Thebes, with the exceptions of Redesich and Dakkeh, any temple resembling those at Annu, Thebes, Denderah and Abydos, to which I have directed attention as having a high north-east amplitude.

Similarly, with one or two exceptions which are probably late, there are no temples facing the south-east below Thebes.

In short, in Lower Egypt the temples are pointed to rising stars near the north point of the horizon or setting north of west. In Upper Egypt we deal chiefly with temples directed to stars rising in the south-east or setting low in the south-west.

Here again we are in presence of as distinct differences in astronomical thought and purpose of observation as we found among those who directed temples to the sun at the equinox, as opposed to those who worshipped that luminary at some other time of the year.

Now with regard to the northern stars observed rising in high amplitudes, we have found traces of their worship in times so remote that in all probability at Annu and Denderah α Ursæ Majoris was used before it became circumpolar. We deal almost certainly with 5000 B.C.

Since undoubtedly _new_ temples with nearly similar amplitudes (such as that denoted by M at Karnak) were built in late times, we find so long a range of time indicated that the utility of the stellar observations _from the yearly point of view_ could scarcely have been in question, for the reason that the same star could not herald an equinox or a solstice for four thousand years.

It may be suggested, therefore, that the observations made in them had ultimately to do with the determination of the hours of the night; this seems probable, for in Nubia at present, time at night is thus told.

It may be that such stars as Canopus were used by the southern peoples for the same purpose as α Ursæ Majoris first and then γ Draconis were used by the northerners. In other words, the question arises whether the extreme north and south stars were not both used as warners of the dawn all the year round, after the cult had been established for use at some special time. Canopus, for instance, was of use to herald the autumnal equinox, 6--5000 B.C.; but it is quite natural to suppose that its utility for night work at all times of the year during which it was visible would soon suggest itself, and the same remarks apply to the Northern star γ Draconis.

It is well known that in quite early times means had been found of dividing the day and night into twelve hours. In the day shadows cast by the sun, or sundials, might have been used, but how about the night?

We have seen that the Egyptians chiefly, if not exclusively, observed a heavenly body and the position of other bodies in relation to it, when it was rising or setting, so that it was absolutely essential that the body which they were to observe should rise and set. Everybody knows that as seen in England there are many stars which neither rise nor set. The latitude of London being 51°, the elevation of the pole is 51°.

Hence, any star which lies within that distance from the pole cannot set, but sweeps round without touching the horizon at all. The latitude of Thebes being 25°, the distance from the pole to the horizon is much smaller, and so the number of stars which do not rise and set is much smaller. The stars which do not rise or set are stars near the pole, and therefore stars which move very slowly, and the stars which rise most to the north and most to the south are those bodies which are moving most slowly while they yet rise or set. Can this slow rate of motion have had anything to do with such stars being selected for observation, the brightest star to the north most slowly moving, the brightest star to the south most slowly moving? It is possible that observations of these stars might have been made in such a way that at the beginning of the evening the particular position of γ Draconis, for instance, might have been noted with regard to the pole-star; and seeing that the Egyptians thoroughly knew the length of the night and of the day in the different portions of the year, they could at once--the moment they had the starting-point afforded by the position of this star--practically use the circle of the stars round the north pole as the dial of a sort of celestial clock. May not this really have been the clock with which they have been credited? However long or short the night, the star which was at first above the pole-star,[112] after it had got round so that it was on a level with it, would have gone through a quarter of its revolution.

In low northern latitudes, however, the southern stars would serve better for this purpose, since the circle of northern circumpolar stars would be much restricted. Hence there was a reason in such latitudes for preferring southern stars. With regard both to high north and south stars, then, we may in both cases be in presence of observations made to determine the time at night. So that the worship of Set, the determination of the time at night by means of northern stars, might have been little popular with those who at Gebel Barkal and elsewhere in the south had used the southern ones for the same purpose, and this may be one reason why the Theban priests, representing Nubian astronomical culture and methods, were pledged to drive the cult of Sutech out of the land.

Since, then, the observations of γ Draconis might be used to herald the sunrise almost all the year round; and since the modern constellation Draco is the old Hippopotamus, we can readily understand Plutarch's statement that "Taurt presides over the birth of the sun," and why Taurt or Mut should be called the Mistress of Darkness.[113]

It does not seem too much to hope that the continuation of such inquiries may ultimately enable us to solve several points connected with early Egyptian history. We read in Brugsch:--[114]

"According to Greek tradition, the primitive abode of the Egyptian people is to be sought in Ethiopia, and the honour of founding their civilisation should be given to a band of priests from Meroë. Descending the Nile, they are supposed to have settled near the later city of Thebes, and to have established the first state with a theocratic form of government.

"But it is not to Ethiopian priests that the Egyptian Empire owes its origin, its form of government, and its high civilisation; much rather was it the Egyptians themselves that first ascended the river to found in Ethiopia temples, cities, and fortified places, and to diffuse the blessings of a civilised state among the rude dark-coloured population.

... "Strange to say, the whole number of the buildings in stone, as yet known and examined, which were erected on both sides of the river by Egyptian and Ethiopian kings, furnish incontrovertible proof that the long series of temples, cities, sepulchres, and monuments in general, exhibit a distinct chronological order, of which the starting-point is found in the pyramids, at the apex of the Delta."

It must be emphatically stated that the results obtained from these monuments, studying them from the astronomical point of view, lead to a very different conclusion. Instead of one series, there are distinctly two (leaving out of consideration the great pyramid builders at Gîzeh) absolutely dissimilar astronomically; and instead of one set of temple-builders going up the river, there were at least two sets, one going _up_ the river building temples to north stars, the other going _down_ building temples to south stars; and the two streams practically met at Thebes, or at all events they were both very fully represented there, either together or successively.

The double origin of the people thus suggested on astronomical grounds may be the reason of the name of "double country," used especially in the titles of kings, of the employment of two crowns, and finally of the supposed sovereignty of Set over the north, and of Horus over the south divisions of the kingdom.[115]

Only by the time of Seneferu was there anything like an amalgamation of the peoples. He first was "King of the two Egypts,"[116] while later Chephren called himself "Horus and Sit"[117]--a distinct indication, I take it, that the influence of Upper Egypt was already felt as early as Seneferu, and, I think, much earlier, although all _temple_ trace of it is lost.

With regard to the start-point of the temple-builders who came down the river, there is no orientation evidence, for the reason that there is little or no information from the regions south of Naga. At Naga (lat. 16° 18′ N.), Meroë (lat. 16° 55′ N.), Gebel Barkal and Nuri (both in lat. 18° 30′ N.), there is information of the most important kind, but beyond Naga there is a gap; but since important structures were erected at the places named in early times (my inquiries suggest 3000-4000 B.C.), it is probable that the peoples who built them stretched further towards the equator.

But although the orientation evidence is lacking for the lower latitudes, the inscriptions are by no means silent, and over and over again it is stated that those particular gods whom I have found to be associated with southern stars came from a locality called the land of Pun-t.

Pun-t was always considered a "Holy Land." Hathor was "Queen of the Holy Land," "Mistress and Ruler of Pun-t." Amen-Rā was "Hak" or "King" of Pun-t, and Horus was the Holy Morning Star which rose to the west (?) of the land of Pun-t.[118]

Maspero refers to an ancient tradition that the land of Pun-t could be reached by going up the Nile, where eventually one came to an unknown sea which bathed the land of Pun-t. Was this one of the great lakes?[119]

Brugsch[120] is of opinion that Pun-t occupied the south and west coasts of Arabia Felix, but Maspero and Mariette do not agree with him. The two latter authorities identify it with that part of the Somali-land which borders on the Gulf of Aden. It is the Cinnamonifera regio or Aromatifera regio of the ancients.[121]

The inscriptions at Dêr el-Bahari make it quite certain that Pun-t is in Africa. Hottentot Venuses, pile dwellings,[122] elephants, to say nothing of the products of the country referred to as among the freight of the ships on their homeward voyage, distinctly point to Africa, and I think a southern part of it. The Cynocephalus ape, perhaps, is more doubtful.

The first organised expedition to Pun-t of which we hear anything is that organised by Se-ānχ-ka-Rā, the last king of the 11th _Theban_ dynasty. This was a new traffic by way of the Red Sea. There was then no canal in existence joining the sea with the Nile; the expedition went by land to Coptos.[123]

They further indicate, as Maspero suggests, that the expedition of Hāt-shepset anchored up a river, and not on the sea-shore. This, again, makes Africa much more probable than Arabia.

If we agree that Pun-t is really in Africa, south of Somali-land, there is a great probability that the tradition referred to by Maspero is a true one.

It is also to be pointed out that there is no trace of the southern star temples along the various roads to the Red Sea, while, on the other hand, the earliest traces of northern star worship, with the exception of Annu or On, occur along one or other of them. There is distinct evidence that Osiris, Horus, Hathor, Chnemu, Amen-Rā, and Khons, are worships coming from the south. With regard to Horus, it is necessary to discriminate, since there were two distinct gods--Horus in Northern and Horus in Southern Egypt, _and Horus of the south was the elder of the two_.

The Hawk-god of Edfû, Harhouditi, the southern Horus, had for servants a number of individuals called Masniu or Masnitiu = blacksmiths. The Hawk-god of the Delta, the northern Horus, Harsiisit, had for his entourage the Shesu Horu.

Now Maspero has recently pointed out[124] that the southern Horus may have been imported, not from Arabia Felix or Somali-land, but from Central Africa! and in a most interesting paper has called attention to some customs still extant among the castes of blacksmiths in Central Africa, which have suggested to him that the followers of the Edfû Horus may have come from that province.

He writes:--

"C'est du sud de l'Égypte que les forgerons sont remontés vers le nord; leur siège primitif était le sud de l'Égypte, la partie du pays qui a le plus des rapports avec les régions centrales de l'Afrique et leurs habitants."

Then, after stating the present conditions of these workers in Equatorial Africa, where they enjoy a high distinction, he concludes:--

"Je pense qu'on peut se représenter l'Horus d'Edfou comme étant au début, dans l'une de ses formes, le chef et le dieu d'une tribu d'ouvriers travaillant le métal, ou plutôt travaillant le fer. On ne saurait en effet se dissimuler qu'il y a une affinité réelle entre le fer et la personne d'Horus en certains mythes. Horus est la face céleste (horou), le ciel, le firmament, et ce firmament est de toute antiquité, un toit de fer, si bien que le fer en prit le nom de ba-ni-pit, métal du ciel, métal dont est formé le ciel: Horus l'aîné, Horus d'Edfou, est donc en réalité un dieu de fer. Il est, de plus, muni de la pique ou de la javeline à point de fer, et les dieux qui lui sont apparentés, Anhouri, Shou, sont de piquiers comme lui, au contraire des dieux du nord de l'Égypte, Rā, Phtah, etc., qui n'ont pas d'armes à l'ordinaire. La légende d'Harhouditi conquérant l'Égypte avec les masniou serait-elle donc l'écho lointain d'un fait qui se serait passé au temps antérieurs à l'histoire? Quelque chose comme l'arrivée des Espagnols au milieu des populations du Nouveau Monde, l'irruption en Égypte de tribus connaissant et employant le fer, ayant parmi elles une caste de forgerons et apportant le culte d'un dieu belliqueux qui aurait été un Horus ou se serait confondu avec l'Horus des premiers Egyptiens pour former Harhouditi. Ces tribus auraient été nécessairement d'origine Africaine, et auraient apporté de nouveaux éléments Africains à ceux que renfermait déjà la civilisation du bas Nil. Les forgerons auraient perdu peu à peu leurs privilèges pour se fondre au reste de la population: à Edfou seulement et dans les villes ou l'on pratiquait le culte de l'Horus d'Edfou, ils auraient conservé un caractère sacré et se seraient transformés en un sorte de domesticité religieuse, les masniou du mythe d'Horus, compagnons et serviteurs du dieu guerrier."

If we are to accept Maspero's suggestion that the elder Horus really came from Central Africa, traces of the cult of his followers should be found high up the river.

But such a search is now denied us, while in the time of Thothmes III. it is supposed that the south frontier Kali of the inscriptions is probably connected with Koloë in 4° 15′ N. lat. according to Ptolemy.[125]

As a matter of fact, there is distinct evidence of the cult of the southern stars coming down the river in the region we can get at; α Centauri, _e.g._, seems to have been observed at Gebel Barkal before Thebes--Sirius is too modern to be considered--and above all there is the remarkable series of temples, apparently oriented to Canopus before 6000 B.C., which come down no lower than Edfû.

The general statement is, then, that there were two distinct groups of stellar temples, probably built by different races, or at all events by peoples having very different astronomical methods.

It is well to inquire here whether the dates of the various temples as determined by the methods dwelt on in previous chapters can throw any light upon the inquiry. Here I must re-state that in almost every case the date of foundation so determined precedes the generally-received date, which invariably has reference to a stone building, while in all probability the first structure was a brick shrine merely. In support of this view I may state that the looking after ruined shrines was recognised as one of the duties of kingship.

"I have caused monuments to be raised to the gods; I have embellished their sanctuaries that they may last to posterity; I have kept up their temples; I have restored again what was fallen down, and have taken care of that which was erected in former times."[126]

Not only did Thothmes III. find the original temple of Amen-Rā built in brick, but he found the temple at Semneh in brick also, and he rebuilt it in memory of Usertsen III.[127]

In the following table I bring together the foundation dates I have found most probable, bearing the above and many other considerations in mind. The dates are, of course, only provisional, since local data are in many cases wanting. Where no information is forthcoming as to the height of the horizon visible along the temple axis, I have assumed hills 1° high, and used the dates printed in heavy type in Chapter XXX.

TABLE OF TEMPLES BUILT TO N. AND S. STARS.

──────┬────────────────────────┬───────────────────────┬────────────── │ Northern Stars. │ Southern stars. │ ──────┼─────┬─────┬─────┬──────┼──────┬─────┬─────┬────┼────────────── Years │ α │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Ursa │ γ │ │ │ │ α │ │ │ B.C. │Maj- │Drac-│Cap- │Spica.│Phact.│Cent-│Can- │Sir-│Remarks. │oris.│onis.│ella.│ │ │auri.│opus.│ius.│ ──────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼──────┼──────┼─────┼─────┼────┼────────────── [6400]│ │ │ │ │ │ │1, 2,│ │ 1 2 │ │ │ │ │ │ │3, 4.│ │ ?Edfû, Philæ,. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 3 4 5400 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Amada, Semneh 5300 │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Memphis. │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ │ │ 2. Annu. 5200 │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Annu. 5100 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 5000 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 4900 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 4800 │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Denderah. 4700 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 4600 │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Redesieh. 4500 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 4400 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 4300 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 4200 │ 1 │ 2 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1, 2. Denderah │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (temple built 4100 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ when both stars 4000 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ had an equal 3900 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ amplitude). 3800 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 3700 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ 1. Barkal (E). │ │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ 2. Kûrnah (Seti I.). │ │ │ │ │ 3 │ │ │ │ 3. Memnonia │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Western Temple). 3600 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ 1. Kûrnah (Palace). │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ 2. Barkal (B). 3500 │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Karnak (Z and X). │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 2. Dakkeh. │ │ 3 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 3. Denderah. 3400 │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ 1. Karnak (V). 3300 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 3200 │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ 1. Abu Simbel │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Hathor Temple). │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ │ 2. Karnak (Y). 3100 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Karnak │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Temple O) Gr. │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ 2. Dêr el- │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Medinet (Gr.). 3000 │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Karnak (U). │ │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ 2. Wady Halfa │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Thothmes II.). 2900 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ 1. Barkal (L). 2800 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ 1. Wady Halfa │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Thothmes III.). │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ 2. Sabooa. 2700 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Dêr el-Bahari. │ │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ 2. Wady E. Sofra. 2600 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ 1. Memnonia │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Rameses II.) │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Mean of Fr. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ and Gr.). 2500 │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Karnak (W). │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ 2. Karnak (J). │ │ │ │ │ 3 │ │ │ │ 3. Medînet Habû (JJ). 2400 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ 1. Kom Ombo │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Little Temple). │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ │ │ 2. Petit Temple │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ du Sud (Memnonia). │ │ │ │ │ 3 │ │ │ │ 3. Barkal (J and H). 2300 │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Annu 2200 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Restoration). 2100 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ 1. Karnak (B). │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ 2. Semneh. 2000 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Dosche. 1900 │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ 1. Tell el-Amarna. 1800 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Karnak (D) Gr. 1700 │ │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Karnak (G). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ 2. Karnak (Seti II.). 1600 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1500 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1400 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Naga (Temple g), Gr. 1300 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ 1. Naga (Temple f). 1200 │ │ 1 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1. Karnak, (A.M.C). │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ │ 2. Medînet Habû │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Palace K K). 1100 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1000 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ │ 1. Karnak (Khons). 900 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 800 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Philæ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Ethiopian Temple). │ │ │ │ │ 2 │ │ │ │ 2. Medînet Habû │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Ethiopian Temple). 700 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 1 │ 1. Denderah │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Isis Temple). ──────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴──────┴──────┴─────┴─────┴────┴──────────────

Gr. = German values of Orientation. Fr. = French "

The following general conclusions may be drawn from the table:--

I. At the earlier periods there are well-marked epochs of temple-building revealed by the table.

II. If we can accept the possible Canopus temples referred to in