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    Axis Mundi

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    The Tree at the Navel of the World - B.a.S. Butterworth

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    160 views142 pages

    The Tree at The Navel of The World - B.a.S. Butterworth

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    ordo
    Axis Mundi

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 142
    THE TREE AT THE NAVEL OF THE EARTH E. A. $8. BUTTERWORTH WITH THIRTY-ONE PLATES WALTER DE GRUYTER & CO. BERLIN 1970 6 1970 by Walter de Gruytcr & Co., vormals G. J. Gaschen'sche Verlagshandlung — J-Gutten- tag, Verlagsbuchhandlung — Georg Reimer — Karl J. Trubuer — Veix & Comp., Berlin 30 Printed in Germany Ohne ausdriickliche Genchmigung des Verlages ist es auch nicht gestatter, dieses Buch ode: ‘eile daraus auf photomechanischern Wege (Phorakopic, Miksckopie) su vervielfaltigen, Satz und Drudk: Thormana & Goetsdh, Berlin 44 “Archiv-Nr. 35 $4 701 PREFACE The branches and fruit of the Tree of Life and World Tree appear in the art and myths of Greece, but its roots are in Asia. This book accordingly Pursues its enquiry rather more in ancient Asia than in Greece, paying especial attention to the Mediterranean fringe of the continent (but ex- cluding Asia Minor and Egypt), 10 Mesopotamia and, leaping over Iran, to India. As readers of Dr. E. ©. James's valuable survey, The Tree of Life, will know, the symbol is to be found over a great part of Europe and Asia, but in this book its interpretation is artempted in-an aspect which demands intensive concentration within narrower bounds. The region is still very large. The relevance-of the subject to the background of Christianity is not wholly left out of sight, and the final chapter considers the meaning of the engraving of the erucified Christ on the Lotharkreuz at Aachen in its connection with the ancient symbol. This work could not have been written had I not received much kindness, in the form of detailed advice and permission to make use of libraries, from scholars in, to me, less familiar fields. In particular I should like to thank Professor Dr. Fritz Maass, now of the Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitic, Mainz, then Rector of the Kirchliche Hochschule, (West) Berlin; Professor Dr. Einar von Schuler, Director of the Abteilung altorientalische Alrertums- kunde, and Professor Dr. Anton Moortgar, formerly Director of the Institut fiir vorderasiatische Altertumskunde, in the Free University of Berlin, and, lastly in time, Professor; dr. phil. P. J. Riis, who holds the chair of Classical Archaeology, and Professor, dr. phil. Jorgen Laessae, director of the As- syriological Institute, in the University of Copenhagen. To each of these 1 am extremely grateful. Mr. R. D, Barnett, Keeper of Western Asiatic Antiquities in the British ‘Museum and Mr. J. Boardman, Director of the Ashmolean Museum, have both patiently answered my questions and generously allowed me to: re- produce photographs of some of the objects in their collections. For a like assistance and generosity I wish to thank Professor Dr. A. Greifenhagen, Director of the Antiken-Abteilung der Staatlichen Museen, (West) Berlin. To Professor Dr. Kurt Bittel. then President of the German Archaeological Insti- tute, I owe the invaluable concession of the use of the Institute’s library over VI Preface a period of several years, To other members of the Institute's staff T am indebted for help freely offered. Mr. G. K. Jenkins, Keeper of the Depart- iment of Coins and Medals in the British Museum, kindly helped me wo choose and provided the photogeaphs of the coins in Plates 11 and III (a)- My thanks are also due to Professor Dr. Theodor Meyer of the Staatlichen Museen, (East)Berlin, for information and for permission to publish the photographs at Plates IX, XXII (a) and XXIII (b). Acknowledgements to institutions for permission to publish photographs are made in the list of illustrations: Cooper Square Publishers Inc., New York, have been good enough to allow me to quote from S. H. Langdon’s book on Semitic mytho- logy (Volume V in their series The Mythology of All Races). Lastly, I should like to record my high appreciation of the assistance and support given to me by the publishers of this book. Ido not know how many: times the manuscript of the book has been redrafted. The achievement of my wife who unravelled, typed and retyped its abominable complexities should in justice entitle her, inadequate as the distinction is, to be named its co-authoress, for I doubr if anyone else could have found the way through them. Preface Iiustrations Chapter T Chapter I Chapter 111 Chapter TV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X Chapter XI Index Plates CONTENTS The Mountain, the Pillar and the Tree... 0.000206: ‘The Central Symbols in the Mediterranean World and Beyond nee aaanennnnneNa ‘The Twin Mountains, the Twin Stars and the Dioxeuri In the Garden of Eden ... The Associated Symbols: I. The Lunar Crescent and the Bowl -....,.6. 00005 The Associated Symbols (continued): II, The Sun and the Thunderbolt ‘The Symbols of Ecstasy in Ancicat Mesopotamia: ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Myths of Etana and the Indian Prince Jimitavahana reenact Some Signs of the Practice of Yoga in Western Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean The Tales Odysseus told Alkinoos, and an Akkadian Seal minieleioee te 2 Raanehet Some Origins The Crucifixion on the Lotharkreuz at Aachea ...... 18 53 7 ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 1 Votive tablet from Lilybsoum showing inversed lunar cfescent and dise: three pillars on double base or altar; caduceus-like staff; divine symbol based on cone; candelabrum; human figure. (By courtesy of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Palermo). Inscription: Corpus fuscriptionwm Semiticarum, 1. 138: (translation: Dominio Baali Hammon. Quod vowit Hanne, filins Adon- baalis, filli Gerastarti, filis Adombaalis, quie ouditt vocem ‘chats, benedicat €2). Plate IE Coins, from Left. 10 right: Top row: Delphi, <. 480 BC, Omphalessymbal, Cyriews, ¢, 450-499 B.C, Two eagles on omphates decorated ‘with fillets. Below, a dolphin. Delphi, time of Hadrian (117-138 A-D.). Omphalos on rocky hill; sleeping snake wound 34/2 times round omphalos, with head reiting on top: Tyre, time of Gordian II (224-244 A, D.). Sacred tree he- tween two omphalas-shaped rocks. Below, (A)MBPOXTE (HETPE). Middle row: Emesa, time of Caracalla (QQUI-217 A.B.). Temple fagade containing omphalos on appaccatly square bare, Emiess, time of Antoninus Pius (130-161 A.D). Eagle on ‘omphalos, Emesa, time of Caracalla, Temple fagade with rectangle in pediment. Omphalos on apparently squaze, balusteaded base. In front of omphalos an eagle. To cither side of top of omphalos, 3 sunshade. Bottom: Seleucia Picria, time of Severus Alexander (222-225, A, D.) ‘Temple fagade with recumbent erescent containing 4-point- ed star in pediment. Baseless omphalos, appasently draped with fillers. (By courtesy of the British Museum). Plate IT 3) Coins of Cypris, showing shrine of the Paphian Aphrodite. (By courtesy of the British Museum). b) Coin of Byblos, showing shrine of Aphrodite (Ba‘alar) (M. Ohne falsdi-Ridhter, Kypros, die Bibel und Homer, Pl. CXXXVI1). x Plate TV Plate ¥ Plate VI Plate VIT Plate VIL Plate 1X, Plate X Plate XI Plate X11 Plare XL Tilustrations. Carthaginian relief of Roman times showing, at top, open hand, below, arch, the goddess Tanit holding the orb-in-crescent and flanked by door-post (2) signs, inscription, a cone surmounted by concentri¢ cireles, two dover, Translation of inscription: Dominae Tanitidi, faciei Baalis, fet domino Baali) Hammoni; quod vovit Abdesmunus, filins (Corpus Inscriptionum Semiriesrum, 1.183). (By courtesy of the Biblin- thique Nationale, Paris). i) Teaprestion of

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