ies. To these the Chaldeans raised temples, veritable
observatories in which men who adored them could follow all their
motions.

=Astrology.=--The priests believed that these stars, being powerful
deities, had determining influence on the lives of men. Every man
comes into the world under the influence of a planet and this moment
decides his destiny; one may foretell one's fortune if the star under
which one is born is known. This is the origin of the horoscope. What
occurs in heaven is indicative of what will come to pass on earth; a
comet, for example, announces a revolution. By observing the heavens
the Chaldean priests believed they could predict events. This is the
origin of Astrology.

=Sorcery.=--The Chaldeans had also magical words; these were uttered
to banish spirits or to cause their appearance. This custom, a relic
of the Turanian religion, is the origin of sorcery. From Chaldea
astrology and sorcery were diffused over the Roman empire, and later
over all Europe. In the formulas of sorcery of the sixteenth century
corrupted Assyrian words may still be detected.[20]

=Sciences.=--On the other hand it is in Chaldea that we have the
beginning of astronomy. From this land have come down to us the
zodiac, the week of seven days in honor of the seven planets; the
division of the year into twelve months, of the day into twenty-four
hours, of the hour into sixty minutes, of the minute into sixty
seconds. Here originated, too, the system of weights and measures
reckoned on the unit of length, a system adopted by all the ancient
peoples.

ARTS

=Architecture.=--We do not have direct knowledge of the art of the
Chaldeans, since their monuments have fallen to ruin. But the Assyrian
artists whose works we possess imitated those of Chaldea, and so we
may form a judgment at the same time of the two countries. The
Assyrians like the Chaldeans built with crude, sun-dried brick, but
they faced the exterior of the wall with stone.

=Palaces.=--They constructed their palaces[21] on artificial mounds,
making these low and flat like great terraces. The crude brick was not
adapted to broad and high arches. Halls must therefore be straight and
low, but in compensation they were very long. An Assyrian palace,
then, resembled a succession of galleries; the roofs were flat
terraces provided with battlements. At the gate stood gigantic winged
bulls. Within, the walls were covered now with panelling in precious
woods, now wi