of various ancient temples.
Unfortunately the decorative sense, which was always predominant with
the Egyptian sculptor, led him to take various liberties with the
distribution of figures in these representations of the constellations,
so that the inferences drawn from them as to the exact map of the
heavens as the Egyptians conceived it cannot be fully relied upon. It
appears, however, that the Egyptian astronomer divided the zodiac
into twenty-four decani, or constellations. The arbitrary groupings
of figures, with the aid of which these are delineated, bear a close
resemblance to the equally arbitrary outlines which we are still
accustomed to use for the same purpose.

IDEAS OF COSMOLOGY

In viewing this astronomical system of the Egyptians one cannot avoid
the question as to just what interpretation was placed upon it as
regards the actual mechanical structure of the universe. A proximal
answer to the question is supplied us with a good deal of clearness.
It appears that the Egyptian conceived the sky as a sort of tangible or
material roof placed above the world, and supported at each of its four
corners by a column or pillar, which was later on conceived as a great
mountain. The earth itself was conceived to be a rectangular box, longer
from north to south than from east to west; the upper surface of this
box, upon which man lived, being slightly concave and having, of course,
the valley of the Nile as its centre. The pillars of support were
situated at the points of the compass; the northern one being located
beyond the Mediterranean Sea; the southern one away beyond the habitable
regions towards the source of the Nile, and the eastern and western ones
in equally inaccessible regions. Circling about the southern side
of the world was a great river suspended in mid-air on something
comparable to mountain cliffs; on which river the sun-god made his daily
course in a boat, fighting day by day his ever-recurring battle against
Set, the demon of darkness. The wide channel of this river enabled the
sun-god to alter his course from time to time, as he is observed to do;
in winter directing his bark towards the farther bank of the channel;
in summer gliding close to the nearer bank. As to the stars, they were
similar lights, suspended from the vault of the heaven; but just how
their observed motion of translation across the heavens was explained
is not apparent. It is more than probable that no one explanation was,
un