Brinton.] J- "4 [Dec. 21, 



sents the circle of the visible horizon, or the earth-plain, with the 

 four winds rushing into it when summoned by a magician. It is 

 a figure from the Meday magic of the Ojibways.* Dr. Ferraz de 

 Macedo has claimed that such devices as Fig. 16 " show Chinese 

 or Egyptian inspiration.''^ It is certainly unnecessary to accept 

 this alternative when both the origin and significance of the sym- 

 bol are so plain in native American art. 



"When the symbol of the sun and the four directions was in- 

 scribed within the circle of the visible horizon, we obtain the 

 figure representing the motions of the sun with reference to the 

 earth as in : 



Fig. 17. 



This is what German archaeologists call the wheel-cross, Bad- 

 kreuz, distinguished, as Worsaae pointed out, by the presence of 

 the central boss, cup or nave, from the ring-cross, Hingkreuz, 

 Fig 18: 



rig. IS. Fig. 19. 



in which, also, the arms of the cross do not reach to the circum- 

 ference of the wheel. Wors<aae very justly laid much stress on 

 the presence of the central boss or cup, and correctly explained 

 it as indicative of the sun; but both he and Yirchow, who fol- 

 lows him in this explanation, are, I think, in error in supposing 

 that the circle or wheel represents the rolling sun, die rollende 

 Sonne. My proof of this is that this same figure was a familiar 

 symbol, with the signification stated, in tribes who did not know 



* Captivity and Adventures of John Tanner, pp. :559, 360. 

 t Op. cit., p. S8. 



