I/O 



FLORA OF THE 



is, in one case, a pair of spiral horns, and the other 

 the same, with a stick between them, representing the 

 degraded tree) passed into the Caduceus of Mercury. 

 As I said, fig. ?>ya shows a god with a pair of spiral 

 horns in each hand, a veritable Caduceus. Then fig. 88 

 shows a pair of spiral horns fantastically disposed and 

 occupying the position often given to the sacred tree. 

 Finally, fig. 89 shows the transition from a pair of 

 spiral horns, as the Assyrian engravers delineated them, 

 to the Caduceus of Mercury, with two serpents. When 

 the origin of the horn-symbol had been forgotten, it was 

 a pretty fancy of the later artists to introduce two 

 serpents fighting, and separated by a magic wand ! 



Fig. 89. — (a) A pair of Assyrian spiral horns; (b) the same 

 imitating a caduceus ; (c) transition form between horns 

 and caauceus ; {d) final caduceus of Mercury — only a trident 

 in disguise ! 



In the imagination of the Hindoo artist probably the 

 ' anthemion ' became a five-headed cobra, such as is seen 

 in the Sanchi tope of the Indian Museum. 



A visit to that Museum will show to what extent 



