ART OF EaBTHWOEK BUILDERS WILLOUGHBY. 491 



The cosmic symbol in its complete form represents the world as 

 known to the Indians and usually consists of a circle or concentric 

 circles inclosing a cross and a central disk or circle. This is said to 

 represent the sun, the four directions or four winds, the horizon, and 

 also the earth, air, and water: sometimes a dot or a circle appears in 

 the center of each of the four world-quarters. The swastika is un- 

 doubtedly derived from this sign. The serpent, which may be re- 

 garded as the god of wind, rain, and water, and the antithesis of the 

 sun, often appears in combination with the cosmic symbol or parts 

 thereof. The shell serpent gorgets of Tennessee are well-known ex- 

 amples. In these, the serpent is coiled in the center of the disk and 

 the four arms of the cross connect it with the outer circle as in fig- 

 ure 1. A rarer form in shell of a serpent head with a circle and cross 

 also from Tennessee, is also shown in the accompanying drawing.^ 



Returning to the copper symbol (pi. 1, k), it is at once apparent 

 that we have a serpent head in combination with the cosmic sign. 

 The outline of the latter instead of 

 being circular conforms to and 

 forms a part of the outline of the 

 head, and the arms of the cross 

 which radiate from the central sun 

 circle are unequal. In the serpent 

 portion of the symbol we have the 



forked tongue (which was not at- ^'« l.— Combined cosmic aud serpent 



tached to the head when found, 



but evidently belongs with it), the nostrils, eyes, two U-shaped de- 

 signs back of the eyes, and on each side near the base of the head an 

 eyelike design with two curved toothlike appendages, analogous to 

 those on the mica serpent shown on plate 9, m. These probably 

 represent the four horns which appear on most serpent designs north 

 of Mexico, and replace the plumes of the serpent deity of Mexico and 

 Central America. 



With the above interpretation in mind, we will turn to the draw- 

 ing of the serpent mound wdth a clearer understanding of this re- 

 markable effigy, which probably represents a serpent in its entirety, 

 combined with the cosmic symbol. 



The outline of the serpent head is marked by the interrupted oval, 

 from the front of which projects the tongue. It is interesting to note 

 that in MacLean's drawing there are tAvo narrow diverging projections 

 from the sides of this appendage near its free end, which he calls the 

 forelegs of the " frog." If these pointed projections really existed, 

 they undoubtedly represented tlie fork of the tongue. The inner 

 oval inclosing the altar of stones where fires symbolizing the sun were 



iThe Archeologist; vol. 2, p. 12. 



