JOURNAL OF THE TRANSACTIONS 



OF THE 



YICTORIA INSTITUTE, 



OR 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GPtEAT BPJTAIN 



ORDINARY MEETING.* 

 Professor E. Hull, LL.D., F.R.S., in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed, and the 

 following paper was read by the author : — 



THE RELIGIOUS IDEAS OF THE BABYLONTANS,\ 



By Theo. G. Pinches. 



THE most extensive work upon the religion of the 

 Babylonians is Prof. Sayce's book, which forms the 

 volume of the Hibbei't Lectm-es for 1887 ; a voluminous 

 work, and a monument of brilliant research. The learned 

 author there quotes all the legends, from every source, 

 connected with Babylonian religion and mythology, and 

 this book will always be indispensable to the student in that 

 branch of Assyriology. 



I do not intend, however, to traverse the ground covered 

 by Prof. Sayce, for a single lecture, such as this is, would be 

 altogether inadequate for the purpose. I shall merely confine 

 myself, therefore, to the points Avhich have not been touched 

 upon by others in this field, and I hope that I may be able 

 to bring forward something that may interest my audience 

 and my readers. 



It has been pointed out already more than once, that the 

 origin of Babylonian religion is astral. The sign for " god," 

 placed, as a rule, before the names of deities to indicate their 

 nature, and leave no room for doubt as to what the writer 

 intended to be understood, is an eight-rayed star, ■^j 



* 16 April, 1894, 9th of 29th Session, 

 t Discussion completed, August, 1895. 



