THE ORIGIN OF MECCA, &a 393 



ing the synodical revolution into thirty-one parts, 

 which may represent also three hundred and ten years. 

 As this correction is now disused, he could give mc 

 no further information concerning it. To the event 

 related is ascribed the origin of the Linga or P 

 and of its worship : it is said to have happened on the 

 banks of the Cumud-vati, or Euphrates ; and the first 

 Phallus \ under the name of Balefwara- Linga, was 

 erected on its banks. This is confirmed by Diodo- 

 rus Sic ulus, who says that Semi ram us brought 

 an Obelisk from the mountains of Armenia, and 

 erected it in the most conspicuous part of Babyl 

 it was 150 feet high, and is reckoned, by some au- 

 thor, as one of the seven wonders of the world *. The 

 Jews in their Talmud allude to something of this 

 kind ; speaking of the different sorts of earths, of 

 which' the body of Adam was formed, they fay that 

 the earth which composed his generative parts, was 

 brought from Babylonia. 



The next place of worship is the sfhan of Ana'ya- 

 sa-de'vi' : this is obviously the 'i ««c (Heiron tes 



Anaias) of Strabo, or the temple of the goddess 

 Anai a, or An aias, with its burning spring of Na- 

 phtha. They are upon a hillock, called Corcufa by 

 the antients, and now known by the name of Corcoor; 

 it is near Kerkook, and to the eastward of the Tigris. To 

 this day it is visited by pilgrims from India ; and I have 

 been fortunate enough to meet with four or five who 

 had paid their devotions in this holy place. I consult- 



* Diod, Sic, lib. 3. cap. 4. 



