THE StJBFACE OF THE GLOBE. 127 



it represents^ according to an exact geometrical projection, the state 

 of the heavens as it was 700 years before Christ ; but he is extremely 

 cautious in not coming to any conclusion that it was sculptured at this 

 period. 



In fact, all these efforts of genius and knowledge, in so much as they 

 affect the epoch of the monuments, have been rendered superfluous, 

 since terminating where they should naturally have begun (if the first 

 observer had not been blinded by prejudice), pains have been taken 

 to copy and restore the Greek inscriptions engraved on these monu- 

 ments ; and particularly since M. Champollion has attained the art of 

 deciphering those expressed in hieroglyphics. 



It is now certain, and the Greek inscriptions agree with the hiero- 

 glyphics in proving, that the temple in which the zodiacs have been 

 ensculptured were built whilst the country was under the dominion of 

 Rome. The portico of the temple of Dendera, according to the Greek 

 inscription on its entablature, was dedicated to the health of Tiberius*. 



On the planisphere of the same temple we read the title of Auto- 

 crator in hieroglyphic characters i" ; and it is probable that it refers to 

 Nero. The small temple of Esne, the origin of which is placed at latest 

 between 2700 or 3000 j^ears before Christ, has a column engraven and 

 painted in the tenth year of Antoninus, one hundred and forty-seven 

 years after Christ, and sculptured and painted in the same style as the 

 zodiac which is near it +. 



Besides, we have a proof that this division of the zodiac in such or 

 such a sign has no reference to the precession of the equinoxes, nor to 

 the displacing of the solstice. A mummy case lately brought from 

 Thebes by M. Caillaud (and containing, according to a very legible 

 Greek inscription, the body of a young man who died in the nine- 

 teenth year of Trajan, one hundred and sixteen years after Christ)§, 

 has on it a zodiac divided at the same point as those of Dendera |1 ; 

 and, according to all appearances, this division marks some astrolo- 

 gical scheme relative to this individual ; a conclusion which may pro- 

 bably be applied to the division of the zodiacs of the temples. It 

 either denotes the astrological theme of the moment of their erection ; 

 that of the prince for whose safety they were devoted ; or some similar 



* Letronne. Researches into tlie History of Egypt, during the dominion of the 

 Greeks and Romans, p. ISO. 



•f- Letronne. Researches, p. 38. 



X Letronne. Researches, pp. 456, 457. 



§ Letronne. Observations, critical and archeeological, on the Zodiacal Remains of 

 Antiquity, occasioned by an Egyptian Zodiac, painted in a mummy case, bearing a 

 Greek inscription of the time of Trajan. Paris, 1824, in 8vo. p. 30. 



II Letronne, pp. 48, 49. 



