362 



same series of signs, as is contained in the zodiac 

 of the Mexicans. 



The astronomical monument, of which Bian- 

 chini sent a drawing- to the academy, is a mar- 

 ble fragment preserved in the Vatican, and 

 found at Rome in 1705. We propose here to 

 examine it with particular attention, because it 

 seems well adapted to throw light on the divi- 

 sions of the ecliptic used in Mexico and eastern 

 Asia. It exhibits, in five consecutive zones, the 

 figures of the planets, the decani, the asterisms of 

 the Greek zodiac repeated twice, and the signs 

 of another zodiac, which has the greatest ana- 

 logy with that of the Tartar nations. We may 

 be surprised, that Fontenelle, Bailly, Dupuis, and 

 other distinguished men of letters, who have 

 written on the origin of the zodiacs, should have 

 taken this bass-relief for an Egyptian work*. 

 According to the observation of Mr. Visconti, 

 the style of the figures representing the planets 

 evidently proves, that it was sculptured in the 

 time of the Caesars. In this mutilated monu- 

 ment we recognise, among the signs of the in- 

 terior zone, a horse, a crab, a serpent, a dog that 



* Hist, de l'Acad. des Sciences, 1708, vol. 1, p. 110. 

 Baillv, Hist, de l'Astr. anc, p. 493 and 504. Dupuis, 

 Origine des Cultes, vol. 1, p. 180. Hager, Illustraz. d'uno 

 Zodiaco orienlale, 1811, p. 15. 



