THE HARMONY BETWEEN THE MOSAIC AND EGYPTIAN 
COSMOGONIES. 
The Substance of a Lecture delivered at a Meeting of the Syro-Egyptian Society, on the 14th of February. 
By Joseph Bonomi, F.R.A.S. 
HATEVER may be the 
opinions now permitted 
at the Vatican respecting 
the Copernican system, it 
is presumed that there is 
no Oxford or Cambridge 
Doctor of Divinity who, 
in this latter half of the 
nineteenth century, be- 
lieves that the truth of 
Scripture is in the least affected by the discovery 
of the earth’s motion, for the very sufficient reason 
that the Bible was not designed to teach mankind 
astronomy. So likewise, for the same excellent 
reason, if it should be proved satisfactorily that the 
accompanying Egyptian diagram of the constitution 
of the universe is in perfect harmony with certain 
statements in the Bible on the same subject, however 
much both may be at variance with modern science, 
the truth of Scripture will not be assailed or 
injuriously affected by it ; on the contrary, it is 
hoped that the monument from which the diagram 
is derived may come to be regarded not only as a j 
most ancient and valuable comment on those par- 
ticular statements, but also as a corroboration of 
that Scripture which declares that “ Moses was 
learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” 
The ancient document from which the diagram 
(Fig. 1) is taken is the alabaster sarcophagus in 
the Museum of Sir John Soane. As some of my 
readers may not be acquainted with that im- 
portant piece of antiquity, I will digress so far 
as to say that it was discovered about fifty years 
ago by Belzoni, in the tomb of a Pharaoh who 
reigned, according to Mr. Samuel Sharpe, about 
1,200 years before our ei - a ; that it is carved out 
of a single block of a semi-transparent marble, 
of the same kind and from the same place as the 
alabaster box spoken of in the Gospels; and that it 
is a large chest in the shape of a mummy, sculptured 
inside and out with significant figures and hiero- 
glyphical writings, setting forth the notions enter- 
tained by the most learned people of antiquity 
VOL. II. — XII. 
respecting the constitution of the universe, the 
origin and conquest of evil, and the future destiny 
of the soul. These three subjects of stirring 
interest must have occupied the minds of the 
thoughtful and the intelligent in all countries and 
at all times. That they did do so more profoundly 
in ancient Egypt than elsewhere, the monuments 
abundantly testify, there being scarcely a single 
object, from the largest temple to the smallest 
article of domestic utility, without its inscription, 
more or less bearing reference to one or other of 
them. 
I will now proceed to explain how the diagram 
(Fig. 1) is a picture of the universe as understood 
by the ancient Egyptians, and how it is in accord- 
ance with certain statements in the Bible on the 
same subject. 
1 must first, however, draw attention to its posi- 
tion, which is at the head, inside of the sarcophagus. 
It is important to notice this circumstance, because, 
by placing this subject at the head, the ancient 
designer of the work meant it to be understood 
that it should take precedence 0 f every other 
subject ; in fact, that it should be, as its place 
declares it to be, the “ berashith ,” “ the beginning,” 
or, as this first word in the Bible might be more 
closely translated for our purpose, at “ the heading,” 
itftn signifying “ head.” 
All persons in the least familiar with Egyptian 
representations know that the zigzag lines represent 
water. It is to be observed that, in *he midst of 
the expanse of water (a a a a), is a plain part (b), 
unoccupied by zigzag lines. I shall hope to convince 
the reader that the ancient Egyptian artist meant 
this plain part to represent the firmament, which is 
stated in Genesis to be “ in the midst of the waters.” 
Above this plain part, as the picture now stands, 
is the figure of a man curiously convolved. This 
figure (c) represents the earth. He is curled up in 
this remarkable position to convey the idea of the 
circular figure of the earth, — not, however, as a ball, 
but as a disc, fixed like an island in the ocean or 
surrounded by the sea. Thus the earth was con- 
ic 
