552 
CAVES OF KEREFTO. 
ratic mysteries were first introduced by Zoroaster, or only 
adopted by him as a practice from the wisdom of former idolatrous 
times; or to prove that we find traces of similar initiations, 
performed in similar obscure places amongst all Pagan nations, 
from the Egyptians to the Greeks and Romans ; apparently, 
indeed, first instituted by the sages who established them, to 
keep up a tradition respecting the creation of the world, and a 
shadowy intimation of the immortality of the soul. But the 
wise and the great among mankind were alone admitted to the 
revelation of these truths ; they were held as “ a sealed book,” 
from the eyes of the lower classes. In after-times these mysteries 
fell into the charge of avaricious men ; who, mingling their own 
profitable impostures, and other grosser profanations with the 
secrets they revealed, transformed the sublime seclusions of Zo¬ 
roaster and Pythagoras into dark wildernesses; shewing the way, 
indeed, to death, but forgetting that which led to immortality. 
With regard to these particular caves of Kerefto, I do not 
mean to ascribe them to Zoroaster, the country in which they 
are found not having ever formed a part of Media; but it be¬ 
longed to ancient Armenia; and all these kingdoms, about the 
same time, anciently professed the same style of idolatry ; the 
worship of the heavenly host, and the celebration of their 
mysteries, by the light of ever-blazing fires. Traces of caves so 
appropriated, are not only evident here, and at Maraga, which 
is in Media, but also in the mountains near the Lake Sevan, and 
close to the site of Artaxata the ancient capital of Armenia. Both 
Herodotus and Strabo discourse largely on the purposes of these 
initiatory retirements, and give sufficient evidence of the impure 
uses to which they were latterly perverted. According to Por¬ 
phyry, the usual excavations for these occult ceremonies, were 
