Zimbabwe we bave this
object surmounted by a
rosette, rosettes carved
on the decorated pillars,
and the eyes of the birds,
l o n g d e c o r a t e d as before mentioned, are
SOAPSTONE BEAM ’
i n t w o p i e c e s made in the form of
rosettes. The fact of
finding these objects all
in close juxtaposition
around the altar and in
the vicinity of the birds
on pillars is sufficient
proof of the nature of
the objects and their religious
symbolism. Thus
we have in both cases
the larger emblems and
their miniature representatives,
the tower and
the smaller phalli, the
large birds and the tiny
amulets, proving to us
that the ancient inhabitants
of the ruins worshipped
a combination
of the two deities, which
together represented the
creative powers of mankind.
À curious confirmation
of this is found in the pages of Herodotus, who
tells u s1: 4 The Arabians of all the gods only worshipped
Dionysus, whom they called Ourotalt, and
Urania;’ that is to say, they worshipped the two
deities which, in the mind of the father of history,
represented in themselves
all that was
known of the mysteries
of creation,
pointing to the very
earliest period of
Arabian cult, prior
to the more refined
religious development
of the Sabaso-Him-
yaritic dynasty, when
Sun-worship, veneration
for the great
luminary which regenerated
all animal
and vegetable life,
superseded the grosser
forms of nature-wor-
ship, to be itself somewhat
superseded or d e c o r a t e d s o a p s t o n e b e a m
rather incorporated in
a worship of all the heavenly luminaries, which
developed as a knowledge of astronomy was acquired.
We have already discussed the round towers and
the numerous monoliths which decorated the walls
1 Herod. Bk. III. § 8.