________________
140
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1896.
their old honoured shapes for human figures. In the fourth century A. D. instead of the sign of the constellation was graven the guardian god or angel with which the Persians and Gnostics had furnished each of the planets and of the leading constellations.34 Till the close of the Middle Ages among the lucky figures graven on gems, were the bowman, the swordsman and the man with the upraised hand.35
The human form did not long remain unchallenged as the most favonrite home of the guardian. Among Gnostics and other amulet-wearing mystics of the early centuries after Christ the Name composed of mystic letters was found to hold more virtue than any human or other figure.36 So s gem has graven on it: Abraxas, Jao, Adonai. Holy Name, Holy Powers defend Vibia Paulina from every evil spirit,'37 Titles, phrases and numbers all added to the natural powers of gems. Round the head of the crystal signet of king Lotharus (A. D. 960) ran the words Christ, defend king Lothaire.'38 Till the close of the Middle Ages the names of the three kings of Cologne, Casper, Melchior and Balthasar, also the words Guttu, Gutta, Thebal Ebal, IHS Nazarenus, housed special holy influences.39 Still, in Germany, the plague is scared by a plate with the names of God 'round the rim and in the centre a figurepattern which read in any order gives the total 34.40 Similarly, in the Middle Ages the decade rings bad in each of the ten short cogs the spirit of an Ave and in the round head with IHS the spirit of a Pater Noster 1 These " names-of-God" phrases and mystic figures were usually added to other images in accordance with the experience that combination increases the guardian influence of the gem. So in the time of Hadrian (A, D. 100) gems were graven with the triane God of Egypt, either Ammon (Jupiter) Ra (the Sun) and the Asp, or A thor, Bart and Acbor, with in words 'Father of the world, Triple God. Some gems carry the combination of guardian influences still further. An emerald gem, probably of the time of Antoninns Pius (A. D. 130), made in Alexandria, has & central Serapis head with thunderbolt on left and cornucopia on right wreathed round by a beading of circles or eggs ending in a snake head swallowing the end of the wreath. Outside of this egg-beading is a row of human and bird heads and at the foot & large lizard.43 King notes that in such gems the mouse, dolphin, rabbit, and lizard are favourite figures. As these animals represent the earth, the air, and the sea, the object of engraving them would seem to be to choose objects likely to prove tempting homes for the three great classes of spirits. Thus, the object of this massing or housing of guardian shapes is the same as the object of the grotesque chimaeras or grylls, namely to grave shapes likely to prove attractive to different classes of spirits.45
(To be continued.)
M Firmicus in King's Antique Gems, p. 334. The Perso-Jewish angels were made the guardians of the leading constellations : Michael of the Bear, Gabriel of the Serpent, Snriel of the Engle, Raphael of the Lion, Tauthabaoth of the Dog, and Erataoth of the Ball. The spirits or overlcrds of the seven planets were of the Sun Adonai, of the Moon Jao, of Jupiter Eoi, of Mars Salbao, of Venus Ovai, of Mercury Astaphai, of Saturn Ildabaoth, King's Antique Geme, pp. 348, 349. According to the Gnostics these overlords were underlords of the supreme, whom they named Abraham. Op. cit. pp. 318, 349.
3 Camillo Leonardo (1503) in King's Antique Gems, p. 442.
* Compare Revelations, ii, 17: "To him who overcometh I will give a white stone and in the stone a new name written."
97 King's Antique Gome, pp. 854.5. On another Gnostic stone are "Ja Abrazas keep from evil" (Op.cit. p. 434). The word Abra, like the word Mithrus. had the figure value of 365 (Op. cit. p. 855), Ency. Brit." Gema." Thus the name was not only a home for the time or year spirit, but was a home for the creator of the universe, since the universo had been formed to include 353 separate worlds or creations.
# King's Antique Gome, p. 305.
» Op. cit. p. 870. Camillo (A. D. 1503) mentions the names of God' among gravings of special virtue. King's Antique Gome, pp. 42-4.
4 King's Antique Gems, pp. 865, 368. 1 Op. cit. p. 296.
41 Op. cit. p. 358. * Op. cit. p. 337.
u Op. cit. p. 830. . Compare Camillo Leonardo (1503), King's Antique Geme, p. 437, who explains the use of mixed forms by the figure being suitable to the different virtues of the stone,
