Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/161

OF THE REIGN OF PHILIP ARID.EUS. 113 and bases. From two of these are seen a line of dots running to the edge of the monument, and intended to represent rays of hght, and similar dots undoubtedly rose from each symbol round the inner edge (see wood-cuts). Since they are twelve in number, it has been supposed that the object was a clepsydra, a point easy to determine in the negative, because in that case the divisional dots must be disposed, on the inner conical surface, in such a ratio as ^vould give cylindrical portions of water of equivalent contents — in other words, they should approach closer as they are nearer the upper edge. It is not, indeed, of too early a date for this water-clock, which was invented by Ctesibius.^ That it cannot be a dial is proved by its circular shape, and the fact that the space occupied on the exterior by one month is an arc of one-tw^elfth of the circle. On the rim is the name of the Egyptian month Tybi, the first of their second season,^ Against this, inverted, are inscribed three Roman letters OCT, the commencement of OCTOBRIS. This w^as to indicate the corresponding month of the Roman calendar, and round the edge in their appro- priate places were ranged the names of the Egyptian and corresponding Roman months. Now, it is all-important to know what this synchronism means. After the reformation of the calendar by Augustus, adopted in Alexandria only, B. c. 25, the 1st of Thoth w^as fixed at the 29th of August,^ and the 1st of Tybi consequently fell on the 29th of Novem- ber, one month later than the time marked on the calendar; consequently this cannot refer to the era of Augustus. According to the reduction of Ideler,^ in B.C. 324, the 1st Thoth of the vague year fell on the prid. Id. Novemb., or the 12th November, wdiicli would place the commencement of .Tybi in February, so that it cannot be a rectification of the calendar to the time of Philip Aridceus, as I had once supposed. In fact, on the hemerologium of Florence, and on all later authorities, the identit}^ of the Egyptian and Roman months is given. But as the astronomers continued to use the ^ Vitruvius, lib. ix., 2. the state of the Nile. The whole questiou The difficulties about the meaning of will be found ably discussed, with the the names of these seasons is very great. hypothesis of all that have preceded, by They have been perceived by most in- Mr. Nash, Pap. of SyroEgypt. Soe., I.ond. quirers. It is not possible to discuss 1!)50. AA'lien the Calendar was formed, such a questiou in a note ; but I think the 1st Thoth, or of " the rise," must that s/ut means "the rise," i.e., the season have corresponded with the solstice, of the rise ; /ici; the " coming forth " " Art de Verifier les Dates ; Cham- or overflow, and aru, "the river" or low pollion P'igeac, L'Egypte, p. '2',M). Nile, and that all three seasons refer to " Hemiapion, App., p. 11.