44
Colour Symbolism.
Colours of Mythical Ages.
Mexican
- I. White,
2.
Yellow, 3.
Red,
4. Black.i
Celtic -
- I. White,
2.
Red, 3.
Yellow,
4. Black.2
Indian I.
- I. White,
2.
Red, 3-
Yellow,
4. Black.3
„ II.
- I. White,
2.
Yellow, 3.
Red,
4. Black.4
Greek -
- I. Yellow,
2.
White, 3-
Red,
4. Black.5
White is a lunar colour, that of the " silvery " moon (" Cweta white as the moon " •*) ; yellow is a solar colour, that of the " golden " sun. It may be therefore that the precedence given to white in the Mexican, Celtic and Indian Ages has a lunar significance and had originally a con- nection with the lunar calendar. Both the Mexican and Celtic colour sequences are found in India.
In India the castes w^ere connected by some ancient sages with the Yugas or Mythical Ages, while others connected them W'ith the various coloured moods of the Creator. In the Mahd-hhdrata it is stated :
" The Brahmans beautiful (or, dear to Soma) were formed from an imperishable [akshara), the Kshattriyas from a perishable [Kshara) element, the Vaisyas from alteration, the Sudras from a modification of smoke. While Yishnu was thinking upon the castes [varnan), Brahmans were formed with white, red, yellow and blue
1 Kingsborough's Antiquities of Mexico, vol. vi. pp. 171 et seq. ; Brunton, The Myths of the New World, pp. 249 et seq., etc.
2 H. D'Arbois De Jubainville, The Irish Mythological Cycle (trans.), pp. 5-7, 25, 26, 69, 70. The Milesians were the " Black race."
- Vana Parva of the Mahdbhdrata, section cxlix. (Roy's trans,
p. 447). etc.
- The Vana Pana of the Mahdbhdrata, section cl.xxxix. (Roy's trans.
P- 569).
- That is, the Greek " Golden," " Silver," " Bronze " and " Iron "
Ages. The " Ages of Heroes " is evidently a late interpolation. Hesiod's Works and Days, 109-173.
^ Mahdbhdrata [Bhishma Parva, section iii.).
