June3] PROCEEDINGS. [189c.Assyriansculpturesbecamefamiliarto European eyes,theirsuggestive
effecton the ancient Hebrewmindhas been oftenthoughtof. One
strikingpointof comparison withthe mystic visions of Ezekiel was
noticedmanyyearsago by Layard. It is that the four formsof the
livingcreaturesof Ezekiel, man,lion,bull,eagle,are precisely those
of the Assyrian monuments. Thewingedbullandlionare made up
of these andno other, and if we add to them the winged walking
figures,theyfall into the same scheme. As Layard argues," These
coincidencesare too marked not to deserve notice; and do certainly
leadto the inference, thatthe symbols chosen by the prophet were
derived from the Assyrian sculptures."* Through long ages of
religiousart, this quaternion of mystic creatures is to be traced
henceforth. WithinChristendomthe four beastsof the Apocalypse
reproduce those of Ezekiel ; and at last the series passesintothe
attributesof the four Evangelists.
I have nowto point out that the argument for the derivation of the
Cherubimof Ezekiel fromthe Assyrian monumentsmaybe carried
further. In the prophet's descriptionof the living creatures who
he knew werecherubim, he says that " they had everyonefour
wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man wasundertheir
wings." Nowtheseare two special characteristicsbelongingto such
an Assyrian deity as is here shown (Plate I, fig. 2) majestically
stridingwiththe fertilizing conein his hand. Theyforma combina
tion whichcan hardlyhaverepeated itselfby accident. Modern
observersare not indeed struckat first sightby the express mention
of the hands underthe wings,whichto them seemalmosta matter of
course. But this is because the genii and angels to whose formswe
are accustomed are themselves derived from the winged figures
belongingto Assyria. It is improbable thatat the time of Ezekiel
therewereany other typesin the world answeringthe description of
the four wingsand the hands belowthem,exceptsuchBabylonian-
Assyrianwingeddeities,and the adaptations of them by neighbouring
nations. Throughthe Phoenicians the Assyrian figureshad long before
become familiarto the Hebrew mind,as appears when the Tyrian
workmenare related to have adorned the temple of Solomon " with
carvedfiguresof cherubim and palm-trees and openflowers." This
showsthat among the Phoenician art-figuresof Assyrianorigin,familiar
to us by many specimens,the cherub was a definite figureknownby
* Layard, " Nineveh,"Vol.II, p. 465.
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