ATLANTIC JOURNAL
AND
FRIEND OF KNOWLEDGE;
A CYCLOPEDIC JOURNAL AND REVIEW
OF UNIVERSAL SCIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
HISTORICAL, NATURAL, AND MEDICAL ARTS AND SCIENCES:
WITH NUMEROUS FIGURES.
_____________________
EDITOR, C. S. RAFINESQUE,
Professor of Historical and Natural Sciences, &c.
Vol. I. PHILADELPHIA, SUMMER OF 1832. No. 2.
Knowledge is the mental food of man.
PHILOLOGY.
Second Letter to Mr. Champollion, on the Graphic Systems of America, and the
Glyphs of Otolum or Palenque, in Central America -- Elements of the Glyphs.
When I began my investigation of these American Glyphs, and became convinced that they must have been groups of letters, I sought for the elementary letters in all the ancient known alphabets, the Chinese, Sanscrit and Egyptian above all; but in vain. The Chinese characters offered but few similarities with the glyphs, and not having a literal but syllabic alphabet, could not promise the needful clue. The Sanscrit alphabet, and all its derived branches, including even the Hebrew, Phoenician, Pelagic, Celtic and Cantabrian alphabets were totally unlike in forms and combinations of grouping. But in the great variety of Egyptian form of the same letters, I thought that I could trace some resemblance with our American Glyphs. In fact, I could see in them the Egyptian Cross, Snake, Circle, Delta, Square, Trident, Eye, Feather, Fish, Hand, &c., but sought in vain for the Birds, Lions, Sphynx, Beetle, and a hundred other nameless signs of Egypt.
However, this first examination and approximation of analogy in Egypt and Africa was a great preliminary step in the enquiry. I had always believed that the Atlantes of Africa have partly colonized America, as so many ancient writers have affirmed; this belief led me to search for any preserved fragments of the alphabets of Western Africa, and Lybia, the land of the African Atlantes yet existing under the names of Berbers, Tuarics, Shelluhs, &c. This was no easy taskk the Atlantic antiquities are still more obscure than the Egyptian. No Champollion had raised their veil; the city of Farawan, the Thebes of the Atlantes, whose splendid ruins exist as yet in the mountains of Atlas, has not even been described properly as yet, nor its inscriptions delineated.
However, I found at last in Gramay, (Africa lllustrata) an old Lybian alphabet, which has been copied by Purchas, in his collection of old alphabets. I was delighted to find it so explicit, so well connected
with the Egyptian, being also an Acrostic Alphabet, and above all, to find that all its signs were to be seen in the Glyphs of Otolum. Soon after appeared, in a supplement to Clapperton and Denham's travels in Africa, another old and obsolete Lybian alphabet, not acrostical, found by Denham in old inscriptions among the Tuarics of Targih and Ghreat, west of Fezan: which, although unlike the first had yet many analogies, and also with the American glyphs.
Thinking, then that I had found the primitive elements of these glyphs, I hastened to communicate this important fact to Mr. Dupouceau (in a printed letter directed to him in 1828,) who was struck with the analogy, and was ready to confess that the glyphs of Palenque might be alphabetical words; although he did not believe before that any American alphabets were extant. But he could not pursue my connection of ideas, analogies of signs, languages and traditions, to the extent which I desired, and now am able to prove.
To render my conclusions perspicuous, I must divide the subject into several parts; directing my enquiries, 1st. on the old Lybian alphabet. 2dly. On the Tuaric alphabet. 3dly. On their element in the American glyphs. 4thly. On the possibility to read them. While the examination of their language in connecticn with the other Atlantic languages, will be the theme of my third letter.
I. The old Lybian delineated in the table No. 1, has all the appearance of a very ancient alphabet, based upon the acrostical plan of Egypt; but in a very different language, of which we have 16 words preserved. This language may have been that of a branch of Atlantes, perhaps the Getulians, (Ge-tula, or Tulas of the plains) or of the Ammonians, Old Lybiaus, and also Atlantes.
Out of these 16 words, only 5 have a slight affinity with the Egyptian, they are:
Sea Lybian: Mah Egyptian: Mauh
Saturn Lybian: Siash Egyptian: Sev
Venus Lybian: Uaf Egyptian: Ath
Ear Lybian: Aips Egyptian: Ap
Nose Lybian: Ifr Pelagic: Rinif
Hand Lybian: Vuld Pelagic: Hui, chil
Earth Lybian: Lambd Pelagic: Landa
Sea Lybian: Mah Pelagic: Marah
Fire Lybian: Rash Pelagic: Purah
Moon Lybian: Cek Pelagic: Selks, kres
Mars Lybian: Dor Pelagic: Hares, Thor
Mercury Lybian: Goreg Pelagic: Mergor
Venus Lybian: Uaf Pelagic: Uenas
Saturn Lybian: Siash Pelagic: Satur, Shiva
Jupiter Lybian: Thue Pelagic: Theos
This system is very remarkable. 1. By its acrostic form. 2. By having only 16 letters like most of the primitive alphabets, but unlike the Egyptian and Sanscrit. 3. By being susceptible of 22 sounds by modification of 6 of the letters, as usual among the Pelagian and Etruscan. 4. Above all, by being based upon the acrostics of 3 important series of physical objects, the 5 senses represented by their agents in man, the 4 elements of nature and the 7 planets: which are very philosophical ideas, and must have originated in a civilized nation and learned priesthood. 5. By the graphic signs being also rude delineations of these
physical objects or their emblems. The ear, eye, nose, tongue and hand, for the 5 senses. The triangle for the earth, fish for the sea or water, snake for the air, flame for fire. A circle for the sun, crescent for the moon, a sword for Mars, a purse for Mercury, the V for Venus, double ring for Saturn, and trident for Jupiter. Venus being the 5th planet, has nearly the same sign as U, the 5th letter.
These physical emblems are so natural and obvious, that they are sometimes found among many of the ancient alphabets; the; sun and moon even among the Chinese. But in the Egyptian alphabets, the emblems apply very often to different letters, owing to the difference of language and acrostic feature. Thus the hand applies to D in Egyptian instead of U, the eye to R, the circle to O, the snake to L, &c.
II. The second Lybian alphabet, No. 2 in the Tables, was the ancient alphabet of Tuarics, a modern branch of the Atlantes, until superseded by the Arabic. Denham found with some difficulty its import, and names of letters which are not acrostic but literal, and 18 in number. It is doubtful whether these names were well applied in all instances, as the explainer was ignorant, and Denham not aware of the importance of this alphabet. Some appear not well named, and U with V have the same sign W; but these are always interchangeable in old language, and in alphabet No. 1, V is called UAF instead of VAF, and U is VULD instead of UULD!
As we have it, this alphabet is sufficiently and obviously derived from the First, 11 out of the 16 letters being similar or nearly so, while only 5 are different, E, M, R, G and Z. This last appears the substitute of TH, of No. 1, and GH represents G. Yet they are by far more alike than the Demotic is from the Hieratic Egyptian, and I therefore deem this No. 2 a Demotic form of the ancient Lybian or Atlantic.
I might have given and compared several other Lybian alphabets found in inscriptions; but as they have been delineated without a key or names, it is at present very difficult to decypher them. I however recommend them to the attention of the learned, and among others, point out the Lybian inscription of Apollonia, the harbour of Cyrene, given by Lacella, in his travels in the Cyrenaica. The letters of this inscription appear more numerous than 16 or even 22, and although they have some analogies with the 2 Lybian alphabets, yet approximate still more to the Demotic of Egypt and the Phenician. But the inscriptions in Mount Atlas and at Frawan, when collected and decyphered, will be found of much greater historical importance.
III. Meantime in the column No. 3 of the tabular view, are given 46 elements of the Glyphs of Otolum or Palenque, a few of these glyphs being given also in column No. 4. These 46 elements are altogether similar or derived from the Lybian prototypes of No. 1 and 2. In some cases they are absolutely identic, and the conviction of their common origin is almost complete, particularly when taken in connection with the collateral proofs of traditions and languages. These elements are somewhat involved in the grouping, yet they may easily be perceived and separated. Sometimes they are ornamented by double lines or otherwise, as monumental letters often are. Sometimes united to outside numbers represented by long ellipses meaning 10, and round dots meaning unities, which approximates to the Mexican system of graphic numeration. Besides these 46 elements, some others may be seen in the glyphs, which I left off, because too intricate; although they appear reducible if a larger table could have been given. There is hardly a single one that may not be traced to these forms, or that baffles the actual theory. Therefore the conclusion must occur, that such astonishing coincidence cannot be casual, but it is the result of original derivation.
The following remarks are of some importance:
1. The glyphs of Otolum are written from top to bottom, like the Chinese, or from side to side indifferently like the Egyptian and the Demotic Lybian of No. 2. We are not told how No. 1 was written, but probably in the same way. Several signs were used for the same letter as in Egypt.
2. Although the most common way of writing the groups is in rows, and each group separated, yet we find some framed, as it were, in oblong squares or tablets like those of Egypt. See plate 12, of the work on Palenque by DelRio and Caberera. In that 12th plate there are also some singular groups resembling our musical notes; could they be emblems of songs or hymns ?
3. The letter represented by a head occurs frequently; but it is remarkable that the features are very different from those of the remarkable race of men or heroes delineated in the sculptures.
4. In reducing these elements to the alphabetical form, I have been guided by the more plausible theory involved by similar forms. We have not here the more certain demonstration of Bilingual inscriptions; but if the languages should uphold this theory, they certainly will be increased of the Atlantic origins of Otolum.
IV. But shall we be able to read these glyphs and inscriptions, without positively knowing in what language they were written! The attempt will be arduous, but it is not impossible. In Egypt, the Coptic has been found such a close dialect of the Egyptian, that it has enabled you to read the oldest hieroglyphs. We find among the ancient dialects of Chiapa, Yucatan and Guatemala, the branches of the ancient speech of Otolum. Nay, Otolum was perhaps the ancient TOL or TOLA, seat of the Toltecas, (people of Tol) and their empire; but this subject will belong to my third letter. I will now merely give a few attempts to read some of the groups. For instance:
1. The group or word on the seat of the sitting man of plate 4 of monuments of Palenque, I read UOBAC, being formed by a hand, a tongue, a circle, an ear, and a crescent. It is perhaps his name. And underneath the seat is an eye with a small circle inside, meaning EB.
2. In plate 5, is an eye with 2 annexed rings, meaning probably BAB, and perhaps the Sun, which is BAP in the Lybian alphabet.
3. In plate 7, the glyph of the corner with a head, a fish, and a crescent, means probably KIM.
4. The 1st glyph of plate 15, is probably BALKE.
5. I can make out many others reading ICBE, BOCOGO, POPO, EPL, PKE, &c.
If these words and others (although some may be names) can be found in African languages, or in those of Central America, we shall obtain perhaps the key of the whole language of old Otolum. And next reach, step by step, to the desirable knowledge of reading those glyphs, which may cover much historical knowledge of high import. Meantime I have opened the path, if my theory and conjectures are correct, as I have strong reasons to believe.
Besides this monumental alphabet, the same nation that built Otolum had a Demotic alphabet belonging to my 8th series; which was found in Guatemala and Yucatan, at the Spanish conquest. A specimen of it has been given by Humboldt in his American Researches, plate 45, from the Dresden Library, and has been ascertained to be Guatemalan instead of Mexican, being totally unlike the Mexican pictoral manuscripts. This page of Demotic has letters and numbers, these represented by strokes meaning 5, and dots meaning unities, as the dots never exceed 4. This is nearly similar to the monumental numbers.
The words are much less handsome than the monumental glyphs; they are also uncouth glyphs in rows formed by irregular or flexuous heavy strokes, including within small strokes, nearly the same letters as in the monuments. It might not be impossible to decypher some of these manuscripts written on metl paper: since they are written in languages yet spoken, and the writing was understood in Central America, as late as 200 years ago. If this is done, it will be the best clue to the monumental inscriptions.
C. S. RAFINESQUE.
Philadelphia, February. 1832.
NOTE. -- While this letter is going to press, we hear of the death of the learned Campollion, a great loss to sciences and erudition. The 3 letters directed to him were written in January, February and March of this year, while his career of usefulness was yet umimpaired; but they were as much intended for the learned all over the world, as for himself, and therefore were printed instead of being sent. The third which is to appear in the next number, will however be inscribed to Klaproth as a substitute.
We have lately heard that the 1st number of 3 excursions to Mitla and Palenque, performed in 1805 to 1807, by Capt. Depaix, has lately been published in Paris under the title of Mexican Antiquities; but it has not reached us.
AND
FRIEND OF KNOWLEDGE;
A CYCLOPEDIC JOURNAL AND REVIEW
OF UNIVERSAL SCIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
HISTORICAL, NATURAL, AND MEDICAL ARTS AND SCIENCES:
WITH NUMEROUS FIGURES.
_____________________
EDITOR, C. S. RAFINESQUE,
Professor of Historical and Natural Sciences, &c.
Vol. I. PHILADELPHIA, AUTUMN OF 1832. No. 3.
Knowledge is the mental food of man.
THE AMERICAN NATIONS AND TRIBES
ARE NOT JEWS.
Two recent instances of egregrious folly based upon this singular tenet, have induced me to republish my letter of 1829, which if read by those laboring under this delusion cannot fail to shake their belief.
A new Religion or sect has been founded upon this belief the Mormonites, thus called after a new Alcoran, or Book of Mormon, (which is not a Jewish name.) Supposed to be written in gold letters more than 2000 years ago by Mormon, leader of the American Jews. This Book which no one has seen nor read but the founder of the sect, the probable writer thereof, has made the Bible of a new sect. I have tried in vain to procure a copy of the translation, wherein I could certainly detect a crowd of absurdities and incogruities. Meanwhile a Sect of Fanatics has arisen therefrom, and wandered from New York to Ohio and Missouri; an evident proof how false beliefs can be
spread and made subservient to crafty purposes.
The second instance is that of Lord Kingsborough, who having adopted the delusive idea of the Mexicans and other American nations being Jews, has vainly spent the vast sum of 80,000 pounds sterling, or $135,000!!! to publish fac similes of Mexican Antiquities and Manuscripts in the Libraries of Dresden, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, and Bologna, executed by Aglio, and with notes of his own in support of the Jewish origin of the Mexicans. This Work in 7 volumes folio, sells for 200 pounds sterling, or $900 and is deemed a wasteful employment of money, even by the learned, because it does not contain the translations which would be more useful than the glyphic texts. It lacks also the Mexican Manuscripts preserved in Madrid and Simanaca's archives of the Indies; the only valuable novelty in this huge work are the Mexican monuments, drawn by Depaix, with the history of Mexico, by Sahagun a Spanish monk, who spent 30 years in Mexico in the 16th century. The great sum spent by this nobleman for this vain support of his fallacious jewish theory, would have been sufficient to unfold the true history of all the nations of America, by their monuments, languages, traditions and books, or publish 100 valumes on the subject.
Pastor of Poultney in Vermont.
REV. SIR:
I have lately met by chance the second edition of your work on the Hebrews in America, and read it with attention, as I do all works on our Indians, while writing theit history before and after Columbus.
Your work and Boudinot's Star in the West, have widely spread again among the religious readers, the old, obsolete and I may say absurd notion that our Indians, nay all the various American tribes and nations descended from the ten tribes of Israel. This theory advanced by some Jews, by William Penn & Adair, who knew but few tribes of our Indians, is now laughed at by all the learned and enquirers on American history. As it is a pity that the religious community should be again deluded into such improbable belief, I mean to try to show you the impossibility of the fact, and request that should you publish a third edition of your work you will add my remarks, and answer if you can my cogent arguments.
I shall first state why their origin is impossible and next confute your boasted proofs of it.
The American nations cannot descend from the ten tribes of Israel; because:
1st. These ten tribes are not lost, as long supposed, their descendants more or less mixt with the natives, are yet found in Media, Iran, Turan, Cabulistan, Hindostan and China., where late travellers have traced them, calling themselves various names.
2d. The American nations knew not the Sabath, or Sabatical weeks and years. This knowledge could never have been lost by Hebrews. The only weeks known in America, were of three days, five days and half lunations, as among the primitive five nations, before the week of seven days was used in Asia, and based upon the seven planets, long before the laws of Moses.
3. The Indians hardly knew the use of iron; although common among the Hebrews, and likely never to be lost: nor did they know the plough.
4. The same applies to the art of writing, such an art is never lost, when once known.
5. Circumcision was unknown and even abhored by the Americans, except two nations who used it, the Mayans of Yucatan who worshipped one hundred idols and the Calchaquis of Chaco who worshipped the sun and stars, believing that departed souls became stars. These beliefs are quite different from Judaism, and besides this rite was common to Egypt, Ethiopia, Edom, Colchis, &c.
6. None of the American tribes have the striking sharp Jewish features, and physical conformation.
7. The Americans eat hogs, hares, fish, and all the forbidden animals of Moses; but each tribe abstain from their tutelar animals, or badges of families of some peculiar sort, as we abstain from the dog and horse without any rational cause.
8. The American customs of scalping, torturing prisoners, canibalism, calumet, painting bodies, and going naked even in very cold climates, are totally unlike the Hebrew customs.
9. A multitude of languages exist in America, which may perhaps be reduced to twenty-five radical languages and two thousand dialects and sub-dialects. But they are often unlike the Hebrew in roots, words and grammer: they have by far more analogies with the Sanscrit, Celtic, Bask, Pelagian, Berber, Lybian, Egyptian, Persian, Turan, &c., or in fact all the primitive languages of mankind.
10. The Americans cannot have sprung from a single nation, because independently of the languages, their features and complexions are as various as in Africa and Asia. -- We find in America; white, tawny, brown, yellow, olive, copper, and even black nations as in Africa. Also dwarfs and giants, handsome and ugly features, flat and aquiline noses, thick and thin lips, &c.
Let us now examine your proofs.
1. You say all the Americans had the same god, Yohewah; this is utterly false. This was the god of the Chactas and Floridians. I have found a multitude of names for it among the Unitarians. Many had triple gods or trimurtis as in Hindustan and with names nearly Sanscrit. Polytheism, idolatry and a complex mythology prevailed among all the most civilized nations. All the ancient religions were found in America, Theism, Sabeism, Magism, Hinduism, Shamanism, Fetichism, &c. but no Judaism!
2. The few examples you give of affinities with the Hebrew language, belong only to the Floridan and Carib languages. I could show you ten times as many in the Aruac, Guaranu, &c. but what is that, compared with the 100,000 affinities with the primitive languages.
3. All the civilized Americans had a priesthood or priestly caste, and so had the Hindus, Egyptians, Persians, Celts, Ethiopians! were they all Jews?
4. Tribes are found among all the ancient nations, Arabs, Berbers, Celts, Negroes, &c. who are not Jews. The most civilized nations had castes instead of tribes in America as well as Egypt and India: the Mexicans, Mayans, Muhizcas, Peruvians, &c. had no tribes. The animals badges of tribes are found among Negroes and Tartars as well as our Indians.
5. Arks of covenant and cities of refuge are not peculiar to the Jews; many Asiatic nations had them, also the Egyptians, and nine-tenths of our American tribes have none at all, or have only holy bags, somewhat like Talismans or Fetiches.
6. The religious cry of Aleluyah is not Jewish, but primitive, and found among the Hindus, Arabs, Greeks, Saxons, Celts, Lybians, &c. under the modification of hulili, yululu, luluyah, &c., other Americans called it ululaez, gualulu, aluyuh, &c.
7. The mentioned traditions of our Indians or rather the Algonquin stock only, point to a N. W. origin; but the Natchez, Apalachians, Talascas, Mexicans, Mayans, Muhizcas, Haytians, &c. have traditions to have come from the East or through the Atlantic Ocean. It is important to distinguish the American nations of Eastern origine from the later invaders from Tartary: they are as different as the Romans and Vandals.
8. All the alledged customs common to Jews and Americans, are postively of primitive origine and found among nearly all the ancient nations of Asia, Europe and Polynesia, nay even among the wild negros to this day; are they then all Jews? The actual Puritans and Sabatarians who keep the Jewish Sabath and bear Jewish names, would be greater Jews by far, if customs alone were to settle this question.
You will therefore perceive that this old notion of yours is totally impossible and at variance with all our knowledge of the Americans, when we study all the Nations, instead of taking as you do the Algonquin or Lenapian although a widely spread family for your rule and main example of all.
I hope you will consider again the question with impartiality, divesting it of your mystical problems, and studying the writers on South America with more care. You will find that Garcia a Spanish writer, had 200 years ago, in his origin of the Indians proved that they may have come from many ancient Nations, even before the flood, and Dr. M'Culloh of Baltimore, has proved the same thing in his researches on America. C. S. RAFINESQUE
Philadelphia, August, 1829.