SERPENT AND SIVA WORSHIP 
 
 and 
 
 MYTHOLOGY 
 
 IX 
 
 CENTRAL AMERICA, AFRICA, AND ASIA. 
 
 HYDE CLARKE, 
 
 MEM. ANTHROP. INST. LOND. AND NEW YORK ; OF THE ETHNOGRAPHIC SOC. OF 
 PARIS ; GEBMAN ORIENTAL SOC. ; AMERICAN ORIENTAL SOC. ; SOClfTE 
 DES AMEBICANISTES ; BYZANTINE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
 OF CONSTANTINOPLE ; FELLOW S. S., E. HIST. SOC., 
 
 E. SOC. ANTIQUARIES OF COPENHAGEN, ETC. 
 
 I 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 TRUBNER & CO., 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL. 
 
 18 76 . 
 
f 
 
 
SERPENT AND SIVA WORSHIP 
 
 CENTRAL AMERICA, AFRICA, AND ASIA. 
 
 AlEM. ANTHROP. INST. LOUD. AND NEW TORK ; OF THE ETHNOGRAPHIC SOC. OP 
 PARIS ; GERMAN ORIENTAL SOC. ; AMERICAN ORIENTAL SOC. ; SOCIETE 
 DES AMERICANISTES ; BYZANTINE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETT 
 OF CONSTANTINOPLE ; FELLOW S. S., 11. HIST. SOC., 
 
 B. SOC. ANTIQUARIES OF COPENHAGEN, ETC. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 TRfiBNER & CO., 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL. 
 
 HYDE CLARKE, 
 
 18 76 . 
 
Ion dos : 
 
 George Berridge <fc Co., Printers, 
 Eastcheap Works, E C. 
 
SERPENT AND SIVA WORSHIP 
 
 AND 
 
 MYTHOLOGY 
 
 IN 
 
 CENTRAL AMERICA, AFRICA, AND ASIA. 
 
 From the Journal of the Anthropological Institute. 
 
 These observations are not intended for a complete treatise, 
 but merely to put on record facts so far as they have been 
 obtained, nor is it intended to draw any absolute conclusion 
 from them, but to indicate materials for inquiry and examination. 
 
 In the “Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society” 
 (June and December, 1875, vol. xiv. p. 483) is an elaborate 
 paper on “ The Indian Tribes and Languages of Costa Pica,” 
 by Professor W. M. Gabb. This paper, which was read before 
 that Society on August 20th, 1875, is most deserving of atten- 
 tion, as well in its anthropological treatment of the subject, as 
 because of the relations of the tribes. It deals with tribes on 
 which the distinguished traveller Yon Scherzer obtained little 
 information and on which Bancroft in his great work supplies 
 imperfect matter. Thomas Belt has also visited the country. 
 This is indeed a little book, and, besides the other information, 
 contains copious vocabularies of the Bribri, Cabecar (2), Tiribi, 
 Terraba, and Brunka or Boruca. 
 
 This book having come under my notice, led me to make 
 comparisons with regard to the relations of the languages, 
 which, as usual, proved to be with the Old "World. 
 
 These Indians are living on both the Atlantic and Pacific 
 slopes of Costa Rica, in Central America, and are rapidly 
 diminishing and, under Spanish influence, losing their customs 
 and language. A century ago the population was of thou* 
 
4 
 
 Hyde Clarke. — On Serpent and Sica Worship 
 
 sands, now the Changinas are nearly extinct. The Bribris 
 
 have lessened one-half 
 )ers are : — 
 
 within twenty years, and 
 
 Tiribi 
 
 . . 103 . 
 
 Uren 
 
 Ml 
 
 Bribri 
 
 . . 172 
 
 Cabecar 
 
 . . 128 
 
 The Valley 
 
 . . 219 
 
 Altogether 
 
 . . 1,226 
 
 Another hundred will cover the Changinas and outlying Ca- 
 becars. 
 
 It must not he omitted that many of these natives are very 
 light in colour and are regarded as whites. One fear, as a 
 consequence of impiety, is being termed black. 
 
 This remnant, these tribes of a few scores, are the keepers of 
 knowledge, languages, and legends of the past, which their 
 forefathers brought here thousands of years ago. Some Costa 
 llica natives still use stone axes set in wooden handles, and 
 those under notice in language belong to the stone age. 
 
 The languages collected by Mr. Gabb each possess a vocabu- 
 lary, which he estimates at between fifteen hundred and two 
 thousand words, a larger number than is vulgarly supposed to 
 be used by savages. The several languages, although differing, 
 are shown by Mr. Gabb to be mutually connected on philo- 
 logical examination, and the further evidence obtained by me 
 confirms this. 
 
 As the Bribri is one ground on which the mythological 
 observations rest, it is desirable to enter upon the question of 
 its relations. These could be most readily effected with the 
 African languages of Koelle’s “ Tolyglotta Africano,” as that 
 work gives more words of culture than the Indian collections 
 of Dr. Hunter, Sir George Campbell, and Colonel Dalton. 
 Indeed, in the present advance of the studies of culture, the 
 Indian vocabularies founded on Brown’s basis are b} r no means 
 calculated to afford results. They contain words of little value 
 in this respect and omit those that arc typical. We want 
 much new comparative vocabularies, which will deal less with 
 grammatical points, and provide for names of animals, weapons, 
 tools, &c. 
 
 In my comparisons much help was obtained from Mr. Gabb, 
 for in his vocabularies lie lias carried out a very useful work, 
 in registering the composition and meanings of some of the 
 words. This has been done in some of the Australian vocabu- 
 laries, but is generally neglected. 
 
 It is, however, a process of great importance, and is the 
 
and Mythology in Central America, Africa, and Asia. 5 
 
 foundation for psychological philology, an important branch of 
 anthropology, which is now growing up in strength, but is 
 little appreciated by men of science. Dr. E. B. Tylor, so far 
 as he comprehends philology in his treatises on culture, has 
 collected many useful observations. It is when we learn the 
 thought which governed the application of a word that we 
 know how the human mind operated in the prehistoric epoch, 
 and we are thus building up a history of the human mind. 
 This is indispensable for understanding the beginning and 
 progress of the higher culture when we come, for example, to 
 an epoch so remote as when, in the Mediterranean region, there 
 were at onoe written monuments of Akkad, of Egyptian, and 
 of Ivhita (Ilamath), besides others we know not yet of, and 
 those which must have existed among the Peruvians, the 
 Mayas, and the Mexicans. 
 
 Into this school of psychological philology the Germans aro 
 entering. Steinthal has expressly dealt with it in his “ Philo- 
 logy, its History and Psychology;” and again with Lazarus, 
 in the introduction to their “Journal for Anthropological 
 Psychology and Philology.” Indeed this stud} 7 has reached tho 
 stage of a journal, while in England philology in its higher 
 forms cannot be said to have a society or a journal, and 
 is scarcely tolerated by anthropologists, by whom psycho- 
 logy is little pursued. At the British Association it became a 
 question with naturalists whether philology is a branch of 
 science. 
 
 As an evidence of the pursuit of psychological philology in 
 Germany a new example is that afforded by the first volume of 
 (he “Coptic Researches” of that distinguished scholar, Dr. 
 Carl Abel, which is almost wholly devoted to the investigation 
 of the words for Truth and Right in the Egyptian and Coptic 
 languages. In 1859 Dr. Abel began this career by his work 
 on “ Languages as the Expression of National Thought,” and 
 in 1871 produced a remarkable treatise on the place of words 
 in Latin construction. 
 
 The charm of Professor Max Muller’s popular dealings with 
 philology depends on his dealings with these conjoint relations 
 of language and thought in the Aryan languages, and their 
 application in mythology. It is not from want of learning on 
 his part that his labours have by anthropologists been regarded 
 rather as belonging to polite literature than to their science. 
 
 One of my objects in my labours on “ Prehistoric Comparative 
 Philology ” was to illustrate this matter, in direct connection 
 with anthropology, further than Dr. Tylor had done. There 
 will consequently be found there a table of words which are 
 equivalent to each other, and since then my collections have 
 
6 
 
 Hyde Clarke. — On Serpent and Siva War ah ip 
 
 increased. Mr. Gabb’s notes enabled me at once to recognise 
 a number of bis equivalent's as belonging to tbe prehistoric 
 epoch, and as‘ he gave man)' 3 which were new, they afforded a 
 good opportunity for testing them with the African. 
 
 Thus were used axe, equal to shoulder-blade ; leaves of a tree 
 for its hail 1 , as well as leaf for toilguc ; comb for hair-scraper ; 
 shirt for skin ; bowels for dung-stiake ; face for round, sun and 
 moon ; handle for knife, as the knife’s sister ; needle for thorn ; 
 rainbow for snake ; shield for shoulder ; river mouth, as we call 
 it, being river tail. 
 
 While examining the equivalents, it appeared the words were 
 sometimes the same in Bribri and in the African, so that a 
 more detailed examination became needful, which showed that 
 Bribri and its brethren distinctly belonged to the Old World. 
 
 Tbe names of animals show this well : — 
 
 Animal Names of Costa Rica. 
 
 Snake. 
 
 Iguana. 
 
 Cabecar, boa. 
 
 ,, ba. 
 
 Lizard. 
 
 Bute (Afr.), mboa. 
 
 Chameleon. 
 
 Boko (Afr.), boo. 
 
 Frog. 
 
 Cabecar, bukwi. 
 
 Landoro (Afr.), gbegbe. 
 Bribri, wem. 
 
 Gbese (Afr.), wian. 
 Kamuku (Afr.), mvama 
 (monkey). 
 
 Bribri, koru. 
 
 Aku, Ac., akerc. 
 
 Landoro (Afr.), koro 
 (lizard). ' 
 
 Landoro (Afr)., konra 
 (monkey). 
 
 Tiribi, ordng. 
 
 Opanda (Afr.), oranga. 
 Orongu (Afr.)yironge. 
 Bribri, koru. • 
 
 Leopard or Tiger. 
 Brunka, kura. ’ 1 
 Kasm (Afr.), guero. • 
 Bribri, nnmu. • . 
 Nupe (Afr.), nampti. 
 Bribri, dura. 
 
 Nya, Nya, Sandeb (Afr.), 
 nderii (lioness). 
 
 Bribri, kebe. 
 
 Cabecar, kebi. 
 
 Kisi (Afr.), kewo. 
 
 Tiribi, bgur. 
 
 Pika (Afr.), kuredi. 
 Brunka, tebek. 
 
 Landoma (Afr.), abuk. 
 Bribri, ku-a. 
 
 Fuller Jig. 
 
 Kano (Afr.), koowa. 
 Krebo (Afr.), kerakue. 
 Tiribi, kwong-wo. 
 
 Basa (Afr.), lcongo. 
 
 Bird. 
 
 Tiribi, sinwa. 
 
 Kumn (Afr.), sin. 
 Torraba, senowa. 
 Brunka, dutsut. 
 
 Bisfade (Afr.), gunsudu 
 wasudu. 
 
 Macaw and Parrot. 
 Bribri, kukoug., . 
 Cabecar, kukwa.' '' ’ 
 Bayon, Ac. (Afr.), 'kita- 
 kot. 
 
 Bribri, pa. 
 
 Cabecar,' pa . 1 " 
 
 Bagba (Afr.), paktie. 
 Cabecar, kwa. 
 
 Meto (Afr.), ekuei. 
 Tiribi, kuskwong. 
 
 Ntcre (Afr.), nkuslm. 
 Terraba, kishkwong. 
 
 Babuma, Ac. (Afr,), nku- 
 sho. 
 
 ‘Fat. 
 
 Bribri, dagur. 
 
 Aleje (Afr.), koro. 
 
 Leer and Goat. 
 Bribri, siri (also arrow). 
 Ten-aba, sliuring. 
 
 Tene (Afr.), sirerue. 
 Obese (Afr.), sire. 
 
 Kuri (India), siri. 
 
 Monkeg. 
 
 Bribri (C. Amer.), sar. 
 Cabecar (C. Aiuer.), sar- 
 matka. 
 
 Kuri (India), sara. 
 Japanese, saru. 
 
 Ankaras (Afr.), sirowa. 
 Basa Y Afr.) ’ doe. 
 
 Ter ra ok "(C . A infeV.) , do. 
 
 S Tiribi (C. Amer.), duigo. 
 Aku, Ac. (Afr.), edu, 
 edo. 
 
 Jirku (Afr.), do'. 
 
 Bribri (C. Amer'.),'\vib. 
 Terraba (C. Amer.), bib. 
 Tiribi (C. Amer,), bibgo. 
 Tiribi (C.'Ainfr.), yaigo. 
 TiribL^.'Amer.), duigo. 
 Knmbali (Afr.), winmo. 
 Okam (Afr.), iwig. 
 Mbarike (Afr.), abagn. 
 Biafada (Afr.), gidegwa. 
 Toronka (Afr.), go. 
 
and Mythology in Central America, Africa, and Asia. 7 
 
 Toma (Afr.), koe. 
 Gadaba (India), gusa. 
 Kol (India), gye. 
 
 Garo (India), koure. 
 Annam (Asia), khi. 
 Yorukala (India), koto. 
 Brunka (C. Amer.), uli. 
 Kki (Afr.), aile. 
 
 Igala (Afr.), ailo (oka- 
 moleon). 
 
 Brunka (C.Amor.),nong. 
 Bumi (Nepaul), nuksu. 
 
 Dkima (India), nkoya. 
 
 Elephant — Tapir. 
 Bribri (C. Amor.), nai. 
 Cabocar (C. Amer.), nai, 
 Brunka, nai. 
 
 Sobo, &c. (Afr.), eni. 
 Wolof (Afr.), nyci. 
 
 Bulo, &c. (Afr.), nivva. 
 Yerukala (India), aua. 
 Tamil, auei. 
 
 Tiribi, so. 
 
 Ngoala (Afr.), oso, so. 
 Nki (Afr.), osliua. 
 
 Aleje (Afr.), osuo. 
 
 Naga (India), tsu. 
 Japanese, zo. 
 
 Alligator. 
 
 Tiribi (C. Amer.), ku. 
 Brunka (C. Amer.), kuu. 
 Bulom (Afr.), kiu. 
 Tirnne (Afr.), akui, 
 
 Kosi (Afr.), kuiyo. 
 
 The name for olepliant is enough to mark the connection. 
 As the immigrants had not the elephant they gave his names 
 to his brother the tapir. Thus wo find the same names from 
 Central America to Japan. It has been before pointed out by 
 me that there are many names for elephant, and widely spread 
 about, as if the elephant in the prehistoric epoch was better 
 known than in later times. The names for monkey are as 
 widely extended ; so we got those for iguana, frog, alligator, 
 bat, deer, and macaw. 
 
 The names recognised for objects of culture include arrow, 
 knife, bow, calabash, pot, bed, salt, house, door, skin, cotton, 
 maize, tree, leaf, forest, drum, rope, chair, sand, smoke, coal, 
 dew, rain, night, day. 
 
 Central America ( Costa Rica). 
 
 Arroio. 
 
 Bribri, sari. 
 
 Tiribi, sure. 
 
 Bulom (Afr.), sor. 
 
 Timne (Afr.), asor.' 
 
 Kol (India), sar. 
 Sanskrit, sara. 
 
 Brunka, tunkasa. 
 
 Yei (Afr.), tungba. 
 Nyamba (Afr.), tingowe. 
 Ifaga (India), takaba. 
 Cabecar, ukuwu. 
 
 Bribri, kabut. 
 
 Ondo Aku (Afr.), akofa. 
 Goali (Afr.), kovri. 
 Kyainlan (Afr.), ngowe. 
 Banyun (Afr.), gubande. 
 Limba (Afr.), kobegare. 
 Houssa (Afr.), kibia. 
 Ifaga (India), takaba. 
 
 Bow. 
 
 Cabecar, ukaibeta. 
 
 Koro (Afr.), buta. 
 
 If t ere (Afr.), buta. 
 
 Tiwi (Afr.), bada. 
 
 Knife. 
 
 Tiribi, sugro. 
 
 Ashantoe (Afr.), sukare. 
 Cabecar, taberi. 
 
 Barba (Afr.), wobaru. 
 Pulo (Afr.), labi. 
 
 Calabash. 
 
 Bribri, koku. 
 
 Akua (Afr.), koko. 
 
 Bola (Afr.), kekanda. 
 Bribri, kyong. 
 
 Yei (Afr.), kungo. 
 Banyun (Afr.), gukonje. 
 Diwali (Afr.), ekanga. 
 Brunka, junkra. 
 
 Kamuku (Afr.), sikoara. 
 Barba (Afr.), karu. 
 Opanda (Afr.), okodo. 
 Marawi (Afr.), kika. 
 Aukaras, kagudu. 
 
 Ndob (Afr.), ko. 
 
 Pot. 
 
 Brunka, kwate. 
 
 Landoro (Afr.), kouhwe. 
 
 Krebo (Afr.), ko\roya. 
 Bed. 
 
 Bribri, akong. 
 
 Bamorn (Afr.), akon. 
 Bayon (Afr.), akuu. 
 
 If jo (Afr.), ekun. 
 
 Tiribi, bukru. 
 
 Mende (Afr.), buku. 
 Cabecar, kapugru. 
 Opanda (Afr.), igberiku. 
 Gbe (Afr.), gbeko. 
 
 Boor. 
 
 Bribri, sbku (ku, mouth). 
 Toronka (Afr.), ko. 
 Mende (Afr.), ko. 
 
 Aku, &c. (Afr.), eku. 
 Musu(Nupe) (Afr.),zoko. 
 Kuru (Afr.), koo. 
 Yasgua (Afr.),nko. 
 
 House. 
 
 Bribri, &c., hu. 
 Timbuktu (Afr.), liu. 
 Whidah (Afr.), ho. 
 
8 
 
 Hype Ci.arke. — On Serpent and Sira Worship 
 
 Malii (Afr.), liuo. 
 
 Ihewe (Afr.), oa. 
 
 Boko (Afr.), ua. 
 
 Kol (India), oa. 
 
 Cotton. 
 
 Bribri, sawi. 
 
 Ashantee (Afr.), sawa. 
 Aku (Afr.), owu. 
 
 Skin. 
 
 Bribri, pa. 
 
 Nupese (Afr.), epa, pata. 
 Kumi (India), pe. 
 
 Tiribi, kwota. 
 
 Ndob (Af r.) ,koat,koany u. 
 C'abecar, kwo. 
 
 Bribri, ikwo. 
 
 Murundo (Afr.), ngowo. 
 Alejc (Afr.), okue. 
 
 Tnvi (Afr.), ikuawuro. 
 ,, kuare. 
 
 Navel. 
 
 Tiribi, tuwa. 
 
 Bribri, mowu, 
 
 Isoama, &c.(Afr.),otuwe. 
 Bornu (Afr.), dabu. 
 
 Bode (Afr.), sabu. 
 
 Aku, &c. (Afr.), iwo. 
 
 Leaf. 
 
 Bribri, ku (also tongue). 
 Isiele, &c.(Afr.), akukuo. 
 Condi (India), aki. 
 
 Pulo (Afr.), hnko. 
 
 Tiwi (Afr.), akoa, ika. 
 Era (Afr.), koagi. 
 Cabeear, kargu. 
 
 Bribri, karku. 
 
 Filham (Afr.), kartoet. 
 Kaurc (Afr.), liarugo. 
 
 Forest. 
 
 Cabeear, karga. 
 
 Gbe (Afr.), kurakuli. 
 rilliam (Afr.), karamba. 
 Bornu (Afr.), karaga. 
 Akarakura (Afr.), egor. 
 Tiribi, korgarui'. 
 
 Bribri, kongyika. 
 
 Bode (Afr.), kunu. 
 Udom (Afr.), akanugbe. 
 
 Devil. 
 
 Bribri, bi. 
 
 Udom, &c. (Afr.), ngbolo. 
 Nupe (Afr.), abili, bcli. 
 
 Maize. 
 
 Bribri, ikwo. 
 
 Cabeear, ikwo. 
 
 Nupe (Afr.)l kawa. 
 Opanda (Afr.), agwa. 
 Eafen (Afr.), nkui. 
 
 Mbe (Afr.), ekui. 
 Brunka, kup. 
 
 Kupa (Afr.), akaba. 
 Landoma (Afr.), kebabu. 
 
 Tree. 
 
 Bribri, kar. 
 
 Tiribi, kor. 
 
 Toma, &e. (Afr.), guru. 
 Bambara (Afr.), koroma. 
 
 Drum. 
 
 Bribri, sebak. 
 
 Pulo (Afr.), baga. 
 Konguan (Afr.), baka. 
 
 Rope. 
 
 Bribri, tsa. 
 
 Noojin (Afr.), sei. 
 
 Pika (Afr.), tsoli. 
 
 Juku (Afr.), dsa. 
 
 Bribri, duki. 
 
 Okuloma (Afr.), digi. 
 Ndob (Afr.), ndek, ndik. 
 
 Chair. 
 
 Bribri, kru. 
 
 Aro (Afr.), nkoro. 
 Gajaga (Afr.), koronda- 
 mo. 
 
 Sand. 
 
 Bribri, tsoug. 
 
 Cabeear, ksoug. 
 
 Basa (Afr.), atsikono. 
 Nupe (Afr.), jikana. 
 Bribri, eliika. 
 
 Kasauj (Afr.), kisegelo. 
 Tiribi, eraslio. 
 
 Aku, &e. (Afr.), irai. 
 
 Smoke. 
 
 Tiribi, nyo. 
 
 Gurcsa (Afr.), nyusha. 
 Yula (Afr.), nyuo. 
 
 Nupe (Afr.), nawu, nau. 
 Lcgba (Afr.), nyos. 
 Bribri, slikono. 
 
 Yala (Afr), noala, 
 
 Basa (Afr), inshiko. 
 
 Coal. 
 
 Cabeear, jikowo. 
 
 Ebe (Nupe) (Afr), ji- 
 kara. 
 
 Cabeear, jikowa. 
 
 Abaja (Afr), ujekolono. 
 
 Dew. 
 
 Cabeear, moriu. 
 
 Guresha (Afr), maru- 
 lam. 
 
 Bribri, moweli. 
 
 Mose (Afr), worodo. 
 Tiribi, tomboria. 
 Mandengo, &c. (Afr), 
 buru. 
 
 Adampe(Afr.),debuloku. 
 
 Rain. 
 
 Tiribi, sliunyo. 
 
 Toronka (Afr), sanyiyi. 
 Brunka, jo. 
 
 Mandeugo, &c. (Afr), 
 sanjo. 
 
 Ujo (Afr), osuo. 
 
 Gonli (Nupe) (Afr), 
 slieogo. 
 
 Bribri, kawui. 
 
 Cabeear, kani. 
 
 Jelana (Afr), keali. 
 Limba (Afr), koyon. 
 
 Night. 
 
 Tiribi, sbke. 
 
 Goali (Nupe) (Afr), su- 
 ko. 
 
 Ngola (Afr), osoko. 
 Deoria Chutia (Asia), 
 sakokoi. 
 
 Day. 
 
 Cabeear, kanyiua. 
 
 Soso (Afr), yanyina. 
 Brunka, daboi. 
 
 Nhalemoi (Afr.),boi-sale. 
 
 Salt. 
 
 Bribri, c(eje. 
 
 Undaza (Afr), leje. 
 Nupe (Afr), esa. 
 Adampc (Afr), eje, 
 
 Ood. 
 
 Bribri, sibu. 
 
 Terraba, zubo. 
 
 Udom, &e.(Afr.),eshowo. 
 Nupe, Ae. (Afr), soko. 
 Mbofia (Afr), juku. 
 Kabendo, Ac. (Afr), 
 nzambi. 
 
 Ndob (Afr), nzob. 
 
0 
 
 and Mythology in Central America, Africa, and Asia. 
 
 These comparisons brought me to the names for god and 
 devil. As sibu, the name for God in Central America, was 
 represented in Africa, it was consequently prehistorio, and 
 afforded an early, if not a primary, fact in mythology. This 
 investigation was consequently pursued, and the following tablo 
 will exhibit the main facts. 
 
 Qod. 
 
 Ekamtulufu (Afr.), 
 esliowo. 
 
 TJdom (Afr.), eshowo. 
 Ntere (Afr.), njami. 
 Mutsaya (Afr.), ndzama. 
 Nyamba (Afr.), ntsuma. 
 Kasanj, &c. (Afr.), 
 
 nsambi. 
 
 Babuina, &c. (Afr.), 
 njambi. 
 
 Kabcnda, &c. (Afr.), 
 lizambi. 
 
 Kyombe (Afr.),ndzambi. 
 Nupe, &c. (Afr.), soko. 
 Eshitako (Afr.), soko. 
 Goali (Afr.), siogoli. 
 Musu (Afr.), seangoi. 
 Isoama, &e. (Afr.), juku. 
 Legba, &c. (Afr.), eslio. 
 Monde (Afr.), ngewo. 
 Melon, &c. (Afr.), 
 
 [nyania.] 
 
 Tiribri (C. Amer.), sibu. 
 Cabecar(C. Amer.), sibu. 
 'l'iribi (C. Amer.), zibo. 
 Terraba (C. Amer.),zubo. 
 lirunka (C.Amer.),siboh. 
 Phrygia (Asia), saba 
 (sabazios) . 
 
 India (Asia), siva, shiva. 
 Greece (Europe), seba 
 (worship). 
 
 India (Asia), kali. 
 
 Devil. 
 
 Sarar, usawe. 
 
 Soso, masibo. 
 
 Okuloma, sibiribo. 
 Kasanj, nsumbi. 
 
 TJndaza, ujumbi. 
 Marawi, joka. 
 
 Pangela, namntubia. 
 
 Aro (Afr.), iguakala. 
 Boko (Afr.), kali. 
 
 Phallus. 
 
 Bribri, kibiwo. 
 
 Snake. 
 
 Fulup, &c., siweba. 
 
 Tone, masiwo. 
 
 Dewoi, zebe, zewe. 
 Gajaga, samako. 
 
 Muntu, lidsoga. 
 
 Marawi, njoka. 
 
 Kisi, kewo. 
 
 Aku, ejo. 
 
 Undazn, tadi. 
 
 Mutsaya, tade. 
 
 Bribri, kibi. 
 
 Cabecar, kebi. 
 
 Brunka, tebek. 
 
 Sak (India), kapu. 
 
 Tharu (India), sapa. 
 Pakbya (India), sapa. 
 Ckentsu (India), sap. 
 Koocli (India), samp. 
 Japan, hebi. 
 
 Vayu (India), habu. 
 Java, sawer. 
 
 Gondi,&c. (India), todas. 
 Basque (Europe), suge. 
 Landoro, &e. (Afr.), kali. 
 
 Idol. 
 
 Ivrebo, kusewe. 
 
 „ sewe. 
 
 Yei, no we. 
 
 Igala, odsibo. 
 
 Kiamba, zewa. 
 
 Abaja, isbiafa. 
 
 Opanda, odsibo. 
 
 Yala, ejibe (greegree). 
 Sobo, sebo (sacrifice). 
 Egbir (sacrifice), esewo. 
 Lubulo (sacrifice), 
 ndzumbi. 
 
 Sobo, ejo. 
 
 Abandi, ngafu. 
 
 Heaven, Sky. 
 Ekamtulufu, nebo. 
 Mbofon, sowo-nebo. 
 Udom, lebo. 
 
 Aleje, lebue. 
 
 Nyombe, ndzambi. 
 Lubulo, koandzambi. 
 
 Isoama, juko. 
 
 Kra, juku. 
 
 [Tibetan, nam."] 
 Russian, nebo. 
 
 Navel, Belly. 
 AVun, nawo. 
 
 Musu, nubo. 
 
 Aleje, nefo. 
 
 Kamuku, liuwu. 
 
 Yala, lepu. 
 
 Gajaga, sumpo. 
 Kasanj, mujimbi. 
 Bode, sabu. 
 
 Tiwi, ijombo. 
 
 Muntu, masaku. 
 Bagbrmi, jiwili. 
 Kandin, jibia. 
 
 Houssa, jibia. 
 
 Juku, juko. 
 
 Houssa (belly), jiki. 
 Kandin (belly), jiki. 
 
 „ tedis. 
 
 Isoama, otuwc. 
 
 Abaja, otubo. 
 
 Bribri, mowo. 
 
 Tiribi, tuwa. 
 
 „ (belly) bowo. 
 Brunka, tuwong. 
 
 Soso (Afr.), kuli. 
 Abandi (Afr.), ngoli. 
 
 Fish. 
 
 Kisi, suwa. 
 
 Fulup, siwol. 
 
 Kisi, siwo. 
 
 Dewoi, zemi. 
 
 Gurma, jamu. 
 
 Goali, siowo. 
 
 Banyun, jokorot. 
 Mimboma, zimpfu. 
 Musentandu, zimbizi. 
 Muntu, usomba. 
 Marawi, tsomba. 
 Bribri, nima. 
 Japanese, siwo. 
 
 Tamil (India), ckepa. 
 Finnish, kala. 
 
 Sibu or Sowo being the god, the name was of course found 
 for spirit or devil, such degradations of an older god being a 
 
10 
 
 Hyde Clarke. — On Serpent amt Siva Worship 
 
 leading fact in mythology. It was also found under the same 
 conditions as idol, sacrifice, and greegree. The conformity of 
 god and sky is a mythological fact well known in Aryan 
 mythology, and indeed it is the basis of the common school of 
 weather mythology, in which the phenomena of the mythologies 
 of the whole world is dealt with in a favourite method. It is, 
 however, a prehistoric fact, predominating Aryan and later 
 operations, and it applies to Sibu. 
 
 In searching for the meaning of the name Sihu, reasons led 
 me to seek in that for navel, and it will be found fully repre- 
 sented. Navel and bell)'’ words are intermixed. The bowel, 
 however, takes the name of a snake, and this led me to look for 
 snake as an equivalent. Snake is further equivalent to fish.* 
 The rainbow is also a snake in Bribri. Thus we have a whole 
 apparatus for the mythology of serpent worship and the powers 
 of nature. 
 
 On examining eastward for sibo, or sowo, and nebo, many 
 indications present themselves. Nebo or Nabo is the name of 
 a Chaldean god (says Dr. W. Smith), a well-known deity of 
 the Babylonians and Assyrians. In Babylonia Nebo held a 
 prominent place from an early time, and his name forms part 
 of the names of many kings, as Nebuchadnezzar. It is extra- 
 ordinary that the population of Nehaioth, in Arabia, is found 
 closely connected with the Sabaeans. 
 
 The question arises whether the rock-monument of Niobe on 
 Mount Sipylus, near Magnesia and Smyrna, may not have been 
 a Nebo. The ancient writers dispute whether it was a man or 
 a woman. The name Sipulus, I thought, was Suburu, Accad, 
 a statue (“Prehistoric Comparative Philology ”), but it may 
 also relate to sibu. Every trace of speculation is worth following. 
 Nebo was a mountain name in Palestine. 
 
 Seha, in Greek, signifies worship, adoration, veneration, and 
 is worthy of notice as indicating a possible relation to the ancient 
 worship, and with which the term Sabazios may be connected. 
 
 There was an Ethiopian god, Assabinus, that is, Assubi or Sabi. 
 Seb, Seb-ra, or Sobok, was a god of the Egyptians, equivalent 
 to Khronos. 
 
 Saba was a very old Arabian king. (Rev. Prof. Campbell, 
 “The Hivitcs,” p. 28 .) 
 
 One of the Hebrew names of God is nitov, Tsebaoth or Sebaotb. 
 This is commonly translated Lord of hosts or armies, but it is 
 more possibly Seba. It is to be observed that there are doubts 
 among the Talmudists whether Sebaotb is properly a Hebrew 
 name of God, and whether it is not profane. Turning to Zeus 
 and Diaus, a new conjecturo for their origin presents itself. 
 
 * The words also cover tho phallus. 
 
and Jfi/tholo/ji/ in Central America, Africa, and A*ia, 11 
 
 In Smith’s aiul the other dictionaries, is to be’ found 
 Sabasius or Sabazios, and the materials arc most confused. Ho 
 was made into Jupiter Sabazios or Dionusus Sabazios (Bacchus). 
 Re-constructing the materials, we find Saba, an old god of 
 Phrygia, whose worship extended over Asia and Greece, 
 lie was torn by the Titans into seven pieces. Serpents 
 figured largely in the initiations, midnight mysteries, and 
 processions. A golden serpent was dropped into the bosom of 
 the initiate, falling out of the bottom of the frock. Mixed up 
 in time with the later mythology, it was a religion of tho 
 populace, and by the more scientific was found to belong to 
 Zeus and Dionusus. Demosthenes looked upon it as disreputable. 
 
 AVith these stepping-stones we come to India, and we find 
 Siva as a member of the Hindoo Trimurti under most peculiar 
 circumstances, lie is, in most cases, co-equal with Brahma 
 and Vishnu, and his powers and properties are intermingled with 
 theirs. Ilis wife is Kali. They hold their own to this day as 
 popular gods. 
 
 Applying our material to deal with Siva or Shiva and Kali, 
 we find not only the former name but the latter in Africa. The 
 connections are those of Siva. Many of the Hindoo gods are 
 decorated with snakes, for such is the inheritance of serpent- 
 worship, but Siva is more particularly so provided. 
 
 There are two Hindoo legends of the Creation, but that most 
 popularly depicted represents Vishnu sleeping on a serpent, 
 Ananta, on the face of the waters, after the annihilation of a 
 former Creation. Fiom his navel springs a long stem ending 
 in a lotus, and from this Brahma is born, who produces Siva. 
 The three are, however, brothers born together. Thus the 
 belly is the seat of creation, and from the navel proceeds the 
 stem, which must be assimilated to the snake of the bowel. AVe 
 have the conformity in this main Siva legend of the god, his 
 wife, of the navel, and the snake. In the present state of Siva 
 worship we have the increments of various ages and of various 
 races, corresponding to those which in a shorter period affected 
 Sabazios in Phrygia and Greece. AAV are justified in regarding 
 Siva and Kali as a prehistoric legend, which has survived in 
 Hindoo mythology and been dealt with by a later dominant 
 race. 
 
 Turning back to Central America, we find in the scanty 
 gleanings of Air. Gabb many things very suggestive. Sibu is 
 the one god, but he has twenty names. The people were very 
 indignant at the proposition that there was more than one god. 
 A distinct line is drawn between Sibu and the numerOfis local 
 or individual spirits, demons, or devils and ghosts of the dead. 
 So, too, Capt. Hay says that in Akem, in the corresponding 
 
12 
 
 Hyde Clarke. — On Serpent anil Sica Worship 
 
 district in West Africa, the god is one god. This is a very 
 remarkable feature corresponding to the cai-dinal doctrine of 
 Hindoo mythology, and it is suggestive of a widety- spread 
 doctrine in the early prehistoric epochs. The divinity is one, 
 but he is the spirit of all nature in every form, and in every 
 development of the operations of the natural world. Each 
 man was a manifestation of him. 
 
 The staff of the priests is gathered with care and devotion 
 from a mystic timber, because it is guarded by a venomous 
 snake. A circumstance particularly noticed by Mr. Gabb is 
 that the songs of the priests are in a peculiar language, and 
 although most anxious to obtain information on this head, he 
 was most unfortunately prevented. 
 
 A curious fact must not be omitted, although not immediately 
 relevant. In Santa Domingo there are no venomous reptiles, 
 but, says Mr. Gabb, a poisonous plant is called kibe, which is 
 the same as the Bribri kebe, snake. Shiva or Shivatt was the 
 Mexican god of war. 
 
 In the table of Sibu names, a few words belonging to the 
 series are introduced, but, as a general principle, the names of 
 the great local god of African tribes conform with navel and 
 snake, like sibu. 
 
 With regard to the tree, it is good to note some points which 
 illustrate its worship and the doctrine of Dryads. With us we 
 talk of the arms of a tree, but in the complete notion of a tree 
 in Africa and Central America there is the trunk, the head, the 
 arms. The leaves figure as fingers or as tongues. In the latter 
 relation we have the idea of the Dryads speaking. The roots, 
 however, have their distinct meaning. In Africa they are toes 
 (see table), in Central America the buttock of the tree. Thus 
 the tree is a complete being on the model of a man, and anima- 
 tion is only a stage forward. 
 
 So as to the river. We are familiar with its heads and arms, 
 and in the prehistoric epoch it had its heads and arms, but what 
 we call mouths are in Bribri the buttock or rump. In the 
 case of the river it was most easy to anticipate its possession 
 of a life, and the stage of its worship was a sequence to be 
 looked for. 
 
 lloot. 
 
 gbiro 
 
 Toe. 
 
 Kasin 
 
 Sobo 
 
 Olonia 
 
 Gum 
 
 Uoko 
 
 Ailampo 
 
 Konguan 
 
 Gbe (Afr.) 
 
 alike 
 
 liade 
 
 owusc 
 
 ugo 
 
 kumgulo 
 
 gesane 
 
 nkanok 
 
 bie-gburo, G. 
 gbere, Nupe 
 (tide, A. 
 nanina, K. 
 isiawo, S. 
 ikanena, O. 
 kieroguro, G. 
 kisa, ii. 
 henuraka, K. 
 ckinafton, Mbariko 
 
and Mythology in Central America, Africa, and Asia. 
 
 id 
 
 
 Root. 
 
 Toe. 
 
 Pajade (Afr.) 
 
 pukado 
 
 pukan, Bola (Afr.), &c. 
 
 Soso (Afr.) 
 
 sankei 
 
 senkonne, Mandingo. 
 
 Tone (Afr.) 
 
 baridc 
 
 berni, Gbnndo. 
 
 Soso(fing.) (Afr.) 
 
 bile 
 
 bulo, Mandingo (Afr.) 
 
 Koama (Afr.) 
 
 nakel 
 
 nika, Kiamba (Afr.) 
 
 Isoama (Afr.) 
 
 oboroko 
 
 ngbaroga, Iskieii(Afr.) 
 
 Yorubo 
 
 egbogi 
 
 agbalogba, Abaji. 
 
 Undaza 
 
 moakanga 
 
 moaku, Ndobu. 
 
 Toe is of course in many cases = finger. 
 
 The seat of Sibu is in the sky, in the zenith, that is, in the 
 navel of the clay, and its sphere or bell}". 
 
 In Bribri, the rainbow is a snake of the sky for the day, and 
 we may expect to find that the milky way is the snake of the 
 night. So we witness the rainbow serving as a road for gods 
 and their messengers, and again TVatling Street or the milky 
 way serving as their road. 
 
 As a further instance of the light which may be obtained 
 from African sources, to illustrate the origin of mythology, a 
 more direct example than that of Sabazios may be taken. 
 
 The mythology of Greece and Asia Minor is usually mixed 
 together, and treated as of one type, and hence there is a diffi- 
 culty in ascertaining its true relations. That of Thebes, in 
 Bocotia, if separated from the other centres, affords materials 
 useful for comparison. 
 
 The names of the kings of Thebes, their wives and children, 
 form a remarkable series. 
 
 Children. 
 
 Cadmus = Hermiouc. 
 
 Ino. 
 
 Eckion. 
 
 A gave. 
 
 Atkamas = Nepkelc. 
 
 Pkryxus. 
 
 llelle. 
 
 „ = Ino. 
 
 Learckus. 
 
 Melikertes. 
 
 (Pakemon.) 
 
 Amphion = Niobe. 
 
 Eckion = Agave. 
 
 Pentkcus. 
 
 
 In the Caucasus we have 
 
 Prometkeus. 
 
 Deucalion. 
 
 
 Epimedes — Pandora. 
 
 
 Pyrrka. 
 
 In Phcrnicia we have 
 
 Poseidon — Libya. 
 
 Agenor. 
 
 Bclus. 
 
 Elsewhere we have 
 
 Ilcrakles = Hebe. 
 
 A similarity of names is shown in 
 
 Adam — Kkaveh. Cain. Abel. 
 
 The incidents of the Theban and allied legends have many 
 points of similarity. The men are founders ; there is a creation 
 (Cadmus, Prometheus) ; a woman is created (Pandora) ; the 
 
14 Hyde Clarke. — On Serpent and Sica Worship. 
 
 woman is the cause of evil (Ino, Pandora, Agave) ; nakedness 
 and dress are referred to (Hebe, Pandora) ; there is a contest 
 with serpents (Cadmus) ; they are subjected to exile ; the son 
 is killed and the children are unfortunate (Palcemon, and children 
 of Niobe, Cadmus, Echion, and Libya). 
 
 In Africa the names of the women of these legends are found 
 in some allied roots. 
 
 Khaveli, Hebe 
 
 Ewa (Ira) Rib 
 
 Egba. 
 
 Khar eh, Agare 
 
 Kafef 
 
 FUham. 
 
 
 Grafe „ 
 
 Bode. 
 
 Agave 
 
 Eguha „ 
 
 Yoruba, &c. 
 
 
 Eguaya „ 
 
 Ota. 
 
 
 ^gdag „ 
 
 Abaja. 
 
 Khaveli, 
 
 Efe ,, 
 
 Bini, &c. 
 
 Hebe 
 
 Aba „ 
 
 Kupa, &c. 
 
 Ncphele, Pandora, Niohc, and Ino, can also be distinguished. 
 They arc also names for sisters or women. Abel (Mbale) and 
 Cain (Kama) are names given to elder and younger brothers. 
 
 Rib is the root, which is equivalent to side, and thereby to 
 brother and sister. So, too, in Accad, bab signifies side, rib, 
 and mother. Thus it is easy to conceive Eve, or Agave, being 
 treated as the rib or side. This word Gafa, or Gaba, is also a 
 negative, and in some instances signified night. Thus a com- 
 munity of idea of night or sleep, rib, and death and evil, is 
 provided in the words as the material for legend, and with the 
 two words for elder and younger brother, a community of legend 
 was prefigured in prehistoric times, which could be distributed 
 in the various regions of the earth.