The sacred emblems carried in the ark of the Egyptians were the Phallus, the Egg, and the Serpent; the first representing the sun, fire, and male or generative principle—the Creator; the second, the passive or female, the germ of all animated things—the Preserver; and the last the Destroyer: the Three of the sacred Trinity. The Hindu women, according to Payne Knight, still carry the lingam, or consecrated symbol of the generative attribute of the deity, in solemn procession between two serpents; and in a sacred casket, which held the Egg and the Phallus in the mystic processions of the Greeks, was also a Serpent. “The ark,” says Faber, “was reverenced in all the ancient religions.” It was often represented in the form of a boat, or ship, as well as an oblong chest. The rites of the Druids, with those of Phœnicia and Hindostan, show that an ark, chest, cell, boat, or cavern, held an important place in their mysteries. In the story of Osiris, like that of the Siva, will be found the reason for the emblem being carried in the sacred chest, and the explanation of one of the mysteries of the Egyptian priests. It is said that Osiris was torn to pieces by the wicked Typhon, who after cutting up the body, distributed the parts over the earth. Isis recovered the scattered limbs, and brought them back to Egypt; but, being unable to find the part which distinguished his sex, she had an image made of wood, which was enshrined in an ark, and ordered to be solemnly carried about in the festivals she had instituted in his honour, and celebrated with certain secret rites. The Egg, which accompanied the Phallus in the ark was a very common symbol of the ancient faiths, which was considered as containing the generation of life. The image of that which generated all things in itself. Jacob Bryant says:—“The Egg, as it contained the principles of life was thought no improper emblem of the ark, in which were preserved the future world. Hence in the Dionysian and in other mysteries, one part of the nocturnal ceremony consisted in the consecration of an egg.” This egg was called the Mundane Egg. The ark was likewise the symbol of salvation, the place of safety, the secret receptacle of the divine wisdom. Hence we find the ark of the Jews containing the tables of the law; we find too that the Jews were ordered to place in the ark Aaron’s rod, which budded, conveying the idea of symbolised fertility: showing that the ark was considered as the receptacle of the life principle—as an emblem of the Creator.