Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-22
PRIMITIVEM AN'SABODE
ETHNIC INFLUENCES IN ARCH
lecture SUBJECT OF PAPER.
Religious Belief Has Had a Great Ell
feet Upon the Builders Of
the World.
From the Boston Transcript.

From the Bostor Transcript.
One of the most interesting and instruc-
tive papers of the season was that presented
at the last meeting of the Boston Scientific
Society by DIR. John S. Flagg, entitled Eth
mic Influences in Architecture
The earliest refugees of man. the lecturer
said, were undoubtedly the caves and ifs
sures in the rocks, of which he disputed
occupany with the cave bears and other
wild creatures of his times. In Africa it
has been the custom for no one knows how
long a time for the apes to pluck the large
leaves to lay over themselves as a covering
during times of repose Man in the same
countries did the same, but advanced, so
that frequently several large leaves were
plucked, their ends stuck into the ground
and their tips brought together, forming
the conical hut, the strength of which was
later increased by the simple operation OF
tying the tips together
This pattern of hut is worldwide among
the aborigines, being represented by the
wigwam of our Indians and the conical
tents or lodges of other nations. The Eski-
mo igloo, built as 1t Is of ice, is not of this
nature, but may be referred rather to the
type of cave, being merely an artificial cave
in the Ice. AS civilization progressed the
huts were made larger and were gradually
elevated from the ground In modern archi-
lecture the type prevails in the many conf
cal roofs or towers winch ABOUND IN all
civilized lands.
Same Pace on Both Continents.
The beginnings of things, as we know
them, seem to have been in the lost AT
lantis," which, however, the legend has
mislocated for it was in the Pacific ocean.
All of the islanders agree in having some
form of legend which makes their present
islands but the mountain tops of great
land. study of the skulls of the peoples
living today at the extremities of the for
mer continent, separated today by thou
sands of miles of ocean, shows them to be
typically the same; the sculptured relics of
Mexico and YuCatan exhibit carved in the
stone the forms and animals of the Asian
type, which to our knowledge never lived
on our continent. The forms of their mon
uments, many elements in decoration and
other items point to a civilization like that
of ancient India as the origin of the beliefs
and practices and the architecture of the
newer world.
Returning to a consideration of the old
relics of India, DR. Flagg showed how the
religion influenced the architecture. Dsre-
garding the earliest forms of the religion
of fear, he considered SILVA worship. SILVA
the creative god and the destructive
one; he created life only to destroy it. He
a form of the sun myth and an out
growth of the sun worship, but his influence
upon the religion was a gloomy fatalistic
one. There was really no object in living
save to be destroyed Juggernaut was one
destructive feature was at its maximum.
India and It's Savior.
Next to India came Krshna, the savior,
He was born of virgin at the time of the
winter solstice was represented as accom-
panied throughout his life by an intimate
friend, their figures adjoining the entrances
of the temples In these it is said that there
is a repast commemorated which some
have likened to the last supper, and it is
further claimed that in these temples ap-
pears the inscription of love which is por-
ton of savior's religion, the Sanscrit
pears the inscription of love which is por-
equivalent of Peace on earth, and unto
men good will" The architecture from this
point of departure takes on more cheerful
aspect although retaining it's endless repe-
tition of the same or similar sculptures.
All of these religions were phases of sun
worship. the benefcent sun, now, which
sheds his rays over the earth to bring forth
life, and many rites of the worship were
celebrated. One of these, the welcoming
and adoring of the sun from the top of the
sacred mountain, was most important
one.
This it is that has given to Fujiyama its
sacredness, for during hundreds of years
the welcome to the sun and its alteration
were ceremonies performed on its summit.
1t was welcomed with fire, which had to be
produced by rubbing sticks together, and
a his rays appeared these were held aloft
in a form which is said to have given the
cross its embleTatic nature. The cross
was a religious symbol and entered into
Christian era.