(6) The Altar of Incense, being very simple in its parts and uses, has been represented with so little difference, except in some ornamental details, that one of the figures designed from the descrip tions may suffice.
It is not our object to describe the altars of other nations; but, to supply materials for com parison and illustration, a group of the altars of the principal nations of Oriental and classical an tiquity is here introduced. One obvious remark occurs, namely, that all the Oriental altars are square or oblong, whereas those of Greece and Rome are more usually round, and that, upon the whole, the Hebrew altars were in accordance with the general Oriental type. In all of them The injunction that there should be no ascent by steps to the altar appears to have been im perfectly understood. There arc no accounts or figures of altars so elevated in their fabric as to require such steps for the officiating priests; but when altars arc found on rocks or hills, the as cent to them is sometimes facilitated by steps rut in the rock. This, therefore, may have been an indirect way of preventing that erection of altars in high places which the Scriptures so often reprobate.
(4) Horns of the Altar. It is usually supposed, however, that the effect of this prohibition was that the tabernacle altar, like most ancient altars, was so low as to need no ascent, or else that some other kind of ascent was provided. The former is probably
right, for the altar was but three cubits high, and was designed to be portable. There is one error in thee and other figures of the Jewish altars compo-ed from the descriptions; namely, with re gard to the 'horns,' which were placed at the cor ners, called 'the horns of the altar' (Exod. XXVii :2: XXIX :12; u Kings ii :28). and to which the victims were tied at the time of sacrifice. The word horn was applied by the Jews as an epithet descriptive of any point projecting in any direction after the manner of a horn (not neces sarily like a horn in shape) ; and there is no rea son to doubt that the horns of the successive altars of burnt offerings resembled those corners projecting upwards which are seen in many an cient altars. These are shown in the view de picting the probable form of the Jewish altar of burnt offerings.
(5) Solomon's Altar. By the time of Solomon It appears to have been understood that the inter• diction of steps of ascent did not imply that the altar was to be low, but rather that it was to be we observe bases with corresponding projections at the top, and in some we find the true model of the horns, or prominent and pointed angles. ( See