Four corners of the world

Ancient near eastern traditions

Main article: Ancient near eastern cosmology

In Mesopotamian cosmology, four rivers flowing out of the garden of creation, which is the center of the world, define the four corners of the world. From the point of view of the Akkadians, the northern geographical horizon was marked by Subartu, the west by , the east by Elam and the south by Sumer; later rulers of all of Mesopotamia, such as Cyrus, claimed among their titles akk, "King of the Four Corners".[[File:Cosmological Diagram. Aluvihara, Sri Lanka 0475.jpg|thumb|Tibetan conception of four rivers dividing the world into quadrants]]

Semitic traditions

In Christianity and Judaism, the Old Testament (Book of Genesis, ) identifies the Garden of Eden, and the four rivers as the Tigris, Euphrates, Pishon, and Gihon. The Tigris runs to Assyria, the Euphrates to Armenia, the Pishon to Havilah or Elam, and the Gihon to Ethiopia.George & George (2014) The Mythology of Eden, Rowman & Littlefield | author-link = Richard D. Nelson | publication-date = 2006 The four corners of the earth are also spoken of in the book of Revelation 7:1, and mention of the "four quarters of the earth" appears in Revelation 20:8.

Indian traditions

In Hinduism, the sacred mountain Kailash has four sides, from which four rivers flow to the four quarters of the world (the Ganges, Indus, Oxus (Amu Darya), and Śita (Tarim)), dividing the world into four quadrants. Another account portrays a celestial mountain, Mount Meru, buttressed by four terrestrial mountain ranges which extend in four directions. Between them lie four sacred lakes, through which the celestial river divides into four earthly rivers, which flow to the four corners and irrigate the four quadrants of the Earth. Buddhism and the Bon religion of Tibet have similar accounts.

Another similar account from Jain cosmology features a model of the universe with the world of humans located in the middle. Mount Meru is shown on the central continent Jambudvīpa which is surrounded by a series of concentric continents and oceans bordered by a serrated ring marking the mountain range beyond which humans cannot travel. Past this boundary in the four corners of the world are four temples enshrining Jinas, flanked by celebrants and celestial attendants.

References

References

1. "The Four Quarters of the World – Epiphany".
2. "Jain cosmological map of adhaidvipa". [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]].