Amongvariousrudetribeswefindsurvivalsofaprimitiveideathattheearthisaflattableordisk，ceiled，domed，orcanopiedbythesky，andthattheskyrestsuponthemountainsaspillars。Suchabeliefisentirelynatural；itconformstotheappearanceofthings，andhenceataveryearlyperiodenteredintovarioustheologies。
InthecivilizationsofChaldeaandEgyptitwasveryfullydeveloped。TheAssyrianinscriptionsdecipheredintheselatteryearsrepresentthegodMardukasinthebeginningcreatingtheheavensandtheearth：theearthrestsuponthewaters；withinitistherealmofthedead；aboveitisspread“thefirmament“——asoliddomecomingdowntothehorizononallsidesandrestinguponfoundationslaidinthe“greatwaters“whichextendaroundtheearth。
Ontheeastandwestsidesofthisdomedfirmamentaredoors，throughwhichthesunentersinthemorninganddepartsatnight；
aboveitextendsanotherocean，whichgoesdowntotheoceansurroundingtheearthatthehorizononallsides，andwhichissupportedandkeptawayfromtheearthbythefirmament。Abovethefirmamentandtheupperoceanwhichitsupportsistheinteriorofheaven。
TheEgyptiansconsideredtheearthasatable，flatandoblong，theskybeingitsceiling——ahuge“firmament“ofmetal。Atthefourcornersoftheearthwerethepillarssupportingthisfirmament，andonthissolidskywerethe“watersabovetheheavens。”Theybelievedthat，whenchaoswastakingform，oneofthegodsbymainforceraisedthewatersonhighandspreadthemoutoverthefirmament；thatontheundersideofthissolidvault，orceiling，orfirmament，thestarsweresuspendedtolighttheearth，andthattherainswerecausedbythelettingdownofthewatersthroughitswindows。ThisideaandothersconnectedwithitseemtohavetakenstrongholdoftheEgyptianpriestlycaste，enteringintotheirtheologyandsacredscience：