Anacalypsis is the short title of a lengthy two-volume treatise written by religious historian Godfrey Higgins, and published upon his death in 1833. The book was published in two quarto volumes numbering 1,436 pages, and contains meticulous references to hundreds of books. Initially printed as a limited edition of 200 copies, it was partially reprinted in 1878, and completely reprinted in a limited edition of 350 copies in 1927. The full title of this work is Anacalypsis: An Attempt to Draw Aside the Veil of the Saitic or an Inquiry into the Origin of Languages, Nations and Religions. 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Events January 7 - First transatlantic telephone call - New York City to London January 9 - Military rebellion crushed in Lisbon January 14 - Paul Doumer elected president of France January 19 - Britain sends troops to China February 12 - First British troops lad on Shanghai February 14 - Earthquake in Yugoslavia - 700 dead February...

The book is densely written, in language that in places appears cryptic. Higgins hints that there may be additional layers of meaning in his word choice, stating in the preface to Vol. I:

[T]here are more passages than one in the book, which are of that nature, which will be perfectly understood by my Masonic friends, but which my engagements prevent me explaining to the world at large.

The work is the product of more than twenty years of research, during which Higgins tried to uncover "a most ancient and universal religion from which all later creeds and doctrines sprang." [1] (http://www.mandaeanworld.com/mandaean_bibliography_book_11) It includes several maps and lithographic plates of Druidical Monuments. The book itself details many of Higgins' beliefs and observations about the development of religion. Among these was his theory that a secret religious order, which he labeled pandeism (from Pans- or Pandu- referring to a family of Gods, appending with -ism), had continued from ancient times to the present day, stretching at least from Greece to India, and possibly having once covered the entire world: A map of the world by Johannes Kepler A map is a simplified depiction of a space, a navigational aid which highlights relations between objects within that space. ... Lithography is a method for printing on a smooth surface, as well as a method of manufacturing semiconductor and MEMS devices. ... Druid can refer to: a priest of the religion of the ancient Celts, see Druidry. ... Pandeism (or a Pandæan religion) was a term originally used by Godfrey Higgins, a historian of religions, [1] to describe a religious society that he purported had existed from ancient times, and at one time had been known throughout the entire world. ...

All this seems to confirm the very close connexion which there must have been in some former time, between Siam, Afghanistan, Western Syria, and Ireland. Indeed I cannot doubt that there has been really one grand empire, or one Universal, one Pandæan, or one Catholic religion, with one language, which has extended over the whole of the world; uniting or governing at the same time...

Among the many unusual theories presented in this book is that both the Celtic Druids and the Jews originated in India - and that the name of the Biblical Abraham is really a variation of the word Brahma, created by shifting the last letter to the beginning: Abrahma. The word Celtic can refer to: the European Celtic people, ancient or modern the Celtic languages, spoken by these people and their modern descendents the Celtic (Lusitania), Celts from the Alentejo. ... The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. ... Abraham (אַבְרָהָם Father/Leader of many, Standard Hebrew Avraham, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAḇrāhām; Arabic ابراهيم Ibrāhīm) is the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... This article concerns the Hindu creator god, Brahma. ...

Higgins died before he was able to complete the final chapter on Christianity. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ...

Later references

Kersey Graves, a 19th century atheist critic of Christianity, and author of the 1875 book The World's 16 Crucified Saviours, derived "many of the most important facts collated in this work" from the Anacalypsis.[2] (http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/kersey_graves/16/explain.shtml) This biographical article needs to be wikified. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

V.S. Solovyoff, author of the 1895 book, A Modern Priestess of Isis, was alleged to have plagiarized extensively from Higgins, among others. The same investigator also alleged similar plagiarism in Madame Blavatsky's 1888, work, The Secret Doctrine. [3] (http://www.theohistory.org/thcovers/thscan103.html#Anchor-of-47942) 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Plagiarism refers to the use of anothers ideas, information, language, or writing, when done without proper acknowledgment of the original source. ... Helena Blavatsky Helena Petrovna Hahn (also Hélène) (July 31, 1831 (O.S.) (August 12, 1831 (N.S.)) - May 8, 1891 London, England), better known as Helena Blavatsky or Madame Blavatsky was the founder of Theosophy. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, a book originally published as two volumes in 1888, is Madame Blavatskys magnum opus. ...

External links

• Anacalypsis page on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1564592731/102-5573047-5338556?v=glance)
• Mandaean Bibliography: The Anacalypsis (http://www.mandaeanworld.com/mandaean_bibliography_book_11)
• "The Anacalypsis of Godfrey Higgins — Precursor of Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine" (http://www.theohistory.org/thcovers/thscan103.html#Anchor-of-47942) (Theosophical History (http://www.theohistory.org/): Volume 1, Issue 3; 1983)
  • "Timeline of Godfrey Higgins" (http://thenewageobserver.nexuswebs.net/na_timeline_godfrey_higgins.shtml) (The New Age Observer; same information as above)
• The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors (http://www.awitness.org/essays/bkup/16_crucified_saviors/chap16.html) (Chapter 16, Kersey Graves)
• Collation of Theosophical Glossaries (http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/ctg/ctg-hp.htm)
• "Godfrey Higgins" (http://burghwallis.com/village/articles/higgins.htm) (Burghwallis.com)