Elogium XXVII: Aegypti Prisca Sapientia (from Œdipus Ægyptiacus)

The central feature is a tall, tapering obelisk placed on a square pedestal. The obelisk features various incised figures, including a bird (ibis/ibis-like creature), lotus blossoms, a lion, and an owl. At the very top, a double-headed eagle with wings spread is positioned above an apex represented by an eye within a pyramid. The text, arranged in two vertical blocks on either side of the obelisk, praises the virtues and political stewardship of Ferdinand III, comparing his governance to the wisdom of ancient Egypt. The engraving style is clean, utilizing a symmetrical composition to create a monumental, architectural effect.

This plate comes from Athanasius Kircher’s 'Œdipus Ægyptiacus', a massive encyclopedic work that attempted to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs as a repository of primordial, Hermetic, and Christian truths. It exemplifies the 17th-century fascination with Egyptosophy and the endeavor to synthesize universal wisdom through syncretic symbolism.