Cosmological System of the Universe (Oedipus Aegyptiacus)

The woodcut is a circular diagram representing the universe, featuring a central cross surrounded by concentric rings labeled as spheres for the Sun, Moon, and planets. A large pair of wings at the top emits beams of light or energy downward toward the center. Scattered throughout the rings are stars and various alchemical or astrological sigils, while a secondary, smaller planetary model sits at the base. Latin text is interspersed within the circles and at the bottom margins.

This diagram appears in Athanasius Kircher’s 'Oedipus Aegyptiacus', a massive synthesis of Hermetic, Kabbalistic, and Egyptian lore that attempted to provide a universal key to all ancient knowledge. It reflects the 17th-century intellectual synthesis of Aristotelian physics, Neoplatonic theology, and the Jesuit fascination with the structure of the heavens.