The Moloch Idol in the Valley of Hinnom

A black-and-white woodcut depicting the idol of Moloch centered in a hilly landscape. The figure has the head of a bull with curved horns and a human-like torso featuring seven small, rectangular ovens arranged in a pyramid, each containing a fire and numbered 1 through 7. The lower half of the figure is encased in a large, circular furnace with an open hearth at the base showing flames. The surrounding terrain is labeled 'Vallis' on the left and 'Gehinnom' on the right, suggesting the biblical Valley of Hinnom.

This image appears in Athanasius Kircher's 'Oedipus Aegyptiacus' (1652), where he attempts to synthesize Egyptian, Phoenician, and biblical mythologies. It interprets the biblical accounts of child sacrifice to Moloch as a literal representation of a metal idol containing seven furnace chambers, reflecting early modern efforts to rationalize ancient pagan rituals through the lens of natural philosophy.