For a good survey of ancient Hebrew cosmology, check out Stanley Jaki's
_Genesis One Through the Ages_. Jaki proposes that the "tent" is the
visual model of the world prevalent in the Hebrew mind. (Incidentally,
though Stan would disagree with this, I think this view is consistent
with Mosaic authorship -- since it fits better with the period of the
wilderness wanderings more than the latter exilic period).
Dennis Durst