The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-11
Fashions Of the Ancient Hebrew Ladies.

The Irst thing that would have struck
us IN examining the garde-robe OF a
Hebrew lady, would have been the guam
tlty of dresses. In tnis great age OF
simplicity such a thing would naturally
astonish us. Hebrew women were, in
deed, iond OF dress, and the luxury
amongst them manifested in the
richness and variety of dresses, and the
quantity Of ornaments and jewelry, was
soon arried to such an extent that it be,
came necessary to protest against it.
There is no doubt that the intercourse
between the Jewish and other nations
increased the ladies felt no longer satis-
fed with the primitive simplicity. The
fashions of the clever Egyptians, the
elegant Ph9nicians, and the luxurious
Persians, were soon eagerly sought after
and reproduced. Even job got impa-
tient at the dresses, and all of us have
read that magnificent, bold denunciation
OF Isaiah, as with wi:hering sarcasm he
denounces the "women of the period"
living Tor nothing else but dress and Hir-
tation, and having but one desire, ''to
see and to be seem" Now, look first at
the under garment: Ketonet tunica.
1t was worn by men end women, but OF
course, women had things made Of the
very best material. ttwas made of wool
Oh linen, white or blue, now. and then
striped--and afterward-thanks to the
Persians-0f silky material. 1t was
worn on the naked body, and q person
wearing it is often described as naked,
which, in the language of the nineteenth
century, means that she was sen Rel-
tige."
The Eastern dresses are very far from
being close hts, and the KetOnet was
at first a loose garment, without sleeves,
reaching down to the knees. But the
Ketonet became gradually tighter. The
Persians, who were the dandies of the
old world, wore them of considerable
length, but not every one could afford
this additional expense. 1t is supposed
that the poor wore no other dress except
The Ketonet. The second article to be
found in the garde-robe of wealthy peo-
pie was the sadijin, translated fine linen
in our version of the third chapter of
Isaiah. suppose that it was worn over
the ketonet. In the fourteenth chapter
oil the Book of Judges the same Hebrew
word is translated differently, Thirdly,
some ladies wore q second undergar-
ment, a long, wide tunica, with or with
out arms, known amongst the Greeks and
Romans, and worn also by the PhGni-
clans. 1t was made OF costly material
and richly inwoven with flowers and
l.
covered with ornaments, the flowers
were generally OF the darkest purple,
and the borders were trimmed with gold
and brilliant colors. Next came the
girdle to keep up the dress, SO much
thought OF amongst all the nations Of
antiquity, as ! need hardly remind the
readers OF Homer. 1t was made of diff
ierent materials, according TO the taste,
or rather the purse, of the owner. The
common girdles were Of leather, and
very narrow. Some were of silk or gold,
and ornamented with silver buckles;
they were worn around the loins; women
wore them lower and more loosely than
men. Small bottles with scent were
often fastened to the giidle, and some-
times also an elegant pocket, in which
money or things OF value were kept.
TIE last piece of clothing snalI men,
tion is the upper garment, a long, wide
mantle with train that would delight
our Western ladies. 1t seems to have
been originally a square piece of cloth,
somewhat like Iplg shawl. AT first it
was made of camePs hair, afterwards it
was made of cotton. Those worn in
summer were OF light material, like
our muslin, whilst fof those IN use dur
ing the winter q thicker material was
generally chosen. The simlah was USE
iul and ornamental. 1t was often used
as O carpet OF as a covering during the
night. Hence the law OF Moses, which
regulated several things-ior instance,
that no mixture OF cotton and wool
should be used in the making Of mate
rials--cOmmanded that ii man through
poverty piedged his mantle it should be
restored to him after sunset. The SIM
lah was fastened with golden pins to
the shoulders, whence it tell in graceful
folds over the other garments. Some OF
the mantels must have been splendid; as
l said before, the garde-robe VI Hebrew
lady was we'll filed. In the Book of
Judges the then living girls are tnus de-
scribed by Deborah, "a prey OF divers
colors, prey OF divers colors OF needle
work." "Aer clothing is silk and pur-
ple,~ says LemueI. The Pbeencians
eXcelled in waving and dyeing, and
were we'll noted for their dark blue and
their purple, The Persians were noted
Ter their silk. There is no doubt that
the Hebrew ladies owed to them some
OF their Aast magnificent dresses,