“534. TINKLING ORNAMENTS AND MUFFLERS—ISAIAH 3:18-20”

Tinkling Ornaments and Mufflers—Isa_3:18-20

The “tinkling ornaments about their feet,” with which the prophet begins his enumeration of the Hebrew ladies’ attire and ornaments, will, in the absence of other materials, call to the minds of many readers that ancient lady of nursery rhyme, who had

“Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,

That she may have music wherever she goes.”

In fact, among the anklets worn by the dancing girls of India, there is one sort which has a row of small bells attached to it, for the purpose of producing a “tinkling” corresponding to the movements of the dance. We doubt, however, that anything of this kind is intended here; and rather suppose that the jingling of the anklets still ordinarily worn by the women among the Syro-Arabian nations, is what the prophet has in view.

Oriental Anklets

Anklets of solid gold or silver are worn by some ladies. These are of course very heavy, and knocking together as the wearer walks, make a ringing noise. Hence it is said in an Arabian love song, “The ringing of thy anklets hath deprived me of reason.” It is probably to this the text has reference. This ornament is much affected by women of all classes. We have seen them worn by the wives of the richer peasants, and the sheiks of villages, and even by servants, and by the women who distribute milk and butter (or, as we should call them, “milkmaids”) to the houses in towns. Small anklets of iron are worn by many children. It was, however, formerly a custom among the Arabs for girls to wear a string of bells on their feet; and little girls may still sometimes be seen with small bells attached to their anklets. The anklets in ordinary use are often not solid, but hollow; and this of course much enhances the sharp ringing sound which they produce when struck together, as, from the enlarged diameter, often happens in walking. In fact, the women thus adorned affect so to walk as that their anklets shall come into collision at each step they take; and this seems to have been the case among the Jewish women, for the prophet clearly describes them as “mincing their steps as they go,” in order to make this “tinkling with their feet.” This seems to supply a sufficient explanation. But some interpreters assert that the Hebrew ladies of fashion wore bells to the hem of their garments. We know from sculptures that such appendages were used by the ancient Bacchantes for the sake of the sound they afforded when the wearer moved actively in the dance; and that the idea of this usage was not unknown to the Israelites, appears from the fact, that small bells were attached to the hem of the high-priest’s robe.

But what are the “cauls” which are next presented to our notice? This is more than can be said with distinctness. Mr. Jenour translates the term by “worked sandals,” for the reason that, as the prophet is speaking of the ornaments of the feet and legs, “it is but reasonable to suppose he would observe some kind of order.” It does not appear, however, that the prophet does observe this kind of order; and what is “reasonable to suppose,” is not sufficient authority for an interpretation which the original does not sanction. We know very well what the Hebrew word for sandals is, and there is no trace of it here. The marginal reading is “network;” and several learned interpreters collect from the Arabic language that the word employed denotes certain points and studs, used to ornament the hair. If this be the case, we can be at no loss about it, for we find the same thing in use at this day among the Arabian women. They divide their hair into a number of braids, which fall down the back, and to each of which are attached three silken threads, charged with small ornaments of gold, and terminating with small coins of the same metal. The whole of this piece of work presents a rich appearance, and at some little distance, has a sort of mailed or reticulated aspect, which might very well suggest “network” as a suitably descriptive term, if the original word is to be so understood. Indeed, the idea of “interweaving,” on which this interpretation is founded, is fully exemplified in this sort of ornament, since the silken threads are, for a third of their length, generally interwoven with their hair. It is called safa, and Mr. Lane says of it: “The safa appears to me the prettiest, as well as the most singular, of all the ornaments worn by the ladies of Egypt. The glittering of the bark, Note: The name of the little ornaments taken separately. etc., and their chinking together as the wearer walks, have a peculiarly lively effect.” This last circumstance seems to furnish a strong corroboration of the opinion we have hazarded; for, as being chinking ornaments of the hair, we might expect them to be mentioned immediately after, and in connection with, the “tinkling ornaments about the feet.”

The Safa and Bark

Egyptian Ornaments of the Hair

In regard to “the round tires like the moon,” it is usually suggested that the ornaments in question were small moon like figures, strung together, and worn as a necklace. It is, however, possible that the comparison to the moon is only employed—according to existing Eastern usage—to denote the luster of the ornament rather than its form. In this view the Arabians give the name of moon (kamarah) to the splendid ornament (moon-like only from its brilliancy), generally of gold, and sometimes set with jewels, which is worn in front of the female head-dress. Another ornament applied to the same purpose might suggest a comparison to the moon by its roundness; and, indeed, jeweled crescents are also among the ornaments worn in the head-dress of females. Thus, upon the whole, there seems little reason to doubt the use of the ornaments in question, whatever may have been their particular shape.

Arabian Kamarah

Pendants

The “chains” that come next are literally “drops,” or “pendants,” and probably comprehend all kinds of pendant ornaments, including ear-rings, necklaces, and the like. Ear-rings, as worn by men, we have had some former occasion of noticing. Note: Morning Series; Eleventh Week—Monday.

Although, as then remarked, ear-rings are never now used by men in the countries named in Scripture, they are there still favorite ornaments with the women; and they are sometimes of tasteful form, though usually, like all Oriental jewelry, of somewhat rough workmanship. Of necklaces we are now enabled to present the reader with existing Arabo-Egyptian examples, which appear to be very similar to those used by the ancient Egyptian ladies, as figured on the monuments. The first is of diamonds, set in gold; the second consists of several strings of pearls, with an emerald in the center; the third is composed of hollow beads, with a bead of a different kind in the center; the fourth is of hollow gold, and is called sha’eer (barley) from its shape.

Arabo-Egyptian Necklaces

Arabian and Syrian Bracelets

“Bracelets,” which next follow, have already received our consideration; Note: Morning Series: Thirty-fifth Week—Friday. but to the ancient examples there given, we now add specimens of those at present in common use among the women of Arabia and Syria; and we may add, that those represented, in the Assyrian sculptures, as worn by great personages, are remarkably rich and elegant being composed of a jointed plate charged with large rosettes (probably jeweled) nearly touching one another.

Muffler, or Veil

By the term rendered “mufflers,” a kind of veil is doubtless denoted. Various kinds of veils seem, indeed, to be mentioned in this description of a woman’s dress, and for the most part, such as we still find in the East. The one here denoted appears to have been a veil for the face, which, in this age, seems to have been affected by the ladies of the higher classes, although probably disregarded by the general body of the female population. At present the use of the veil for the face, out of doors, is common. This in Syria and Egypt is usually a long strip—black or white, plain or ornamented—fastened around the head, and descending nearly to the feet. We suppose this to be the one intended here. It does not cover the eyes; and the lower part being loose, has a sort of tremulous motion, to which there seems to be an allusion in the original Hebrew word.

We need not inform our lady readers that the “bonnets,” which come next before us, must be materially different from those articles of the same name which have a special interest to themselves. The head-dress, or turban, in a general sense, appears to be intended. This, apart from the golden or jeweled ornament with which it may be adorned, usually, at the present day, consists of a cap, around which is wound one or more rich handkerchiefs or shawls, folded high and flat, and not bulging out like those of the men. Note: See Illustration, p. 39. This is the general plan of the female head-dress, but there are great variations in the details.

What “the ornaments of the legs” may be, we do not know; but a great authority Note: Gesenius. renders the term by “step-chains,” and refers to the analogous term in Arabic, where it denotes the short chains, which Oriental females wore attached to the ankle-band of each foot, so as to compel them to take short and mincing steps.

The word translated “head-bands,” seems rather, from a comparison of texts, to denote “girdles,” especially as worn by a bride. In the East, women, as well as men, wear girdles; but they are in general less bulky, and less elaborately folded around the person, being commonly a shawl, sometimes of great value, loosely folded, fastened in front, and suffered to hang down behind a little. This may be seen in one of our engravings. Note: See p. 48.

But what shall we say to the “tablets,” expressed in the original by a term which literally interpreted, means, as some say “houses of the soul,” but, more properly, “of breath.” The word rendered “breath,” means also the scent, or odor which anything breathes forth or exhales—so that the odor of the rose would be the breath of the rose. Thus we come easily to the signification, that these articles called “houses,” that is, abodes or receptacles “of scent,” were small caskets, or bags, or bottles of perfume, equivalent to smelling-bottles, which, judging from analogy, were attached to a necklace that hung down to the waist. The Orientals are partial to perfumes, and ladies commonly carry them in this way upon their persons.

Autor: JOHN KITTO