Women were wont to cover their faces with veils in token of
modesty, of reverence, and subjection to their husbands, Gen. xxiv, 65;
1 Cor. xi, 3, &c. In modern times, the women of Syria never appear in
the streets without their veils. These are of two kinds, the furragi and
the common Aleppo veil; the former being worn by some of the Turkish
women only, the latter indiscriminately by all. The first is in the form
of a large cloak, with long straight sleeves, and a square hood hanging
flat on the back; it is sometimes made of linen, sometimes of a shawl or
cloth. This veil, reaching to the heels, conceals the whole of the
dress, from the neck downward; while the head and face are covered by a
large white handkerchief over the head dress and forehead, and a smaller
one tied transversely over the lower part of the face, hanging down on
the neck. Many of the Turkish women, instead of the smaller
handkerchief, use a long piece of black crape stiffened, which, sloping
a little from the forehead, leaves room to breathe more freely. In this
last way, the ladies are completely disguised; in the former, the eyes
and nose remaining visible, they are easily known by their
acquaintances. The _radid_ is a species of veil, which Calmet supposes
is worn by married women, as a token of their submission and dependence,
and descends low down on the person. To lift up the veil of a virgin is
reckoned a gross insult; but to take away the veil of a married woman is
one of the greatest indignities that she can receive, because it
deprives her of the badge which distinguishes and dignifies her in that
character, and betokens her alliance to her husband, and her interest in
his affections. This is the reason why the spouse so feelingly
complains: “They took away my veil, רדד, from me,” Cant. v, 7. When it
is forcibly taken away by the husband, it is equivalent to divorce, and
justly reckoned a most severe calamity; therefore, God threatened to
take away the ornamental dresses of the daughters of Zion, including the
_radidim_, the low descending veils: “In that day the Lord will take
away the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the fine
linen, and the hoods, and the veils,” Isaiah iii, 18, &c.
The ordinary Aleppo veil is a linen sheet, large enough to cover the
whole habit from head to foot, and is brought over the face in a manner
to conceal all but one eye. This is perhaps alluded to by the bridegroom
in these words: “Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes,”
Cant. iv, 9. In Barbary, when the ladies appear in public, they always
fold themselves up so closely in their hykes, that, even without their
veils, one can discover very little of their faces. But, in the summer
months, when they retire to their country seats, they walk abroad with
less caution; though, even then, on the approach of a stranger, they
always drop their veils, as Rebekah did on the approach of Isaac. But,
although they are so closely wrapped up, that those who look at them
cannot see even their hands, still less their face, yet it is reckoned
indecent in a man to fix his eyes upon them; he must let them pass
without seeming at all to observe them. When a lady of distinction, says
Hanway, travels on horseback, she is not only veiled, but has generally
a servant, who runs or rides before her to clear the way; and on such
occasions the men, even in the market places, always turn their backs
till the women are past, it being thought the highest ill manners to
look at them. A lady in the east considers herself degraded when she is
exposed to the gaze of the other sex, which accounts for the conduct of
Vashti in refusing to obey the command of the king. Their ideas of
decency, on the other hand, forbid a virtuous woman to lay aside or even
to lift up her veil in the presence of the other sex. She who ventures
to disregard this prohibition inevitably ruins her character. From that
moment she is noted as a woman of easy virtue, and her act is regarded
as a signal for intrigue. Pitts informs us that in Barbary the courtezan
appears in public without her veil; and, in Prov. vii, 13, 14, the
harlot exposes herself in the same indecent manner: “So she caught him,
and kissed him, and with an impudent face,” a face uncovered and
shameless, “said unto him, I have peace-offerings with me, this day have
I paid my vows.” But it must nevertheless be remarked, that, at
different times, and in different parts of the east, the use, or partial
use of the veil has greatly varied.
modesty, of reverence, and subjection to their husbands, Gen. xxiv, 65;
1 Cor. xi, 3, &c. In modern times, the women of Syria never appear in
the streets without their veils. These are of two kinds, the furragi and
the common Aleppo veil; the former being worn by some of the Turkish
women only, the latter indiscriminately by all. The first is in the form
of a large cloak, with long straight sleeves, and a square hood hanging
flat on the back; it is sometimes made of linen, sometimes of a shawl or
cloth. This veil, reaching to the heels, conceals the whole of the
dress, from the neck downward; while the head and face are covered by a
large white handkerchief over the head dress and forehead, and a smaller
one tied transversely over the lower part of the face, hanging down on
the neck. Many of the Turkish women, instead of the smaller
handkerchief, use a long piece of black crape stiffened, which, sloping
a little from the forehead, leaves room to breathe more freely. In this
last way, the ladies are completely disguised; in the former, the eyes
and nose remaining visible, they are easily known by their
acquaintances. The _radid_ is a species of veil, which Calmet supposes
is worn by married women, as a token of their submission and dependence,
and descends low down on the person. To lift up the veil of a virgin is
reckoned a gross insult; but to take away the veil of a married woman is
one of the greatest indignities that she can receive, because it
deprives her of the badge which distinguishes and dignifies her in that
character, and betokens her alliance to her husband, and her interest in
his affections. This is the reason why the spouse so feelingly
complains: “They took away my veil, רדד, from me,” Cant. v, 7. When it
is forcibly taken away by the husband, it is equivalent to divorce, and
justly reckoned a most severe calamity; therefore, God threatened to
take away the ornamental dresses of the daughters of Zion, including the
_radidim_, the low descending veils: “In that day the Lord will take
away the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the fine
linen, and the hoods, and the veils,” Isaiah iii, 18, &c.
The ordinary Aleppo veil is a linen sheet, large enough to cover the
whole habit from head to foot, and is brought over the face in a manner
to conceal all but one eye. This is perhaps alluded to by the bridegroom
in these words: “Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes,”
Cant. iv, 9. In Barbary, when the ladies appear in public, they always
fold themselves up so closely in their hykes, that, even without their
veils, one can discover very little of their faces. But, in the summer
months, when they retire to their country seats, they walk abroad with
less caution; though, even then, on the approach of a stranger, they
always drop their veils, as Rebekah did on the approach of Isaac. But,
although they are so closely wrapped up, that those who look at them
cannot see even their hands, still less their face, yet it is reckoned
indecent in a man to fix his eyes upon them; he must let them pass
without seeming at all to observe them. When a lady of distinction, says
Hanway, travels on horseback, she is not only veiled, but has generally
a servant, who runs or rides before her to clear the way; and on such
occasions the men, even in the market places, always turn their backs
till the women are past, it being thought the highest ill manners to
look at them. A lady in the east considers herself degraded when she is
exposed to the gaze of the other sex, which accounts for the conduct of
Vashti in refusing to obey the command of the king. Their ideas of
decency, on the other hand, forbid a virtuous woman to lay aside or even
to lift up her veil in the presence of the other sex. She who ventures
to disregard this prohibition inevitably ruins her character. From that
moment she is noted as a woman of easy virtue, and her act is regarded
as a signal for intrigue. Pitts informs us that in Barbary the courtezan
appears in public without her veil; and, in Prov. vii, 13, 14, the
harlot exposes herself in the same indecent manner: “So she caught him,
and kissed him, and with an impudent face,” a face uncovered and
shameless, “said unto him, I have peace-offerings with me, this day have
I paid my vows.” But it must nevertheless be remarked, that, at
different times, and in different parts of the east, the use, or partial
use of the veil has greatly varied.