We now turn to the costumes which are seen in the towns and villages of south-western Asia.
In the Scriptures drawers are only mentioned in the injunction that the high-priest should wear them (Exod. xxviii. 4.2), which seems to spew that they were not generally in use ; nor have we any evidence that they ever became common. Drawers descending to the middle of the thighs were worn by the ancient Egyptians, and workmen often laid aside all the rest of their dress when occupied in their labours. As far as this part of dress was used at all by the IIebrews, it was doubtless either like this, or similar to those which are now worn in Western Asia by all, except some among the poorer peasantry, and by many of the Bedouin Arabs.
They are of linen or cotton, of ample breadth, tied around the body by a running string, or band, and always worn next the skin, not over the shirt as in Europe.
It will be asked, when the poor Israelite had pawned his outer-garment `wherein he slept,' what dress was left to him ? The answer is probably supplied by the annexed engraving (No. 221), which represents slightly different garments of cotton, or woollen frocks or shirts, which often, in warm weather, form the sole dress of the Bedouin peasants, and the lower class of townspeople. To this the abba or hyke is the proper outer robe (as in fig. 1, No. 220), but is usually, in summer, dis pensed with in the day-time, and in the ordinary pursuits and occupations of life. It is sometimes (as in No. 221, fig. 2) worn without, but more usually with, a girdle; and it will be seen that the shorter specimens are not unlike the dress of one of the figures (fig. 3, No. 213) in the earliest of the Egyptian subjects which have been produced. The shirt worn by the superior classes is of the same shape, but of finer materials. This is shewn in the figure below (No. 222), which represents a gentle man as just risen from bed. If we call this a shirt, the Hebrews doubtless had it—the sole dress (ex cepting the cloak) of the poor, and the inner robe of the rich. Such, probably, were the ' sheets ' (translated `shirts' in some versions), of which Samson despoiled thirty Philistines to pay the for feit of his riddle (Judg. xiv. 13, 19). It is shewn from the Talmud, indeed, that the Hebrews of later days had a shirt called p)H dialog, which it would appear was often of wool (Lightfoot, Hon Ileb. on Luke ix. 3), and which is described as the ordinary inner-garment, the outer being the cloak or mantle. This shews that the shirt or frock was, as in modern usage, the ordinary dress of the Jews, to which a mantle (abba, hyke, or bournoos) was the outer covering.
The Talmud enumerates eighteen several gar ments which formed the clothing of the Jews from head to foot (T. Hieros. Sabb. fol. 15 ; T. Bab. Sabb. fol. 120), mentioning, however, two sandals, two buskins, etc. This shews, at least, one thing, that they were not more sparingly clad than the modern Orientals. This being the case, we may
be sure that although persons of the humbler classes were content with the shirt and the mantle, the wealthier people had other robes between these two, and forming a complete dress without the mantle, which with them was probably confined to out-of-door wear, or ceremonial use. It is of course impossible to discriminate these precisely ; but in this matter we cannot be far wrong in trust ing to the analogy of existing usages.
In all the annexed figures (No. 223), represent ing persons of the superior class, we observe the shirt covered by a striped (sometimes figured) gown or caftan, of mingled silk and cotton. It descends to the ankles, with long sleeves, extending a few inches beyond the fingers' ends, but divided from a point a little above the wrist, so that the hand is generally exposed, though it may be concealed by the sleeve when necessary ; for it is customary to cover the hands in the presence of a person of high rank. It is very common, especially in winter, for persons to sleep without removing this gown, but only unloosing the girdle by which it is bound. It is not unusual within doors to see persons without any article of dress outside this ; but it is considered decidedly as an undress, and no respectable per son is beheld out of doors, or receives or pays visits, without an outer covering. Hence persons clad in this alone are said to be ' naked' in Scrip ture—that is, not in the usual complete dress ; for there can be no manner of doubt that this, or some thing like this, is the rinnz, ketone/7i, of the Scrip ture (Exod. xxviii. 4o ; Job xxx. IS ; Is. xxii. 21, etc.) A milar robe is worn by the women, as was also the ease among the Israelites (2 Sans. xiii. t8, to ; Cant. v. 3). It is in the bosom of this robe that various articles are carried, and hence the Scriptural expression of giving things into the bosom.' The girdle worn over this, around the waist, is usually a coloured shawl, or long piece of figured white muslin. The girdle of the poorer classes is of coarse stuff, and often of leather, with clasps. This leathern girdle is also much used by the Arabs, and by persons of condition when equipped for a journey. It is sometimes ornamented with work ings in coloured worsted, or silk, or with metal studs, shells, beads, etc. Both kinds of girdles were certainly in use among the Hebrews (2 Kings i. 8 ; Matt. iii. 4 ; Mark i. 6 ; comp. Jer. xiii. 1). It is known to all readers of Scripture how often the `girdle' and the act of 'girding the loins' is mentioned. It seems from 2 Sans. xx. 8 (comp. also the Syrian figure, No. 216, fig. 1), that it was usual to wear a knife or poniard in the girdle. This custom is still general, and denotes not any deadly disposition, but the want of clasp-knives. Men of literary vocations replace it by an inkhorn, as was also the case among the Israelites (Fmk. ix. 2).