EXHIBIT OF BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES. 991 



word nezvm denotes both au earring- and a nose ring,' In modern times 

 the rings are often of extraordinary size and frequently reacli to the 

 moutli, so that they must be removed in eating. Sometimes the nose 

 and ears are connected by a series of rings interliulced with one another. 



Kohl and ancient and modern implements used in painting 

 THE EYES (Hebrew, Puch; Arainean, Kuhala). (See phite 11, figs. 6, 8.) 

 The practice of applying pigments to the eyelids and eyebrows in order 

 to enhance the brilliancy of the eyes was common in Bible times,^ and 

 is still in everyday practice in the East. The pigment, which is a 

 preparation of antimony, is applied to the eyelids by means of a small 

 blunt piece of wood or ivory, which is moistened, dipped in the mixture, 

 and tlien drawn carefully along the edges of the eye. From the Arabic 

 name kohl comes the term " alcohol," the fineness of the powder sug- 

 gesting the idea of highly rectified spirits. 



Millstones (Hebrew, Rehaim) (see plate 12, figs. 1, 2), and a modern 

 photograph showing women grinding corn. (Seejilate 13.) Millstones 

 are often referred to in the Bible, and they are still used in grinding 

 corn in the same form as in ancient times. They consist of two cylin- 

 drical stones. The lower one is firmly planted on the ground and pro- 

 vided with a convex upper surface, on which the concave under surface 

 of the other stone revolves. The upper stone, which is called relceh or 

 "rider," has a hole through its center, into which the grain is dropi^ed, 

 and through which runs a shaft to hold the stone in place. A handle 

 attached to the "rider" enables a person sitting near to turn it around 

 and grind the grain, which is fed with the hand that is free. 



Layard^ describes the grinding of corn by the modern Arabs as fol- 

 lows: "The wandering Arabs have no other means of grinding their 

 corn than by hand mills, which they carry with them wherever they go. 

 They are always worked by the women, for it is considered unworthy 

 of a man to engage in any domestic occupation. * * * The grain 

 is passed throug«h the hole of the pivot, and the flour is collected in a 

 cloth spread under the mill. It is then mixed with water, kneaded in 

 a wooden bowl, and pressed by the hand into round balls ready for 

 baking. During these processes the women are usually seated on the 

 ground. Hence in Isaiah xlvii, 1, 2, the daughter of Babylon is told 

 to sit in the dust and on the ground and " to take the millstones to 

 grind meal." It was forbidden to take the mill or even the upper stone 

 in pledge, as taking "the life" (that is the means of sustaining life).'' 

 As each day so much grain was ground as was needed, the " voice of 

 the mill" became proverbial.^ 



• Genesis xxiv, 47; Isaiali iii, 21, and Proverbs xi, 32. 



- .Jereuiiah iv, 30: "Though thou enlargest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost 

 thou make thyself fair: thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life." (Compare 

 Ezekiel xxiii, 40; Proverbs vi, 25.) 



^Layard, Nineveh and Babylon, abridged edition, p. 127. 



^Deuteronomy xxiv, 6. 



■'Jeremiah xxv, 10. 



