DRESS OF THE GEORGIANS. 
135 
use all over Persia; only, the Georgian “ wears his, with a dif¬ 
ference not striking it down into a sort of biforked shape at 
the top, when putting it on, but keeping it quite erect, in its 
original rounded pyramidal form. The costume of the lower 
ranks, is marked by long trowsers, reaching to the ancles, made 
of an inferior kind of silk; a dagger (or kanjar) in place of a 
sword, hanging to the girdle ; but the rest of the raiment, being 
of the same fashion with the chief’s, is also of the same mate¬ 
rials ; cloth, though of a coarser quality, and without decoration. 
The dresses of the Georgian ladies bear a full proportion, in 
point of cumbersomeness and ornament, to the beauty they over¬ 
load, in attempting to adorn it. A bandeau, round the forehead, 
richly set with brilliants and other costly stones, confines a 
couple of black tresses, which hang down on each side of a face, 
beautiful by nature, as its features testify, but so cased in enamel, 
that not a trace of its original texture can be seen ; and, what is 
worse, the surface is rendered so stiff, by its painted exterior, 
that not a line shows a particle of animation, excepting the eyes ; 
which are large, dark, liquid, and full of a mild lustre, rendered 
in the highest degree lovely, by the shade of long black lashes, 
and the regularity of the arched eye-brow. A silken shawl-like 
veil depends from the bandeau, flowing, off the shoulders, down 
the back; while a thin gauze handkerchief, is fastened beneath 
the chin, binding the lower part of the face, and descending as 
low as the bosom, where it ties over the rest of the garments; 
showing, through its light medium, the golden necklaces and 
other jewellery which decorate the vest. This latter piece of 
raiment is usually made of velvet, or silk richly embroidered, 
covering the bosom and entire waist. A close gown of brocade, 
with sleeves to the wrist, and an exceedingly long skirt, devolving 
