428 
COSTUME OF THE ARMENIANS. 
loose down the back; and under this sort of head-mantle they 
wear another kerchief of white linen, which passes behind the 
ears, over the chin, and hangs down on the breast. When they 
go out, this piece of drapery is occasionally drawn up over the 
mouth, leaving nothing of the face to be seen but the eyes, and 
the too often very floridly shining nose. A kind of jacket 
reaches nearly to the knee, made of different sorts of stuff, and 
enriched with lace and embroidery, according to the wealth of 
the husband. A pair of rather tight trowsers, of a flowered vel¬ 
vet material, trimmed also ; with a fine shawl round the waist, 
usually completes the dress of an Armenian lady. But some¬ 
times, old women and children wear the ancient national girdle; 
namely, a broad belt ornamented with knobs and buttons, and 
clasped in front by an oval piece of silver, of great size and 
weight, and heavily embossed. The sheet or chadre, with which 
they envelope themselves when going abroad, is white. In 
summer, their feet are naked; in winter, covered by a sock. 
They seldom adopt the walking boot of the Persian ladies ; 
which is yellow, of the Plessian shape, and reaches half-way up 
the leg. The children of both sexes dress in the same style as 
their parents ; only with this addition, the caps of the girls are 
ornamented with rows of ducats and tomauns. 
The marriages of the Armenians are scenes of the grossest 
carousal. Their gluttony is enormous ; and pork being the 
favourite meat, their villages swarm with herds of swine. But 
all solemnities, whether joyous or mournful, afford occasions to 
them for eating and drinking. During the fast of Lent, they 
annually visit the graves of their relations and friends. And, 
as one of the articles of their belief is, that “ the souls of the de¬ 
parted rest somewhere in the middle region of Heaven, till the 
