THE LAYMEN.
The laymen are divided into three classes, viz., the counts, lords,
middle class and low class.
The middle class live mostly in towns and cities. Their occupation is
merchandise; to carry goods to Europe and import goods into Persia.
Others are manufacturing carpets, rugs, etc. Others are iron-smiths,
silver-smiths, carpenters, druggists, butchers, and masons. A great
number are secretaries for lords, counts, and in military service. The
life of this class is very happy indeed. Their homes are quite
comfortable, and kept in good order. Their tables are spread with
enough of the good things to satisfy. This class do none of the work
that custom has assigned to the lower classes. Pride would not allow
it. Custom requires them to have smooth hands--not always white, for
some prefer to dye them red.
The women of the middle class take life easy. They are not often
allowed to go outside without permission of their husbands or
mothers-in-law. In some instances the older ladies spend their time
making rugs, shawls, and carpets--some of which are very beautiful and
costly. The young ladies and brides spend their time in making caps,
purses, head-covering, dresses, etc. Unmarried girls are positively
required and it is the duty of her mother to teach her how to make
rugs, carpets and embroidery work, etc. for her marriage. One of her
first duties is to learn to dress herself handsomely. The face and brow
will be colored with red and white paints. The eyes and eyebrows with
black paint. The hands and feet are dyed with hana a kind of paint
that colors them red.
[Illustration: HAREM COSTUME.]
COSTUMES AT HOME.
The shirt worn at home by woman is an article made of silk or cotton.
It is short, open breast, well embroidered, and is red or white and
reaches to the middle of the thigh. Over the shirt is the cula-ja,
rather loose, with long sleeves fastened with buttons of silver.
The Shalwar is similar to the ordinary skirt only it is very short.
Some wear from three to ten of these skirts. The outer one is very rich
and trimmed with gold lace. The head covering is called Char-Kat and is
made square of a long embroidered article of fine silk or thin cotton
and is fastened under her chin. Sometimes at home they are bareheaded.
Hose are white and long. The hair is generally black, heavy, braided
and spread on her back. In front it is parted in the middle when bangs
are not worn. The hair is usually painted to appear black and smooth.
HER JEWELRY.
The middle class of women are fond of jewelry, but do not burden
themselves with heavy ornaments as do some of the lower class. They
usually wear two or three finger rings, small earrings of gold,
bracelets and necklace. There is frequently a large emerald, incased in
gold, hanging from the necklace, bearing this inscription: "There is no
god but Allah." Beautiful ornaments of gold and silver are attached to
the ends of their braided hair.
When a wife has perfumed and adorned herself she will await the coming
of her husband from his shop. She knows at what time he will return
home. An hour before his coming she will go before the mirror to see if
she is dressed beautifully enough to please her husband. Ten minutes
before his arrival she will prepare a delicious Kalyon, (which is a
smoke and water pipe.) Holding it in her hand she will rise and offer
him the Kalyon, saying, "My lord, command your pleasure." He will take
the pipe and smoke. While he is sitting she will sprinkle perfume on
his head and clothes. For several minutes they exchange the pipe and
smoke alternately. This is the first thing which a husband of the
middle class expects of his wife--not to work for him but to adorn
herself and please him. It cannot be said that the Mohammedan does not
love his wife. He buys her whatever she asks for; not because he
considers her his equal, but for the sake of his own pleasure.
MEN'S COSTUME.
Most men of the middle class, at some time in life go on a pilgrimage
to Mecca and Medina. After a pilgrim returns he is given the title of
Ha-jeh and thereafter wears a turban on his head instead of the
ordinary cap. The cap commonly worn by the Persian is about eight
inches high, has no brim and is black in color. The shirt is of white
cotton, open in front and fastened with a button on the right shoulder.
The trousers are very much like the bloomers worn by some bicyclists of
modern times, and old people wear garments even wider than bloomers.
They are made of wool or cotton and are usually black. The coat is
called ar-ka-look. Some are long enough to reach the ankle, while
others reach about the middle of the thigh. The sleeves fasten at the
wrist by a button of silk cord. There is a pocket on either side near
the belt. Various colors are worn. The gima or overcoat is a heavy wool
garment reaching to the knee, the lower part of which is pleated. It is
open in front and fastened with a number of buttons. The belt is a
large piece of linen folded many times around the waist. Some wear
heavy and costly shawls.
It is a general custom to shave the head except a small place on each
side of the head just over the ear and a spot on the crown of the head.
The hair-covered spots are called Zoolf and are dyed with Hana. The
most religious men and the aged shave the entire surface of the head.
The young men shave the beard, except the mustache, till the age of
thirty years after which time the beard is clipped at the length of
about one inch till the age of forty. After the age of forty the beard
is never cut. The mustache is never shaved, by young or old. It is a
mean thing to do, and is against their religion. No man has been seen
in Persia with a smooth upper lip except Europeans. A man who will
shave his mustache is not a Mohammedan but an infidel; not a man, but a
girl. The long mustache is regarded as the glory of man.
THE LOWER CLASS.
The lower class of people are farmers and day labors and among them is
much misery. They work long hours and get from fifteen to twenty-five
cents a day. Their clothing is of cheap material, poorly made, and
shorter than the garments of the higher classes. In order to save time
and soap their clothes are sometimes not washed for a month. Some
farmer's wives use the sickle all day long in the field during
harvest-time. Many women do the lighter work of killing weeds.
Sometimes a woman will take her babe to the field with her and leave it
in the care of an older child while she labors. In the fall of the year
the laborers are busy in the vineyards, a great abundance of grapes
being produced in this country. A familiar scene of an evening is to
see men and women trudging homeward bearing heavy burdens of fruit,
raisins, etc. stored in baskets. Some of the children are employed
through the day looking after and feeding the cattle, buffaloes and
sheep, while it is the duty of others to carry food and drink to the
workers in the fields. In the winter the men are employed feeding
cattle or in weaving coarse cloths for the clothing of the lower class.
Others who are not thus engaged spend the winter in carrying dried
fruits, wheat, fuel and various kinds of goods to the cities on donkey
caravans.
The women of this class spend the winter in spinning cotton and wool,
making carpets, sacks, etc. and in sewing garments for their children
and husbands. Young girls are busy in preparing useful articles for
their wedding. The dozen or more holidays that come during the year are
celebrated by this class in having big dinners, and the women cease
from the heavy burdens of their labor for the day and attempt to
beautify themselves after the fashion of women of the higher classes
with paint and finery. Their taste not being cultivated in that art
they often make themselves more hideous than beautiful.