=H=, as an old Latin numeral, denotes 200, and with a dash above it (H̅)
200,000.
=Habena=, R. (_habeo_, to hold). A term with numerous meanings, all of
which were connected more or less with the idea of a thong or strap. In
the singular, it signifies a halter; in the plural, _habenæ_, reins.
=Habergeon=. A coat of mail, or breastplate.
=Habited=, Her. Clothed.
=Hackbut= or =Hagbut=. Arquebus with a hooked stock.
=Hackney Coach= (from the French _coche-à-haguenée_). The _haguenée_ was
a strong kind of horse formerly let out on hire for short journeys.
=Hadrianea=, R. Small buildings in which Christians were allowed to
meet, in virtue of an edict granted in their favour by the Emperor
Hadrian.
=Hæmatinon=, R. (αἱμάτινον, of blood). A kind of glassy substance of a
beautiful red, and susceptible of taking a fine polish. It was used to
make small cubes for mosaic or small works of art.
=Hagiographa= (_sacred writings_). A name applied to those books of
Scripture which, according to the Jewish classification, held the lowest
rank in regard to inspiration. These are the books of Ruth, Psalms, Job,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Daniel, Esther,
Ezra, and Chronicles.
=Hair.= The _Assyrian_ monarchs are represented with beard elaborately
plaited, and hair falling in ringlets on the shoulder, which may have
been partly artificial, like that of the Persian monarchs, who,
according to Xenophon, wore a wig. Both the hair and beard were dyed,
and the eyes blackened with kohl, &c. (_Layard._) The _Egyptians_ kept
the head shaved, and wore wigs and beard-boxes. The _Hebrews_ generally
wore the hair short, but the horse-guards of King Solomon “daily strewed
their heads with gold dust, which glittered in the sun.” (_Josephus._)
The ancient _Greeks_ wore their hair long. The _Athenians_ wore it long
in childhood, had it cut short at a solemn ceremony when they became
eighteen years of age, and afterwards allowed it to grow, and wore it
rolled up in a knot on the crown of the head, fastened with golden
clasps (_crobylus_, _corymbus_). Women wore bands or coifs (_sphendone_,
_kekryphalus_, _saccus_, _mitra_). Youths and athletes are represented
with short hair. The favourite colour was blonde (_xanthus_); black was
the most common. The ancient _Romans_ also wore long hair; about 300
B.C. the practice of wearing it short came in (_cincinnus_, _cirrus_).
The Roman women anciently dressed their hair very plainly, but in the
Augustan period adopted some extravagant fashions. Each of the gods is
distinguished by his peculiar form of hair: that of Jupiter is long and
flowing; Mercury has close curling hair, &c. The _Danes_, _Gauls_, and
_Anglo-Saxons_ wore long flowing hair, and the shearing of it was a
punishment: when Julius Cæsar conquered the Gauls, he cut off their long
hair. Among the early _Frankish_ kings long hair was the privilege of
the blood royal. From the time of _Clovis_ the French nobility wore
short hair, but as they grew less martial the hair became longer.
François I. introduced short hair, which prevailed until the reign of
Louis XIII., which was followed by the period of periwigs and perukes of
Louis XIV. The variations from the Conquest to the last generation in
_England_ are so striking and frequent that each reign may be
distinguished by its appropriate head-dress. (Consult _Fairholt’s
Costume in England_, _Planché’s Cyclopædia of Costume_, &c.)
=Hair-cloth.= (See CILICIUM.)
=Hair Pencils= or =Brushes= are made of the finer hairs of the marten,
badger, polecat, camel, &c., mounted in quills or white iron tubes. The
round brushes should swell all round from the base, and diminish upwards
to a fine point, terminating with the uncut ends of the hair. (See
FITCH.)
=Halbert.= A footman’s weapon in the form of a battle-axe and pike at
the end of a long staff.
=Halcyon.= The ancient name of the _Alcedo_ or king-fisher; hence—
=Halcyon Days=, i. e. the calm and peaceful season when the king-fisher
lays its eggs in nests close by the brink of the sea; i. e. seven days
before and as many after the winter solstice.
“Seven winter dayes with peacefull calme possest
_Alcyon_ sits upon her floating nest.”
(_Sandy’s Ovid, Met._ b. xi.)
=Hall-marks.= The Goldsmiths of London formed their company in 1327, and
were incorporated by charter in 1392. The hall-marks, in the order of
their introduction, are as follows:—1. The leopard’s head, called the
king’s mark. 2. The maker’s mark, originally a rose, crown, or other
emblem with or without initials. 3. The annual letter, in the order of
the alphabet from A to V, omitting J and U. This mark is changed every
twenty years. 4. The lion _passant_, added in 1597. 5. Instead of the
leopard’s head (1) for the king’s mark, the lion’s head _erased_,
introduced in 1697 when the standard was changed, and, 6, a figure of
Britannia substituted for the lion _passant_ (4) at the same time. Plate
with this mark is called _Britannia_ plate. The old standard (of 11 oz.
2 dwt. pure gold in the lb.) was restored in 1719. 7. The head of the
reigning sovereign in profile, ordered in 1784, when a fresh duty was
laid upon plate.
=Halling=, O. E. Tapestry.
=Hallowmas=, Chr. The feast of All Souls, or the time about All Souls’
and All Saints’ Days, viz. the 1st and 2nd of November; and thence to
CANDLEMAS, or the 2nd of February.
=Halmos=, Gr. and R. A vessel of round form, supported on a raised stand
entirely distinct from the vessel itself; it was used as a drinking-cup.
=Halmote= or =Halimote=. The Saxon name for a meeting of tenants, now
called a _court baron_.
=Halteres= (Gr. ἁλτῆρες), in the gymnastic exercises of the Greeks and
Romans, were masses of lead, iron, or stone held in the hands to give
impetus in leaping, or used as dumb-bells.
=Ham= (Scotch _hame_). A Saxon word for a place of dwelling, _a home_;
hence “HAMLET.” “This word,” says Stow, “originally meant the seat of a
freeholder, comprehending the mansion-house and adjacent buildings.”
=Hama=, Gr. and R. (ἄμη or ἅμη). A bucket used for various purposes.
=Hamburg White.= (See CARBONATE OF LEAD, BARYTES.)
=Hames= or =Heames=, Her. Parts of horses’ harness.
=Hammer= or =Martel=, Her. Represented much like an ordinary hammer.
=Hamus= or =Hamulus=. A fish-hook.
[Illustration: Fig. 376. Hanaper.]
=Hanaper=, O. E. (Mod. _hamper_). A wicker basket. (Fig. 376.) Writs in
the Court of Chancery were thrown into such a basket (_in hanaperio_),
and the office was called from that circumstance the Haniper Office. It
was abolished in 1842.
=Handkerchiefs= embroidered in gold were presented and worn as favours
in the reign of Elizabeth. Paisley handkerchiefs were introduced in
1743.
[Illustration: Fig. 377. Bronze door-handle. Roman.]
=Handle=, Gen. In antiquity the leaves of a door were fitted with
handles like those of our own day. Fig. 377 represents a bronze handle
consisting of a double ring. Of these, the inner one could be raised so
as to allow a person’s hand to take hold of it, and draw the door his
own way. This work of art is at the present time in the Museum of
Perugia.
=Handruffs=, O. E. Ruffles.
=Handseax=. The Anglo-Saxon dagger.
=Hanger=, O. E. A small sword worn by gentlemen with morning dress in
the 17th century.
=Hangers= or =Carriages=, O. E. Appendages to the sword-belt from which
the sword hung, often richly embroidered or jewelled.
=Hanselines= (15th century). Loose breeches. (See SLOP.)
=Haphe=, Gr. and R. (ἁφὴ i.e. a grip). The yellow sand with which
wrestlers sprinkled themselves over after having been rubbed with oil.
The object of this sprinkling was to enable the wrestlers to take a
firmer grasp one of the other.
=Hara=, Gr. and R. A pig-sty, especially for a breeding sow. The term
also denoted a pen for geese.
=Hare=, Chr. In Christian iconography the hare symbolizes the rapid
course of life. Representations of this animal are met with on lamps,
engraved stones, sepulchral stones, &c.
=Harlequin= (It. _Harlequino_, or little Harlay). The name is derived
from that of a famous Italian comedian, who appeared in Paris in the
time of Henri III., and from frequenting the house of M. de Harlay was
so called by his companions. (_Ménage_.)
=Harmamaxa=, Gr. and R. (ἁρμ-άμαξα). A four-wheeled carriage or litter
covered overhead, and enclosed with curtains. It was generally large,
and drawn by four horses, and richly ornamented. It was principally used
for women and children.
=Harmonica.= A musical instrument consisting of a number of glass cups
fixed upon a revolving spindle, and made to vibrate by friction applied
to their edges. These “musical glasses” are described in a work
published in 1677. A _harpsichord-harmonica_ is a similar instrument, in
which finger-keys like those of a pianoforte are used. (See the article
in _Encyl. Brit._, 8th edition.)
=Harmonium.= A musical instrument having a key-board like a pianoforte,
and the sounds (which resemble those of organ pipes) produced by the
vibration of thin tongues of metal.
=Harp.= The EGYPTIANS had various kinds of harps, some of which were
elegantly shaped and tastefully ornamented. The name of the harp was
_buni_. Its frame had no front pillar. The harps represented on the
monuments varied in size from 6½ feet high downwards, and had from 4 to
28 strings. A beautiful Egyptian harp, in the Louvre collection, is of
triangular shape with 21 strings, but, like all the harps represented on
the monuments, it has no fore-pillar. The strings were of catgut.
ASSYRIAN sculptures also represent harps. These also had no front
pillar, and were about 4 feet high, with ornamental appendages on the
lower frame. The upper frame contained the sound-holes and the
tuning-pegs in regular order. The strings are supposed to have been of
silk. The GREEK harp, called _kinyra_, resembled the Assyrian, and is
represented with 13 strings: it is an attribute of Polyhymnia. The
ANGLO-SAXONS called the harp the _gleo-beam_, or “glee-wood;” and it was
their most popular instrument. King David playing a harp is represented
on an A.S. monument of the 11th century. It was the favourite instrument
of the GERMAN and CELTIC bards, and of the SCANDINAVIAN skalds. It is
represented with 12 strings and 2 sound-holes, and having a fore-pillar.
A curious IRISH harp of the 8th century, or earlier, is represented in
Bunting’s “Ancient Music of Ireland,” having no fore-pillar. The FINNS
had a harp (_harpu_, _kantele_) with a similar frame, devoid of a front
pillar. In CHRISTIAN ART a harp is the attribute of King David and of
St. Cecilia. St. Dunstan is also occasionally represented with it. In
Heraldry the harp is the device and badge of Ireland. The Irish harp of
gold with silver strings on a blue field forms the third quarter of the
royal arms.
=Harpaga=, =Harpago=, Gr. and R. A general term, including any kind of
hook for grappling; more particularly a military engine invented by
Pericles, and introduced into the Roman navy by Duillius. It consisted
of a joist about two yards and a half long, each face of which was
coated with iron, and having at one end a harpoon of iron or bronze; the
other end was fitted with an iron ring, to which a rope was attached, so
as to enable it to be drawn back when it had once grappled a ship or its
rigging. _Harpago_ or _wolf_ was the term applied to a beam armed with a
harpoon, which was employed to break down the tops of walls, or widen a
breach already made. [A flesh-hook used in cookery to take boiled meat
out of the caldron.]
=Harpastum=, R. A small ball employed for a game in which the players
formed two sides. They stationed themselves at some distance from a line
traced on the ground or sand where the _harpastum_ was placed. At a
given signal each player threw himself upon the ball, in order to try
and send it beyond the bounds of the opposite party.
=Harpies=, Gen. (Ἅρπυιαι, i. e. the Snatchers). Winged monsters,
daughters of Neptune and Terra, three in number, viz. _Aëllo_ (the
tempest), _Ocypetê_ (swift-flying), and _Cêlêno_; representing the
storm-winds. They had the faces of old women, a vulture’s body, and huge
claws; they were the representatives of the Evil Fates, and the rulers
of storms and tempests. In Christian iconography the Harpies symbolize
the devil and repentance. [In the so called “Harpy tomb” in the British
Museum they are represented carrying off Camiro and Clytia, the
daughters of Pandarus of Crete, as a punishment for his complicity with
Tantalus in stealing ambrosia and nectar from the table of the gods.]
=Harpsichord.= A musical instrument intermediate between the _spinet_,
_virginals_, &c., and the _pianoforte_, which supplanted it in the 18th
century. It may be described as a horizontal harp enclosed in a sonorous
case, the wires being struck with jacks armed with crow-quills, and
moved with finger-keys.
=Harquebus.= An improvement of the hand-gun introduced in the 15th
century, applying the invention of the _trigger_.
=Hart.= A stag in its _sixth_ year.
=Hart= or =Hind=, in Christian art, originally typified solitude and
purity of life. It was the attribute of St. Hubert, St. Julian, and St.
Eustace.
[Illustration: Fig. 378. Heraldic Hart.]
=Hart=, Her. A stag with attires; the female is a hind.
[Illustration: Fig. 379. Hasta—Roman ceremonial spear.]
=Hasta= (Gr. ἔγχος). A spear used as a pike for thrusting, or as a
missile for hurling from the hand, or as a bolt from an engine. Homer
defines the spear as “a pole heavy with bronze.” The _hasta amentata_,
for hurling, had a leathern thong for a handle (_amentum_) in the
middle; _hasta pura_ was a spear without a head, and was a much-valued
decoration given to a Roman soldier who had saved a citizen’s life;
_hasta celibarium_ was a spear which, having been thrust into the body
of a gladiator as he lay dead in the arena, was afterwards used at
marriages to part the hair of the bride. A spear was set up before a
place where sales by auction were going on, and an auction-room was
hence called HASTARIUM. Different kinds of spear were the _lancea_ of
the Greeks; the _pilum_, peculiar to the Romans; the _veru_, _verutum_,
or “spit,” of the Roman light infantry; the _gæsum_, a Celtic weapon
adopted by the Romans; the _sparrus_, our English spar or _spear_, the
rudest missile of the whole class; and many others mentioned under their
respective headings in this work.
=Hasta Pura.= In Numismatics, a headless spear or long sceptre, an
attribute of all the heathen deities; a symbol of the goodness of the
gods and the conduct of providence, equally mild and forcible.
=Hastarium=, R. A room in which sales were made _sub hasta publica_,
that is, by public auction, under the public authority indicated by the
spear. The term also denoted a list or catalogue of sale.
=Hastile=, R. (_hasta_). The shaft of a spear, and thence the spear
itself, a goad, &c.
[Illustration: Fig. 380. Costume of a nobleman in Venice (16th century),
showing the Hat of the period.]
=Hat= (A.S. _haet_, a covering for the head). Froissart describes hats
and plumes worn at Edward’s court in 1340, when the Garter order was
instituted. Hats were originally of a scarlet-red colour, and made of “a
fine kinde of haire matted thegither.” A remarkable series of changes in
the fashion of hats is given in _Planché’s Encyclopædia of Costume_. Our
illustration represents a young Venetian noble of the Middle Ages. (See
also the illustrations to POURPOINT, BIRETTA, BOMBARDS, CALASH,
CAPUCHON, CHAPEAU, CORONETS, &c.)
=Hatchment=, Her. (for _atchievement_). An achievement of arms in a
lozenge-shaped frame, placed upon the front of the residence of a person
lately deceased, made to distinguish his rank and position in life.
=Hauberk= (Germ. _Hals-berg_, a throat-guard). A military tunic of
ringed mail, of German origin, introduced in the 12th century.
=Haumudeys=, O. E. A purse.
[Illustration: Fig. 381. Hauriant.]
=Hauriant=, Her. Said of fishes upright, “sucking the air.” (Fig. 381.)
=Hautboy.= A wind instrument of the reed kind.
=Haversack= (Fr. _havre-sac_). A soldier’s knapsack.
=Hawk=, Egyp. This bird symbolizes the successive new births of the
rising sun. The hawk is the bird of Horus. It stood, at certain periods,
for the word _God_, and, with a human head, for the word _soul_. The sun
(_Ra_) is likewise represented with a hawk’s head, ornamented with the
disk.
=Head-piece.= An ornamental engraving at the commencement of a new
chapter in a book.
=Head-rail.= The head-dress worn by Saxon and Norman ladies.
=Healfang=, A.S. The pillory, or a fine in commutation. “_Qui falsum
testimonium dedit, reddat regi vel terræ domino_ HEALFANG.”
=Heang-loo=, Chinese. An incense-burner.
[Illustration: Fig. 382. Inscription, with hearts, found at Alise.]
=Heart.= On numerous Christian tombs hearts maybe seen sculptured. Many
archæologists have attempted to explain their meaning as symbols, but
without entering on an unprofitable discussion of that question, it may
be noticed that, in many cases, what archæologists have supposed to be
hearts were nothing but ivy-leaves, which served as marks of separation
between different words or sentences. Fig. 382 represents an inscription
at Alise in which ivy-leaves figure, together with an ornament which
some would insist were flames, if they were to take the leaves for
hearts. When inscriptions, however, are defaced, the shape of the leaves
is not nearly so distinguishable as in the figure. [One of the most
frequent methods in which this emblem is introduced in Christian art is
that the Saviour, or the Virgin Mary, is represented opening the breast
to display the living heart—the natural symbol of Love, Devotion, or
Sorrow. The Heart is an attribute of St. Theresa, St. Augustine, and
other saints. The flaming heart is the emblem of charity. The heart
pierced by seven daggers symbolizes the “seven sorrows” of Mary.]
=Hecatesia=, Gr. (Ἑκατήσια). Festivals held at Athens in honour of
Hecatê.
=Hecatomb=, Gr. and R. (ἑκατόμβη). A sacrifice offered in Greece and
Rome under special circumstances, and at which a hundred head of cattle
(ἑκατὸν) were slain; whence the name of the festival. [The term was
generally applied to _all_ great sacrifices, of much less extent than
that implied by its etymological meaning.]
=Hecatompylæ=, Gr. (ἑκατόμ-πυλαι). The city with a hundred gates; a name
given to the Egyptian Thebes.
=Hecatonstylon=, =Hecatonstyle=, Gr. and R. (ἑκατὸν and στῦλος). A
portico or colonnade with a hundred columns.
=Hecte= or =Hectæus=, Gr. = a sixth (R. _modius_). In dry measure, the
sixth part of the medimnus, or nearly two gallons English. Coins of
uncertain value bore the same name; they were sixths of other units of
value.
=Hegira= (Arabic _hajara_, to desert). The flight from Mecca, 16th July,
A. D. 622, from which Mohammedan chronology is calculated.
=Helciarius=, R. One who tows a boat. He was so called because he passed
a rope round his body in the way of a belt, the rope thus forming a
noose (_helcium_).
=Helepolis=, Gr. and R. (ἑλέ-πολις, the taker of cities). A lofty square
tower, on wheels, used in besieging fortified places. It was ninety
cubits high and forty wide; inside were nine stories, the lower
containing machines for throwing great stones; the middle, large
catapults for throwing spears; and the highest other machines. It was
manned with 200 soldiers. The name was afterwards applied to other siege
engines of similar construction.
=Helical=, Arch. (ἕλιξ, a wreath). A spiral line distinguished from
_spiral_. A staircase is _helical_ when the steps wind round a
cylindrical newel; whereas the _spiral_ winds round a cone, and is
constantly narrowing its axis. The term is applied to the volutes of a
Corinthian capital. (See HELIX.)
=Heliochromy= (Gr. ἥλιος, the sun, and χρῶμα, colour). Process of taking
coloured photographs.
=Heliopolites=, Egyp. One of the nomes or divisions of Lower Egypt,
capital An, the sacred name for Heliopolis near Cairo.
=Heliotrope.= The _Hæmatite_ or _blood-stone_; a siliceous mineral of a
dark green colour, commonly variegated with bright red spots.
=Heliotropion=, Gr. A kind of sun-dial. (See HOROLOGIUM.)
=Helix=, Arch. (ἕλιξ, anything spiral). A small volute like the tendril
of a vine placed under the Corinthian abacus. They are arranged in
couples springing from one base, and unite at the summit.
=Hellebore.= A famous purgative medicine among the ancient Greeks and
Romans. Philosophers prepared for work by drinking an infusion of the
black hellebore, like tea. The best grew in the island of Anticyra in
the Ægean Sea, and the gathering of it was accompanied by superstitious
rites.
[Illustration: Fig. 383. Helm of a Gentleman or Esquire.]
=Helm=, =Helmet=, Her. Now placed as an accessory above a shield of
arms. Modern usage distinguishes helms according to the rank of the
wearer. The term _helm_ was applied by both Saxons and Normans, in the
11th century, to the conical steel cap with a nose-guard, which was the
common head-piece of the day, and is depicted in contemporary
illuminations, sculptures, and tapestries. Afterwards it was restricted
to the _casque_, which covered the whole head, and had an aventaile or
vizor for the face. The use of the _helm_ finally ceased in the reign of
Henry VIII.
[Illustration: Fig. 384. Helmet or Burgonet of the 16th century.]
=Helmet.= The diminutive of HELM, first applied to the smaller
head-piece which superseded it in the 15th century. (See GALEA, ARMET,
BASCINET, BURGONET, CASQUE, CHAPELLE LE FER, &c.)
=Hemi-= (Gr. ἡμι-). Half; used in composition of words like the Latin
_semi_ or _demi_.
=Hemichorion= (ἡμιχόριον). (See DICHOREA.)
=Hemicyclium=, Gr. and R. (ἡμι-κύκλιον). A semicircular alcove, to which
persons resorted for mutual conversation. The term was also used to
denote a sun-dial.
=Hemina=, Gr. and R. (ἡμίνα, i. e. half). A measure of capacity
containing half a sextarius (equal to the Greek _cotyle_ = half a pint
English).
=Hemiolia=, Gr. and R. (ἡμι-ολία, i. e. one and a half). A vessel of
peculiar construction employed especially by Greek pirates.
[Illustration: Fig. 385. Sun-dial (Hemisphærium).]
=Hemisphærium=, R. A sun-dial in the form of a hemisphere; whence its
name. (Fig. 385.)
=Hemlock=, the _Conium maculatum_ of botanists, was the poison used by
the ancient Greeks for the despatch of state prisoners. Its effects are
accurately described in Plato’s description of the death of Socrates.
=Heptagon= (Gr. ἑπτὰ, seven, and γώνη, an angle). A seven-sided figure.
=Hepteris=, Gr. and R. (ἑπτ-ήρης). A ship of war with seven ranks of
oars.
=Heræa.= Important Greek festivals, celebrated in honour of Hera in all
the towns of Greece. At Argos, every fifth year, an immense body of
young men in armour formed a procession, preceded by a HECATOMB of oxen,
to the great temple of Hera, between Argos and Mycenæ, where the oxen
were slaughtered, and their flesh distributed to the citizens.
=Herald= (Germ. _Herold_). An officer of arms. The heralds of England
were incorporated by Richard III. The college now consists of three
kings of arms, six heralds, and four pursuivants. The office of Earl
Marshal, the supreme head of the English heralds, is hereditary in the
family of the Duke of Norfolk. There is another herald king styled
“Bath,” who is specially attached to that order; he is not a member of
the college. The chief herald of Scotland is styled Lord Lyon King of
Arms; that of Ireland, Ulster King of Arms. _Chester herald_ is
mentioned in the reign of Richard II., _Lancaster king of arms_ under
Henry IV. (See MARSHAL, KINGS OF ARMS, &c.)
=Heralds’ College.= A college of heralds was instituted in Rome by Numa
Pompilius, and the office was held sacred among the most ancient
Oriental nations. The institution was imported into England in the
Middle Ages from Germany, a corporation of heralds, similar to the
_collegium fetialium_ of Rome, having been established in England in
1483 by Richard III. (See _Pitiscus_, tom. i., and _Hofmann_, tom. ii.)
=Hermæ=, Gr. and R. (Ἑρμαῖ). Hermæ, a kind of pedestals surmounted only
by the head, or, in some cases, the bust of Hermes. Great reverence was
felt for these statues. Houses at Athens had one before the doors; they
were also placed in front of temples, near tombs, at street corners, or
as mile-stones on the high roads. _Hermuli_, or small _Hermæ_, were a
common ornament of furniture, as pilasters and supports. The same name
is applied to similar statues having a man’s head. This statue was
probably one of the first attempts of art at plastic representation. The
_phallus_ and a pointed beard originally were essential parts of the
symbol. In place of arms there were projections to hang garlands on.
Then a mantle was introduced from the shoulders. Afterwards the whole
torso was placed above the pillar; and finally the pillar itself was
shaped into a perfect statue. All these gradations of the sculptor’s art
are traceable in existing monuments.
=Hermæa.= Festivals of Hermes, celebrated by the boys in the gymnasia,
of which Hermes was the tutelary deity.
=Hermeneutæ=, Chr. (ἑρμηνευταί). Literally, interpreters. In the
earliest ages of the Church, these were officials whose duty it was to
translate sacred discourses or portions of Holy Scripture.
=Herne-pan=, O. E. (for _iron-pan_). Skull-cap worn under the helmet.
=Heroum=, Gr. (ἡρῷον, i. e. place of a hero). A kind of ÆDICULA (q.v.),
or small temple, which served as a funeral monument. Several
representations of Roman HEROA may be seen in the British Museum,
representing funeral feasts in a temple, carved on the face of a
sarcophagus (in the Towneley collection).
=Herring-bone Masonry.= Common in late Roman or early Saxon walls, where
the ornamental lines take a sloping, parallel, zigzag direction.
=Herygoud=, O. E. A cloak with hanging sleeves.
=Heuk= or =Huque=, O. E. (1) Originally a cloak or mantle worn in the
Middle Ages; then (2) a tight-fitting dress worn by both sexes.
(_Fairholt_; see also _Planché_, _Encyclopædia_.) There appears to be
great uncertainty as to the character of this garment.
=Hexaclinon=, Gr. and R. (ἑξά-κλινος). A dining or banqueting couch
capable of holding six persons.
=Hexaphoron=, Gr. and R. (ἑξά-φορον). A litter carried by six porters.
=Hexapterygon=, Chr. (ἑξα-πτέρυγον). A fan used by Greek Catholics, and
so named because it has on it figures of seraphim with six wings. (See
FAN and FLABELLUM.)
=Hexastyle=, Arch. (ἑξά-στυλος). A façade of which the roof is supported
by six columns.
=Hexeris=, Gr. (ἑξ-ήρης). A vessel with six ranks of oars.
=Hiberna= or =Hyberna=, R. A winter apartment. The halls in a Roman
country house were built to face different ways according to the
seasons; _verna_ and _autumnalis_ looked to the east; _hyberna_, to the
west; _æstiva_, to the north.
=Hidage=, =Hidegild=, A.S. A tax payable to the Saxon kings of England
for every _hide_ of land. The word is indifferently used to signify
exemption from such a tax.
=Hidalgo= (Span. _hijo d’algo_, son of somebody). An obsolete title of
nobility in Spain.
=Hieroglyphics=, Egyp. (ἱερὸς, sacred, and γλύφω, to carve). Characters
of Egyptian writing, the letters of which are figurative or symbolic.
There are three kinds of Egyptian writing, the _hieroglyphic_, the
_hieratic_, and the _demotic_. Clement of Alexandria says that in the
education of the Egyptians three styles of writing are taught: the first
is called the epistolary (_enchorial_ or _demotic_); the second the
_sacerdotal_ (_hieratic_), which the sacred Scribes employ; and the
third the _hieroglyphic_. Other nations, as for instance the ancient
Mexicans, have likewise employed hieroglyphics.
=Hieromancy=, Gr. and R. Divination from sacrifices.
=Hieron=, Gr. (ἱερὸν, i. e. holy place). The whole of the sacred
enclosure of a temple, which enclosed the woods, the building, and the
priests’ dwelling-place.
=High-warp Tapestry.= Made on a loom, in which the warp is arranged on a
vertical plane,, as the Gobelins. _Low-warp tapestry_ is made on a flat
loom, as at Aubusson, Beauvais, and other places. It is made more
rapidly, and is inferior in beauty to the former.
=Hilaria.= A great Roman festival in honour of Cybele, celebrated at the
vernal equinox. It consisted chiefly of extravagant merry-making to
celebrate the advent of spring.
=Hippocampus=, Gr. and R. A fabulous animal, which had the fore-quarters
of a horse ending in the tail of a dolphin. [It is imitated from the
little “sea-horse” of the Mediterranean, now common in aquariums; and in
mural paintings of Pompeii is represented attached to the chariot of
Neptune.]
=Hippocentaur.= A fabulous animal, composed of a human body and head
attached to the shoulders of a horse. (See also CENTAUR.)
=Hippocervus=, Chr. A fantastic animal, half horse and half stag; it
personifies the pusillanimous man who throws himself without reflection
into uncertain paths, and soon falls into despair at having lost himself
in them.
=Hippocratia=, Gr. Festivals held in Arcadia in honour of Neptune, who,
by striking the earth with his trident, had given birth to the horse.
[Illustration: Fig. 386. Ground-plan of a Hippodrome.]
=Hippodromus=, Gr. and R. The Greek name for an arena for horse and
chariot races, in contradistinction to the stadium, which served for
foot-racing. Fig. 386 represents the hippodrome at Olympia, taken from
Gell’s _Itinerary of the Morea_. The following is the key to the
plan:—1, 2, and 3 are _carceres_; A, the space included between the
stalls or _carceres_; B, starting-place for the chariots; C, the
colonnade; D, the arena; E, the barrier; F, the goal; G, the space
occupied by the spectators. [The word was also applied to the races
themselves.] (See also CIRCUS.)
=Hippogryph.= A mythical animal represented as a winged horse with the
head of a _gryphon_.
=Hippopera=, Gr. and R. (ἱππο-πήρα). A saddle-bag for travellers on
horseback. (See ASCOPERA.)
=Hippotoxotes= (ἱππο-τοξότης). A mounted archer. The Syrians, Persians,
Medes, Greeks, and Romans had mounted archers among their light cavalry.
=Histrio.= An actor. The GREEK dramas were originally represented on the
stage by one performer, who represented in succession the different
characters. Æschylus introduced a second and a third actor. The actors
were all amateurs, and it was not until a later period that the
histrionic profession became a speciality. Sophocles and Æschylus both
probably acted their own plays. The ROMAN name for an actor, _histrio_,
was formed from the Etruscan _hister_, a dancer. The earliest
_histriones_ were dancers, and performed to the music of a flute; then
Roman youths imitating them introduced jocular dialogue, and this was
the origin of the drama. After the organization of the theatres, the
_histriones_ were subjected to certain disabilities; they were a
despised class, and excluded from the rights of citizenship. The
greatest of _histriones_ in Rome were Roscius and Æsopus, who realized
great fortunes by their acting.
=Hobelarii=, Med. Lat. (See HOBLERS.)
=Hoblers=, A.S. Feudal tenants bound to serve as light horsemen in times
of invasion.
=Hob-nob=, O. E. (Saxon _habban_, to have; _næbban_, not to have). “Hit
or miss;” hence a common invitation to reciprocal drinking.
=Hock-day=, =Hoke-day=, or =Hock Tuesday.= A holiday kept to commemorate
the expulsion of the Danes. It was held on the second Tuesday after
Easter. _Hocking_ consisted in stopping the highway with ropes, and
taking toll of passers-by.
=Hocus-pocus.= Probably a profane corruption of the words _hoc est
corpus_ used in the Latin mass.
=Holocaust.= A sacrifice entirely consumed by fire.
=Holosericum= (Gr. ὅλον, all; σηρικόν, silk). A textile _all silk_.
=Holy Bread=, =Holy Loaf=, or =Eulogia= (Lat. _panis benedictus_). This
was not the eucharistic bread (which was used in the wafer form for the
Communion), but ordinary leavened bread, blessed by the priest after
mass, cut up into small pieces and given to the people.
=Holy-bread-skep=, O. E. A vessel for containing the holy bread.
=Holy Water Pot=, Chr. A metal vessel frequently found at the doors of
Roman Catholic churches, to contain the consecrated water, which was
dispensed with the _aspergillum_.
=Holy Water Sprinkler= or =Morning Star=, O. E. A military club or flail
set with spikes, which _sprinkled_ the blood about as the _aspergillum_
sprinkles the holy water.
[Illustration: Fig. 387. Holy Water Stone (Renaissance).]
=Holy Water Stone= or =Stoup=, Chr. A stone receptacle placed at the
entrance of a church for holding the holy water.
=Honeysuckle Pattern.= A common Greek ornament, fully described by its
name. (See FLEURON.)
[Illustration: Fig. 388. Honiton Guipure.]
=Honiton Guipure.= Lace was made in Devonshire, as well as in other
parts of England, of silk and coarse thread until 1567, when the fine
thread now used was introduced, it is said, by Flemings, who had escaped
from the persecutions of the Duke of Alva. (See OLD DEVONSHIRE.) Honiton
lace owes its great reputation to the sprigs made separately on a
pillow, and afterwards either worked in with the beautiful pillow net or
sewn on it. This net was made of the finest thread from Antwerp, the
price of which in 1790 was 70_l._ per pound. (See MECHLIN LACE, 18th
century.) Heathcoat’s invention, however, dealt a fatal blow to the
trade of the net-makers, and since then Honiton lace is usually made by
uniting the sprigs on a pillow, or joining them with a needle by various
stitches, as shown in the engraving.
=Honour=, Legion of. Instituted 3rd June, 1802, by Napoleon I. as first
consul.
=Hoodman-blind.= Old English for BLINDMAN’S BUFF (q.v.).
=Hoods= (A.S. _Hod_) were probably introduced by the Normans. They are
constantly represented, with great variation of fashion, in
illustrations of the 11th to 18th century, as a part of the costume of
both sexes. They were finally displaced by caps and bonnets in the reign
of George II. (See CHAPERON, COWL.)
=Hoops=, in ladies’ dress, were introduced in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, displacing the FARTHINGALE; and were finally abandoned in
that of George III.
=Hop-harlot=, O. E. A very coarse coverlet for beds.
=Horatia Pila=, R. A pillar erected at the west extremity of the Roman
forum to receive the trophy of the spoils of the three Curiatii brought
back by Horatius.
=Horns.= A portion of a lady’s head-dress, mentioned in the 13th
century. They appear to have been formed by the foldings of the _gorget_
or _wimple_, and a disposition of the hair on each side of the head into
the form of rams’ horns. For the horned head-dress of the 15th century,
see the illustration to CORONET.
=Horologium.= (1) _Sundials_ preceded all other instruments for the
measurement of time. The _gnomon_ or _stocheion_ of the GREEKS was a
perpendicular staff or pillar, the shadow of which fell upon a properly
marked ground; the _polos_ or _heliotropion_ consisted of a
perpendicular staff, in a basin in which the twelve parts of the day
were marked by lines. (2) The _clepsydra_ was a hollow globe, with a
short neck, and holes in the bottom; it measured time by the escape of
water, and was at first used like an hour-glass to regulate the length
of speeches in the Athenian courts. The escape of water was stopped by
inserting a stopper in the mouth, when the speaker was interrupted.
Smaller _clepsydrata_ made of glass and marked with the hours were used
in families. A precisely similar history applies to the _horologia_ of
ROME.
=Horreum= (dimin. _horreolum_), R. (1) Literally, a place in which ripe
fruits were kept; a granary, or storehouse for grain; _horreum publicum_
was the public granary. (2) Any storehouse or depôt; _horrea
subterranea_, cellars. (3) It was applied to places in which _works of
art_ were kept, and Seneca calls his library a _horreum_.
=Horse.= In Christian art, the emblem of courage and generosity;
attribute of St. Martin, St. Maurice, St. George, and others. The
Chinese have a _sacred horse_, which is affirmed to have appeared from a
river to the philosopher Fou-hi, bearing instruction in eight diagrams
of the characters proper to express certain abstract ideas.
=Horse-shoe=, Arch. A form of the stilted arch elevated beyond half the
diameter of the curve on which it is described. (See ARCH.)
=Hortus= (dimin. _hortulus_), R. A pleasure-garden, park, and thence a
kitchen garden; _horti pensiles_ were hanging gardens. The most striking
features of a Roman garden were lines of large trees planted in regular
order; alleys or walks (_ambulationes_) formed by closely clipped hedges
of box, yew, cypress, and other ever greens; beds of acanthus, rows of
fruit-trees especially of vines, with statues, pyramids, fountains, and
summer-houses (_diætæ_). The Romans were fond of the art of cutting and
twisting trees, especially box, into figures of animals, ships, &c.
(_ars topiaria_). The principal garden-flowers seem to have been violets
and roses, and they had also the crocus, narcissus, lily, gladiolus,
iris, poppy, amaranth, and others. Conservatories and hot-houses are
frequently mentioned by Martial. An ornamental garden was also called
_viridarium_, and the gardener _topiarius_ or _viridarius_. The common
name for a gardener is _villicus_ or _cultor hortorum_. (Consult
_Smith’s Dict. of Ant._)
=Hospitium=, R. (_hospes_, a guest). A general term to denote any place
in which a traveller finds shelter, board, and lodging. [The word had a
very wide meaning of _hospitality_, regulated in all its details by the
religious and social and politic sentiments of the nations.]
=Hostia=, R. (_hostio_, to strike). A victim offered in sacrifice.
=Hot Cockles=, O. E. A game common in the Middle Ages.
=Hot-houses=, O. E. The name for Turkish baths; 16th century.
=Houppeland=, O. E. A very full loose upper garment with large hanging
sleeves; 14th century. It was probably introduced from Spain, and was
something like a cassock.
=House.= (See DOMUS.)
=Houseling Bread=, O. E., Chr. (See SINGING-BREAD, HOWSLING BELL.)
=Housia= or =Housse=, O. E. An outer garment, combining cloak and tunic;
a tabard.
=Howsling Bell=, O. E. The bell which was rung before the Holy
Eucharist, when taken to the sick.
=Howve= (Saxon, from the old German _hoojd_). A hood. A common phrase
quoted by Chaucer, “to set a man’s _howve_,” is the same as to “set his
cap,” _cap_ him or cheat him.
=Huacos.= (See GUACAS.)
=Huircas= or =Pinchas=, Peruv. Subterranean aqueducts of the ancient
Peruvians, distinct from the _barecac_ or open conduits.
=Hullings= or =Hullyng=. Old English name for hangings for a hall, &c.
=Humatio=, R. (_humo_, to bury). The act of burying, and thence any mode
of interment whatever.
=Hume’s Permanent White.= SULPHATE OF BARYTES (q.v.).
=Humerale.= (See ANABOLOGIUM, AMICE.)
=Humettée=, Her. Cut short at the extremities.
[Illustration: Fig. 389. Hunting Flask of Jaspered Ware, 1554–1556.
Louvre Museum.]
=Hunting Flask.= M. Jacquemart thinks that that represented in Fig. 389
may be reasonably attributed to Palissy. It is glazed in green, and
diapered with little flames of a deeper shade. Upon the body, in relief,
is the escutcheon of the celebrated Anne de Montmorency, round it the
collar of St. Michael, and on each side the Constable’s sword supported
by a mailed arm and the motto of his house, “A Planos” (unwavering). A
mask of Italian style and rayonnated suns complete the decoration of
this curious sealed earthenware.
=Hurst=, Her. A clump of trees.
=Hurte=, Her. A blue roundle.
=Hutch=, O. E. (Fr. _huche_). A locker, which generally stood at the
foot of the bed, to contain clothes and objects of value. It was
commonly used for a seat.
=Huvette=, Fr. A close steel skull-cap.
=Hyacinth.= (1) A precious stone of a violet colour. (2) The colour
formed of red with blue, blue predominating. (3) The flower hyacinth
among the ancient Greeks was the emblem of death.
=Hyacinthia=, Gr. A national festival, celebrated annually at Amyclæ by
the Amyclæans and Spartans, in honour of the hero Hyacinthus, who was
accidentally killed by Apollo with a quoit.
=Hyalotype= (ὕαλος, glass, and τυπεῖν, to print). An invention for
printing photographs from the negative on to glass, instead of paper.
=Hycsos=, Egyp. (lit. impure). A people of unknown origin, nomad tribes,
but not savages, as has hitherto been believed, who came from Sinai,
Arabia, and Syria. They are known as _Poimenes_ (the Shepherds),
_Mentiou Sati_, _Asian Shepherds_, and even _Scourges_, from their
invasion of some part of Eastern Egypt.
[Illustration: Fig. 390. Hydra with seven heads.]
=Hydra=, Gr. (a water-serpent). A hundred-headed monster of Greek
mythology, sprung, like the Chimæra, from Typhon and Echidna; he was
killed by Hercules. In Heraldry the hydra is represented with only nine
heads. The illustration (Fig. 390) is of the device adopted by Curtio
Gonzaga, an Italian poet, to symbolize the constancy of his love, with
the motto, “If I kill it, more strong it revives.”
=Hydraletês=, Gr. (1) A mill for grinding corn, driven by water. (2) A
waterfall or current of water.
=Hydraulis=, Gr. (ὕδρ-αυλις). A water-organ. The hydraulic organ,
invented about B.C. 200, was really a pneumatic organ; the water was
only used to force the air through the pipes. It is represented on a
coin of Nero in the British Museum. Only ten pipes are given to it, and
there is no indication of any key-board. It had eight stops, and
consequently eight rows of pipes; these were partly of bronze, and
partly of reed. It continued in use so late as the 9th century of our
era.
[Illustration: Fig. 391. Hydria, or Water-jug, in black glaze.]
=Hydria=, Gr. A large, heavy vessel, used principally for holding a
store of water. It is represented urn-shaped, with a broad base and a
narrow mouth, sometimes with one and sometimes with two handles at the
top, and smaller ones on the belly. The name is applied to other pails
of bronze or silver, &c. (Fig. 391.)
=Hydriaphoria=, Gr. (water-bearing). (1) Funereal ceremonies performed
at Athens in memory of those who had perished in the deluges of Ogyges,
Deucalion, &c. (2) A service exacted from married alien women in Athens
by the female citizens, when they walked in the great procession at the
Panathenaic feasts, and the former carried vessels of water for them.
=Hydroceramic= (vessels), Gr. Vessels made of a porous clay, in which
liquids were put for the purpose of cooling them; they were a kind of
_alcarazas_.
=Hydroscope.= Another name for the clepsydra. (See HOROLOGIUM.)
=Hypæthral=, Gr. and R. (lit. under the sky, or in the open air). The
term was applied to any building, especially a temple, the _cella_ of
which had no roof. On the roofs of Egyptian temples, hypæthral temples
are arranged with regard to astronomical observations, by which the
calendar was regulated.
[Illustration: Fig. 392. Hypæthrum.]
=Hypæthrum=, Gr. and R. A grating or _claustra_ placed over the
principal door of a temple for the purpose of admitting light into a
part of the _cella_. Fig. 392 shows one of the bronze doors of the
Pantheon at Rome, with its _hypæthrum_.
=Hyperthyrum=, Gr. and R. (over the door). A frieze and cornice arranged
and decorated in various ways for the decoration of the lintel of a
door.
=Hypocastanum.= Greek for CHESNUT BROWN (q.v.).
[Illustration: Fig. 393. Hypocausis of a Roman villa at Tusculum.]
=Hypocaust=, Gr. and R. (ὑπό-καυσις and ὑπό-καυστον). A furnace with
flues running underneath the floor of an apartment or bath, for heating
the air. Fig. 393 represents the sectional elevation of a bath-room
discovered in a Roman villa at Tusculum. Fig. 394 represents a
_hypocausis_ discovered at Paris in the old Rue de Constantine, near
Notre Dame.
[Illustration: Fig. 394. Hypocausis discovered at Paris.]
=Hypogeum=, Arch. A building underground; a sepulchral vault. They form
a principal part of Egyptian architecture of every period. The Greek
term is a synonym of the Latin CONDITORIUM (q.v.)
=Hyporchema=, Gr. A lively dance, accompanied by a mimic performance, at
the festivals of Apollo among the Dorians. A chorus of singers danced
round the altars, and others acted comic or playful scenes.
=Hypotrachelium= or =Cincture=, Arch. The part of the Doric capital
included between the astragal and the lower annulets or fillets.
=Hysteria=, Gr. (from ὗς, a pig). Greek festivals, in which swine were
sacrificed in honour of Venus.