_For Greek words not found under this initial, see C._
=Kalathos=, Gr. (κάλαθος). Literally, made of wicker-work. A
drinking-cup, so called because it resembled the wicker-work basket of
the Greek women. It was usually furnished with a ring, through which a
finger might be put in order to lift it. The word is also written
_calathos_.
=Kaleidoscope= (καλὸς, beautiful; εἶδος, a form; σκοπέω, to see). An
optical instrument invented in 1814 by Sir David Brewster, which by
means of mirrors inserted in it exhibits repetitions of objects placed
within it, in certain symmetrical combinations. There are several
different kinds, called _polycentral_, _tetrascopes_, _hexascopes_,
_polyangular_, &c., according to their construction.
=Kang=, Hind. A bracelet or ring; _kang-doy_, a bracelet for the wrist
or arm; _kang-cheung_, a bracelet or ring worn by the Khmers above the
ankle.
=Kaolin.= The name first applied by the Chinese to the fine white
porcelain earth derived from the decomposition of the feldspathic
granites; used for fine pottery.
=Kayles= (Fr. _quilles_). Modern ninepins, represented in MSS. of the
14th century.
=Keep= of a castle. The DONJON (q.v.).
=Keeping= in a picture. Harmony and the proper subordination of parts.
=Kendal.= A kind of green woollen cloth or baize, first made at the town
of Kendal, in Westmoreland; 16th century.
“Misbegotten knaves in _Kendal green_.”
(_Shakspeare._)
=Kerchief of Pleasaunce.= An embroidered cloth worn by a knight for the
sake of a lady, in his helmet, or, in later times, round his arm; which
is the origin of crape being so worn for mourning.
“Moreore there is ykome into Enlond a knyght out of Spayne wyth a
kercheff of plesunse i-wrapped about hys arme, the gwych knyght wyl
renne a course wyth a sharpe spere for his sov’eyn lady sake.”
(_Paston Letters_, vol. p. 6.)
=Kerchiefs= or =Coverchiefs= (_chief_ = the head), O. E. Head-cloths of
fine linen worn by ladies.
=Kermes= (Arabic = little worm). An insect produced on the _Quercus
coccifera_. The dead bodies of the female insect produce a fine scarlet
dye stuff.
=Kern.= The Irish infantry were formerly so called.
=Kersey.= A coarse narrow woollen cloth; hence “Kersey-mere,” so called
from the _mere_ (or miry brook) which runs through the village of Kersey
in Suffolk, where this cloth was first made.
=Kettle-drum.= A drum with a body of brass.
[Illustration: Fig. 407. Kettle-hat.]
=Kettle-hat=, O. E. The iron hat of a knight of the Middle Ages; also
the leather _burgonet_ of the 15th century.
=Kettle-pins=, O. E. (See KAYLES.)
=Key-note.= In Music, the foundation or lowest note of the scale.
Whatever note this is, the _intervals_ between the third and fourth
notes, and between the _seventh_ and _eighth_ above it, must be
_semi-tones_.
=Key-stone=, Arch. The central stone of an arch.
=Keys.= In Christian art, the attribute of St. Peter, signifying his
control over the entrances of Heaven and Hell; hence the insignia of the
Papacy. They also denote, _in heraldry_, office in the State, such as
that of chamberlain of the court.
=Khan=, Orient. The name used by Eastern nations to denote a
caravanserai.
=Kher=, Egyp. The quarter of tombs; the whole number of burial-places or
_hypogæa_ collected together at one spot.
[Illustration: Fig. 408. Khmer Architecture. Base of a pillar in a
Temple of Cambodia, showing the god Brahma with four faces.]
=Khmers=, Hind. The ancient inhabitants of Cambodia, a territory in
South-East Asia, who had attained a high stage of civilization, to judge
by the artistic remains of the Khmer nation which survive.
=Khopesh=, Egyp. The dagger of the Egyptian kings; its curved blade bore
some resemblance to the thigh of an ox, which was called in Egyptian
_khopesh_ or _khopesk_.
=Kin-chung=, Chinese. A golden bell.
=King-fisher.= (See HALCYON.)
=King-post.= The central upright post supporting the gable of a roof.
=King’s Yellow.= (See ORPIMENT.)
=Kings of Arms.= Officers of Heralds’ College. There are three—_Garter_,
_Clarenceux_, and _Norroy_.
=Kinnor=, Heb. A stringed instrument of the Hebrews; it had eight, ten,
or twenty-four strings, which were played either with the fingers or a
plectrum.
=Kinschall.= A small curved Turkish dagger.
=Kiosk=, =Kiosque=. A Turkish pleasure-house.
=Kircher=, =Kirchowe=, O. E. A kerchief.
=Kirtel=, O. E. A loose gown, a tunic or waistcoat; also a monk’s gown.
=Kiste=, O. E. A chest.
=Kistvaen=, Celt. A Celtic monument more commonly known as a DOLMEN
(q.v.).
=Kit-cat.= Canvas for portraits—28 or 29 inches by 36—of the size
adopted by Sir Godfrey Kneller, in painting the portraits of the Kit-cat
Club. The club had taken its name from Christopher Cat, a pastrycook,
who supplied them at their meetings with mutton-pies. Addison, Steele,
Walpole, Marlborough, and other staunch Whigs were the principal
members. It dissolved about 1720.
=Klaft=, Egyp. A royal head-dress of striped cloth forming a kind of
hood, and terminating in two flaps which fall over the breast. A great
many Egyptian statues are represented with the _klaft_. It is suggested
by M. Soldi that the invention of this ornament was for the purpose of
strengthening the figure, by avoiding the thinness of the shape of the
neck.
=Knapsack.= A case for a foot-soldier’s stores, carried at the back.
_Knap_ means a protuberance.
=Knife=, Chr. (See FLAYING-KNIFE.) This is also the attribute of Sts.
Agatha, Albert, and Christina; and a sacrificing-knife of St. Zadkiel
the Angel.
=Knighthood.= The principal English orders are of the GARTER,
established 1343, and the _Bath_ shortly afterwards; of ST. PATRICK for
Ireland, established in 1783; and the _Order of the Thistle_, at least
as ancient as Robert II. of Scotland. There is a French order of the
_Thistle_, founded in 1463; but the most ancient French order is the
_Gennet_, in 706. In France are also the orders of _St. Michel_ and of
_St. Louis_; but these French orders are now all superseded by the
Legion of Honour. [See _An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders
of Knighthood_.]
=Knight-service=, O. E. A tenure of lands formerly held by knights, on
condition of performing military service
=Knol=, Hind. A road or high road which frequently passes over very low
bridges.
=Knop=, O. E. A button.
=Knop=, =Knob=, Arch. A boss.
[Illustration: Fig. 409. Architectural _Knop_ or _Boss_.]
=Knop and Flower Pattern.= An ornament of remote antiquity, original
basis of a great branch of decorative art in all nations, common on
early Indian monuments, and with different variations in the art of
Assyria, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The variations are regulated according
to the flora of the various countries, the _knop_ (or bud) and _flower_
being always the radical idea.
[Illustration: Fig. 410. Bourchier Knot.]
[Illustration: Fig. 410 a. Dacre Knot and Badge.]
=Knot=, Her. An intertwined cord, borne as a badge. Cords intertwined
about other figures and devices form so called compound badges, which
significantly declared the union of two houses; thus the Dacre knot is
entwined about the Dacre escallop and the famous “ragged staff” of
Beauchamp and Neville. An ORDER OF THE KNOT was established at Naples in
1252. The badge of silk, gold, and pearls was tied in a knot upon the
arm, and those who were invested with it made a vow to untie it at
Jerusalem. (Fig. 410 and 410 a.)
=Knuckle-bones.= (See TALUS.)
=Koope=, O. E. A cope.
=Koukim=, Heb. Kilns for the cremation of the dead, such as are
occasionally found in the ancient tombs of the Valley of Hinnom
(Gehenna).
=Kourganes=, Or. Grassy mounds, such as are frequently met with in
Russia in Europe, and which bear a strong resemblance to _tumuli_ and
_barrows_. (See TUMULUS.)
=Krems White= or =Vienna White=. A pigment manufactured at Krems in
Austria. It is the finest white lead used in oils.
=Krouts=, Hind. An ornament resembling embroidery. The monuments of
Khmer art are adorned with krouts of a rich ornamentation, somewhat
similar to certain ornaments of the French Renaissance. (See Fig. 408.)
=Krumhorn.= An old musical instrument of the cornet kind.
=Kufic.= (See CUFIC.)
=Kussier.= A Turkish musical instrument, consisting of five strings,
stretched over a skin that covers a kind of basin.
=Kymbium.= (See CYMBIUM.)
=Kyphi=, Egyp. A perfume which was burnt before the statues of the gods;
it was composed of sixteen different ingredients.